I just have to write a huge warning to anyone who is considering buying an Antec power supply. Yes they have been given rave reviews right here on Tom's, but don't fall for it.
Just so no one wonders, I have been installing and building systems for over 15 years, and have built and set up hundreds of systems.
I bought an Antec power supply along with one of their high-end server cases, and proceeded to install a $3,500 system into it. Upon powering up the system for the first time, the power supply made a loud grinding noise and started to shoot flame and produced electrical arcing and smoke. I immediately flipped the switch off, removed the faulty power supply, and installed one from a working system, but it was too late, the system was fried. I looked into the casing of the Antec supply and saw that the capacitors had exploded. The entire system that I had installed only draws 250 WATT max, but the supply was rated for 450 WATT!
I called Antec and got an RMA and explained what happened, and they told me to send the entire system to them to be tested and they would replace the damaged parts...
I did, and after a month I emailed them to see what the status was. The guy wrote back and said: "Woops, we forgot to work on your system and it has been sitting in a corner. We'll get right on it". After another month, I emailed them again, and the same guy wrote back: "Woops, we dropped the ball, we forgot to work on it. We'll get right on it". After another month I wrote yet again and asked what the heck was going on with my system! The Antec guy wrote back and said "We'll get on it right away." After ANOTHER MONTH I wrote to Antec and they didn't respond. I wrote again and told them if they weren't going to ever do anything, to just at least return my computer to me! Still no response from Antec. After TWO MORE MONTHS I was about to take legal action and report my computer stolen if they did not return it to me. And the day before I was going to do this, they finally returned the system to me with a new Antec power supply (same type -which I had no intention of using by that point). <b><i>A grand total of 6 months!!!</i></b>
The system had a printed checklist to show that they had tested everything and found it OK, but the system still doesn't work!
<b>
NEVER AGAIN!!!
JUST SAY "NO" TO ANTEC!!!</b>
I'm sure there are many people who will -like always- pipe-up and say that they "have an Antec power supply, but haven't had any problems". That <i><b>DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING</b></i>, because if you are one of the unlucky ones who get the power supply that is slight lower quality then Antec's average ones, then <i><b>YOU ARE SCREWED</b></i>! The fact that this happens shows me that they cut corners and live on the edge with their power supply hardware. If you have one that works, it's only because it's just barely holding together. Never entrust Antec with your expensive system! It's NOT worth it!
Oh, and if anyone doesn't believe this story, I will be happy to post the entire multi-page email correspondence between me and Antec -to prove it!
Do yourself a favor and buy a REAL power supply from an American manufacturer like <b><font color=green>PC Power and Cooling</font color=green></b> <A HREF="http://www.pcpowercooling.com" target="_new">http://www.pcpowercooling.com</A>
Why doesn't Tom's ever review them? They would completely bury the crappy Taiwanese power supplies Tom's usually reviews.
<b><font color=green> Have a day </font color=green></b>
Just so no one wonders, I have been installing and building systems for over 15 years, and have built and set up hundreds of systems.
I bought an Antec power supply along with one of their high-end server cases, and proceeded to install a $3,500 system into it. Upon powering up the system for the first time, the power supply made a loud grinding noise and started to shoot flame and produced electrical arcing and smoke. I immediately flipped the switch off, removed the faulty power supply, and installed one from a working system, but it was too late, the system was fried. I looked into the casing of the Antec supply and saw that the capacitors had exploded. The entire system that I had installed only draws 250 WATT max, but the supply was rated for 450 WATT!
I called Antec and got an RMA and explained what happened, and they told me to send the entire system to them to be tested and they would replace the damaged parts...
I did, and after a month I emailed them to see what the status was. The guy wrote back and said: "Woops, we forgot to work on your system and it has been sitting in a corner. We'll get right on it". After another month, I emailed them again, and the same guy wrote back: "Woops, we dropped the ball, we forgot to work on it. We'll get right on it". After another month I wrote yet again and asked what the heck was going on with my system! The Antec guy wrote back and said "We'll get on it right away." After ANOTHER MONTH I wrote to Antec and they didn't respond. I wrote again and told them if they weren't going to ever do anything, to just at least return my computer to me! Still no response from Antec. After TWO MORE MONTHS I was about to take legal action and report my computer stolen if they did not return it to me. And the day before I was going to do this, they finally returned the system to me with a new Antec power supply (same type -which I had no intention of using by that point). <b><i>A grand total of 6 months!!!</i></b>
The system had a printed checklist to show that they had tested everything and found it OK, but the system still doesn't work!
<b>
NEVER AGAIN!!!
JUST SAY "NO" TO ANTEC!!!</b>
I'm sure there are many people who will -like always- pipe-up and say that they "have an Antec power supply, but haven't had any problems". That <i><b>DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING</b></i>, because if you are one of the unlucky ones who get the power supply that is slight lower quality then Antec's average ones, then <i><b>YOU ARE SCREWED</b></i>! The fact that this happens shows me that they cut corners and live on the edge with their power supply hardware. If you have one that works, it's only because it's just barely holding together. Never entrust Antec with your expensive system! It's NOT worth it!
Oh, and if anyone doesn't believe this story, I will be happy to post the entire multi-page email correspondence between me and Antec -to prove it!
Do yourself a favor and buy a REAL power supply from an American manufacturer like <b><font color=green>PC Power and Cooling</font color=green></b> <A HREF="http://www.pcpowercooling.com" target="_new">http://www.pcpowercooling.com</A>
Why doesn't Tom's ever review them? They would completely bury the crappy Taiwanese power supplies Tom's usually reviews.
<b><font color=green> Have a day </font color=green></b> 
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