Specifications

MAXIMUMPC JANUARY 200556
Antec NeoPower 480
This power supply is like Neo in The Matrix—it’s
truly The One
Once nothing more than an also-ran in the highly contentious power supply
market, Antec has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years. The
latest feather in the company’s cap is the NeoPower, a 480-watt beauty
that’s beyond reproach.
The NeoPower certainly looks impressive. The sleek, charcoal fi nish
exudes sophistication, and the thermally controlled 120mm intake fan
provides adequate ventilation at whisper-quiet volumes. The convenient
modular cable system allows unused power cables to be disconnected
from the PSU so they don’t clutter up your case. And while most power
supplies have a single 12V power rail, the NeoPower sports two;
according to Antec, this ensures a more reliable supply of power when
demand is high.
Sounds good, but we were a bit skeptical about how well this scrappy
comer would hold up under close scrutiny. Fortunately, the NeoPower
passed our load test with fl ying colors, and achieved a power factor rating
of 97 percent thanks to its active power factor correction. Even our tough-
love voltage sag test couldn’t make the NeoPower break a sweat. When
we dropped the input voltage to 60V, the output voltage didn’t budge from
its starting point of 11.92V.
In terms of connectors, the NeoPower is about as future-proof as it
gets. Aside from an abundance of standard four-pin peripheral power
connectors, this PSU also includes support for Serial ATA, PCI Express,
and ATX 2.0. If you’re a rabid upgrader, you’ll fi nd no better PSU to put
at the heart of your system. Antec even tossed in two fan-only power
connectors that dynamically adjust the speed of your fans based on case
temperature.
We’re disappointed that
Antec didn’t braid or sleeve all
the power cables for a more
professional look, but that’s a
triviality. With every imaginable
feature and an asking price $70
below that of the Turbo-Cool
510 Deluxe, the NeoPower 480
assumes the throne as our top-
rated PSU.
STACK ‘EM UP
The NeoPower has it all—outstanding quality and
features, good looks, modular cables, and quietness.
FIREWALL
WALL OF FIRE
Braided or sleeved power cables would have
been nice.
$150, www.antec-inc.com
10
MAXIMUMPC
VERDICT
OCZ PowerStream 520ADJ
The company famous for its high-speed memory leaps
into the PSU fray
Known for making memory capable of operating at blistering speeds,
OCZ Technology has thrown its hat into the power supply ring with the
introduction of the PowerStream 520ADJ. Housed in an attractive, glossy
charcoal box, this PSU promises 520 watts of quiet, reliable power for
your components. And it delivers, for the most part.
The PowerStream had no problems in our load test, and its typical
energy consumption of 363 watts was lower than much of the competi-
tion. However, OCZ neglected to equip the 520ADJ with active power
factor correction, resulting in a disappointing power factor rating of just
68 percent.
Like most of the PSUs in this roundup, the PowerStream couldn’t cope
with the rigors of our voltage sag test, but we were more let down by its
initial output voltage of 12.27V on the 12V rail. This is well below the 12.6V
maximum prescribed by the ATX spec, but it’s also significantly less ac-
curate than the voltages delivered by the leaders of this pack. Overclock-
ers may appreciate the 520ADJ’s inclusion of voltage pots for manually
tweaking output voltages.
With two variable-speed 80mm cooling fans, the PowerStream remained
relatively quiet throughout testing. Serial ATA and PCI Express power con-
nectors are present and accounted for, but sadly, the OCZ’s power cables
are not modular, and most of them are unsleeved. On the other hand, the
PSU does include two dedicated power cables intended for videocards and
hard drives. These cables are shielded and boast additional capacitors for
an ostensibly more reliable sup-
ply of power, though it’s hard to
say how much difference these
tiny caps really make.
All in all, the PowerStream
520ADJ isn’t a bad product. But
it lacks important features found
in its more potent rivals in this
roundup, and in the cutthroat
power supply market, being an
also-ran just doesn’t cut it.
Nice looks, shielded videocard/hard drive power
cables, and quiet.
DIRTY DANCING
DIRTY SOCKS
No active power factor correction or modular
cables; voltage accuracy could be better.
$130, www.ocztechnology.com
7
MAXIMUMPC
VERDICT
Once nothing more than an also-ran in the highly contentious power supply
STACK ‘EM UP
STACK ‘EM UP
STACK ‘EM UP
STACK ‘EM UP
STACK ‘EM UP
BLOW
‘EM
OUT