Toms hardware PSU roundup

Abula · Post by **Abula** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:50 am

Strong Showing: High-Performance Power Supply Units
http://www20.tomshardware.com/howto/200 ... ly-38.html

PSU tested

The Test Candidates In Detail
Cooler Master Real Power 450W
Antec NeoPower 450W
Nexus NX-4090
Enermax EG701AX-VE(W)
FSP BlueStorm 500
Ultra X-Connect 500W
Ultrapower AT-T460AP
Zalman ZM400B-APS
Tagan I-Xeye 420W
Tagan TG430-U22
Zippy PSM-6600P
Super Flower SF-450TS
I-Star TC-500R8P
Sharkoon SHA535-9A
NorthQ NQ-4775-400
Silverstone SST-ST52F
Epower Technology Jaguar 450
Aspire ATX-AS520W 12V

Mr_Smartepants · Post by **Mr_Smartepants** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:29 pm

Haven't heard of a third of these!

Sharkoon? Is that a new saturday morning cartoon or what?

Slaugh · Post by **Slaugh** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:46 pm

Here's a picture of the Sharkoon SilentStorm SHA535-9A:

It doesn't look that quiet.

KorruptioN · Post by **KorruptioN** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:32 pm

In the images on the Tom's review, that Sharkoon looks a lot like an Enermax. Right down to the fan speed control knob.

ilh · Post by **ilh** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:33 pm

Sigh...no Seasonic.

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 4:36 pm

ilh wrote:Sigh...no Seasonic.

Toms is often completely retarded in the way they review things. Speed wise, its ok, although even there when they review speed of systems they never really mention if some game is fine at a certain Framerate or if its crappy.

Dont look at toms for reviews if you can find them here, they are kinda general audience and uncreative in their attempts at CORRECTING problems, like they never try different combinations of hardware with the same case, or move fans around or use rheobus things or explain how they calibrate their gear.

EricTerminator · Post by **EricTerminator** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:11 pm

Hi all !

Sharkoon is a German brand, and here's there website : www.sharkoon.de

See you

Slaugh · Post by **Slaugh** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 3:38 am

ilh wrote:Sigh...no Seasonic.

Very strange... I found this quote on the Tom's Hardware XChange website (reseller.tomshardware.com):

Sponsers:

Seasonic

Seasonic is a professional designer and manufacturer of Switch Mode Power Supplies since 1975. Product line includes PC power supply, Server Rackmount Power Supply, Open Frame, and Adaptor power supply. Features in Silent and PFC (Power Factor Correction), especially unique "Smart & Silent" Fan Control Technology, which has been rated #1 by many magazines and product review web sites for Silent power supplies. Major markets include Germany, Holland, Sweden and Japan. Focusing on design and manufacturing Switch Mode Power Supplies, Seasonic's history is one of the longest among all competitors in the market. This is vivid evidence for the stability and reliability of both products and the company itself.

So why not include Seasonic in their tests? And if it's not strange enough...

Panelist/Speaker Bios:

Seasonic

Mike Chin
Technical Consultant

Chin is a professional communications consultant who has worked with technology companies in Canada and the United States for more than a decade. With a thorough understanding of the technology and the business side of the PC and experience in business journalism as well as consumer electronics, Chin has proven to be an able spokesperson for Seasonic USA, representing the company at various media and industry events.

Mike Chin can be reached at [email protected]

Do they talk about "our" Mike Chin?

MiKeLezZ · Post by **MiKeLezZ** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 4:31 am

Did you notice it the FPS500W?

Pretty strange about Mike..

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 7:37 am

Not really strange they didn't include Seasonic. Tom's hardware is based in Europe. Availlabillity of Seasonic PSU's in Europe is rather poor. Plus when they started writing the article the S12 was probably not availlable in Europe at all. Why review a PSU almost nobody can buy and an older model on top of that?

Aleksi · Post by **Aleksi** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:42 am

Hi

Here's my two cents, even though the only one who should answer to the above, is MikeC himself.

Don't really think there's anything odd about MikeC representing Seasonic, presuming that is our MikeC. Considering the time he has worked with computer electronics and his understanding of them makes him an ideal spokesperson for a product or products he truly likes. Now, if you take into account the time he has most obviously spent playing around with Seasonic PSUs (modding etc...), that makes him better equipped to represent Seasonic than probably some of Seasonic own employees, correct?

Now those who think this would affect his reviews, think again. All the people at these boards using Seasonic can't think they are good and quiet PSUs just because "MikeC from SPCR said that".

Post by **MikeC** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 11:52 am

Aleksi is very insightful.

What he describes is precisely the case. Seasonic in the US did not have a spokesperson who could do a good job of representing them at this event and they asked if I would do this on their behalf. My role was to participate on an "expert panel" in front of a large industry audience for about 20-30 mins along with some real heavyweights from Intel, AMD and others to answer complex questions about system integration in the face of increased component thermals. I don't believe I even mentioned Seasonic except to say I was there on their behalf.

I have in the past described how SPCR is funded by a mix of SPCR ad revenue and writing / tech communications consulting, some of which is related to SPCR. And a small flow of user donations. This is not the first or last of my consulting stints for PC industry clients; it's natural & almost unavoidable.

inti · Post by **inti** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 7:29 am

I don't have a problem with that

In any case, all editorial PSU reviews here are based on cold (hopefully) hard observations, not subjective judgments.

Seems to me that MikeC's arrangement with Seasonic is a lot more open and less likely to result in bias than the cosy arrangements between most PC magazines and their advertisers ... and don't get me started on audio magazines!