SPCR

For a while I've bought just Seasonic made PSUs. They are regarded as "always good", whether they're high or low end. However, for several reasons, I have to consider other manufacturers. I've put my eyes on a PSU with good reviews, the Antec VP550P, which is made by Delta.

I have asbolutely no idea about how Delta PSUs quality relates to Seasonics. Are they comparable? Are they any good? Are they as regular as Seasonic? I mean, do they make good PSUs only at the top, only at the bottom or they are reliable at most points in the market? (I've read they make the hidh-end Antec Signature line, but that means nothing if they are rather poor at the lower end.)

Also, how much do OEMs like Antec influence the end result when they order their PSUs from manufacturers like Delta or Seasonic?

Any opinions, insights, references or data on Delta as a PSU manufacturer will be very welcome.

TIA.

MikeC wrote:

electrodacus wrote:...it seems Delta is a good brand.

True, generally speaking. It's the biggest power supply maker in the world capable of designing and producing almost any type of power electronics.

You'll always want to verify with a product-specific review, but I hold Delta in good if not high regard when it comes to quality - but not silence. From what I've seen, the manufacturer is what makes or breaks the design, not the client/"OEM". If they pay for a decent make, it usually comes with decent stuff all around (caps, wiring, fan+controller), as they probably don't want it to fail.

Here is one product-specific review and its conclusion: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Antec/VP550P/9.html

Recommended because cheap, but with caveats.

Just for curiosity's sake, check local prices for Enermax EMD425AWT. You may be pleasantly surprised...

Thanks for the advice. I had already read the review at Techpowerup, and I also found it was "good for the money". I've ordered two of those Antec and will build two systems around them. I'll check the noise, but it's not critical in this case: they are for the nephews and all they want is higher FPS in their games )

My problem is that it's becoming increasingly difficult to find Seasonic made PSUs around here (Spain) at a reasonable price. Usually I can pay for them, since I build high-end rigs, but I need an alternative for those cases when my customer has a limited budget. It's nice to know Delta is realiable, even if noisy.

Thanks again.

EDIT: I couldn't find the Enermax EMD425AWT model here. The Enermax EMD425AWT II (note the II at the end) is about twice as much as the Antec VP550P and 125W less. I'm afraid I need those extra watts for those gaming systems and I definitely do not need modular cabling (that's a luxury I can't quite understand from a functional point of view). I know Enermax is very nice, but I can only easily find very high wattage models from them (800W and up), which I rarely need.

Take a look at the Nexus Value 430. It retails in germany around 64 Euro + p&p.

Small, definitly silent and has enough power for a 1080p gaming setup.

The non-II Enermax was discontinued and got heavily discounted at retailers - in Denmark it was available for as little as 50 euros. Absolute steal.

And 500 W, 425 W... usually the rig can run on either in these times of 80 Plus certification, especially if it's going to be a budget build.

The Nexus Pappnaas mentioned is a personal favourite for budget builds and an SPCR Editor's Choice, but it seems to have vanished from the local market.

Hope the Antecs pan out nicely!