Seasonic SS-300FS --- Active PFC or not? Caveat emptor!

[quietdragon]

I recently bought two Seasonic 300W supplies. I bought my first Active PFC unit from a reputable source. On close inspection, I could see the unit was labelled as "SS-300FS Active PFC".

I bought my other unit later second hand from the local classifieds, at what I thought was a bargain price for a just-about-new Active PFC unit. The seller was convinced that he was selling an Active PFC unit, and had a receipt from a local computer store more-or-less confirming this.

This second unit was not an Active PFC unit, although from the receipt this guy had paid extra to obtain an Active PFC unit. The unit was labelled "SS-300FS", and not "SS-300FS Active PFC".

I think Seasonic could have made it much easier for its customers by better differentiating the active PFC and standard model numbers.

I'm sure there are other customers who have been dilberately misled, or accidentally sold the wrong unit.

So if you're paying extra for an "SS-300FS Active PFC", make sure you read the label on the unit very carefully.