Antec HCG1000 Extreme 1000W PSU Review: Good Looks For $150

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Load Regulation, Hold-Up Time & Inrush Current

To learn more about our PSU tests and methodology, please check out How We Test Power Supply Units. 

Primary Rails And 5VSB Load Regulation

Load Regulation testing is detailed here.

Hold-Up Time

Our hold-up time tests are described in detail here.

The hold-up time we measured was over 17ms. However, the power-good signal's hold-up time didn't exceed 16ms, as the ATX spec dictates.

Inrush Current

For details on our inrush current testing, please click here.

Registered inrush current landed where we expected for a 1000W PSU with 115V input. With 230V it was a little higher.

Load Regulation And Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of the voltage rails and the HCG1000 Extreme’s efficiency. The applied load equals (approximately) 10 to 110 percent of the PSU's maximum load in increments of 10 percentage points.

We conducted two additional tests. During the first, we stressed the two minor rails (5V and 3.3V) with a high load, while the load at +12V was only 0.1A. This test reveals whether a PSU is compatible with Intel's C6/C7 sleep states or not. In the second test, we determined the maximum load the +12V rail could handle with minimal load on the minor rails.

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Test #12V5V3.3V5VSBDC/AC (Watts)EfficiencyFan SpeedPSU NoiseTemps (In/Out)PF/AC Volts
16.501A1.996A1.986A0.981A100.17687.319%570 RPM26.4 dB(A)39.43°C0.963
12.085V5.014V3.325V5.098V114.72444.74°C115.24V
213.982A2.994A2.978A1.180A199.91290.746%570 RPM26.4 dB(A)40.19°C0.988
12.087V5.013V3.324V5.087V220.29945.98°C115.21V
321.789A3.493A3.462A1.379A299.42391.545%573 RPM26.4 dB(A)40.87°C0.991
12.089V5.013V3.323V5.077V327.07947.39°C115.07V
429.659A3.991A3.975A1.579A399.85191.247%580 RPM26.6 dB(A)41.49°C0.989
12.092V5.013V3.322V5.068V438.20848.61°C115.04V
537.160A4.992A4.971A1.781A499.98290.846%586 RPM26.7 dB(A)41.93°C0.990
12.095V5.012V3.321V5.055V550.36550.18°C114.90V
644.660A5.990A5.963A1.982A600.12390.399%600 RPM26.9 dB(A)42.44°C0.992
12.098V5.012V3.321V5.046V663.85951.57°C114.75V
752.109A6.988A6.960A2.186A699.85689.722%630 RPM27.3 dB(A)43.24°C0.993
12.104V5.011V3.320V5.034V780.02853.17°C114.70V
859.637A7.987A7.956A2.390A800.39889.048%1030 RPM31.1 dB(A)44.65°C0.993
12.106V5.011V3.319V5.023V898.83555.91°C114.54V
967.513A8.487A8.442A2.393A899.71488.380%1143 RPM33.1 dB(A)45.45°C0.994
12.104V5.010V3.318V5.017V1018.00157.75°C114.48V
1075.207A8.988A8.955A3.005A1000.12187.529%1140 RPM33.1 dB(A)46.39°C0.994
12.105V5.010V3.317V4.994V1142.62059.97°C114.31V
1183.455A8.988A8.959A3.009A1100.13286.502%1140 RPM33.1 dB(A)46.88°C0.994
12.107V5.010V3.316V4.987V1271.79661.60°C114.26V
CL10.143A15.004A15.002A0.000A126.91785.101%589 RPM26.8 dB(A)42.87°C0.978
12.106V5.015V3.329V5.106V149.13752.09°C115.20V
CL283.040A1.003A1.001A1.000A1017.84887.960%1136 RPM33.0 dB(A)46.38°C0.994
12.096V5.012V3.316V5.050V1157.16959.57°C114.32V

The fan profile appears to be conservative, even under extremely tough conditions. Although the fan can spin as fast as 2300 RPM, it doesn't even hit half of that number in a 47°C ambient environment.

As for efficiency, the HCG1000 Extreme easily satisfies the 80 PLUS Gold requirements. This is a highly capable platform, to be sure.

MORE: Best Power SuppliesMORE: How We Test Power SuppliesMORE: All Power Supply Content

Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a contributing editor at Tom's Hardware, covering PSUs.

  • richardvday
    I am very curious why so many 1000W or larger PSU's ? How many of these do they actually sell ? How many people need a 1000w PSU ? 500-600W seems the sweet spot that most people would need. I have an 850W that I have been kicking myself in the head for ever since really. I need 500W so my efficiency sucks, wasting energy.
    Reply
  • totalinsanity4
    PSUs are actually most efficient when you're at about half load, so people with 500-600W loads will actually be seeing a slightly lower power bill with a 1000W PSU than, for instance, a 650W one
    Reply
  • richardvday
    And idling ?
    Reply
  • crmaris
    modern PSUs featuring LLC resonant converters also have good efficiency under light loads regardless capacity, given that their design is good. With LLC Burst Mode efficiency under light loads vastly improves.
    Reply
  • test_purch1
    Test Automation comment 1535112055212
    Reply