Antec EarthWatts 500W
Jan 22nd, 2007 | By Archive
Antec EarthWatts 500W
Date
: 01/22/07 – 05:54:27 AM
Author
:
Category
: Power Supplies
Page 1 : Introduction
Whether you are a hobbyist, a system builder or just getting your feet wet for the first time, Antec is a name you have probably heard of and with good reason too. Antec is a company who is known for their unique design, excellent build quality and of course affordable pricing. Antec produces a wide range of products from cooling accesories, cases, and of course power supplies!
Most would not hesitate to recommend an Antec power supply, after all they are known for their superb stability. Today we are going to look a new member of Antec's line of power supply, the EarthWatts series.
Efficiency has always been an issue chased after by environmentalists. Efficient appliances and devices will not only help our planet, and save you money but an efficient power supply will also output less heat which means more overclocking or a quieter computer system!
Page 2 : Package
Each member of the EarthWatts series comes in a different color package, the unit we will look at today is the 500W model which comes in a brown package.
The package design is extremely simple, yet visually appealing. The front displays a picture of the power supply along with maximum power output, 'EarthWatts', and a 80 Plus logo.
The back side of the power supply outlines even more features and again, the 80 Plus logo.
The sides show more information, the left panel outlines main features in several languages.
The right side shows input and output information. The output section breaks the output into each individual rail; 5V, 3.3V, 12V1, 12V2, -12V and 5VsB which we will further discuss on the next page.
Page 3 : Specifications
Here is what Antec has to say about the EarthWatts 500W power supply:
EarthWatts, the most environmentally friendly Power Supply yet.
Do your part for the environment with EarthWatts power supplies. The earth is our most valuable resource and protecting and preserving it for future generations is of utmost importance. EarthWatts is available in three highly efficient models380 Watt, 430 Watt, and 500 Wattand are all 80 PLUS® certified, the newest standard in power supply efficiency. And that means that using EarthWatts will save you money on your electrical bill. Fully equipped with universal input, EarthWatts automatically works on any power grid in the world. And the built-in Active PFC makes EarthWatts the ideal way to reduce electrical waste and protect the environment.
Features:
80mm low noise cooling fan
Dual 12V outputs: 12V2 for Motherboard and peripherals; 12V1 for processor
Industrial-grade protection circuitry prevents damage resulting from short circuits, power overloads, over voltage, and under voltage
80 PLUS® certified
4 SATA connectors
PCI-E connector: one for 380W and 430W, two for 500W
Safety approvals: UL, CUL, FCC, TÜV, CE, CB, C-tick, CCC
Universal input
Active Power Factor Correction (PFC)
PF value up to 99%
AQ3 Antec Quality three-year parts and labour warranty
Like most modern power supplies, this one also has two 12V rails.
17A on both 12V rails may be a bit low for those considering higher end video cards, but for the majority of users out there, 17A should be sufficient. One thing to note is that the combined output of the 3.3V and 5V rails is 130W or 34.2A not 166W when each rail is added.
The UL number listed on this unit is E104405 which is Seasonic, a company known for effecient, quite and excellent performing power supplies, it is no mystery why Antec chose a Seasonic unit.
Page 4 : Package Content
And finally, the unpacking!
Notice the recyclable carton, it looks like Antec choose to be environmentally friendly right down to the packaging!
The EarthWatts power supply itself is quite different from most modern power supplies; unlike others the Earthwatt does not have flashy LEDs, fancy wires or a shiny paint job; instead, the EarthWatts 500W is exactly what other companies try to avoid, a grey metal box.
While this look might not appeal to most people, it isn't the exterior that makes a power supply, the interior performance is what we are after.
The insides is fairly typical for a Seasonic unit except for small heatsink.
This power supply uses Hitachi capacitors in the primary stage and Ost in the secondary. Both of which are fairly reliable.
Well, enough about the insides lets take a look at some numbers!
Page 5 : Performance, Testing and Installation
In order to simulate system load we will be using peltiers. The reason for this is because when using an actual computer system there is no way we could accurately measure how much load we are putting on the power supply without some very expensive equipment.
98%
of the power supply's maximum output of 500W.
Prior to any official tests, the unit will run with no load for two weeks or approximately 336 hours at an operation temperature of 21°C (room temperature will vary throughout this period) as a burn in period. For each idle and load conditions we will run two tests, a cold and a hot test. This is to reflect different conditions the power supply could potentially encounter within an enclosed system. Cold tests will be run with an exhaust temperature of 21°C and hot tests will be run with an exhaust temperature of 45°C. All temperature and voltage readings will be recorded with two separate digital multimeters.
Now, lets get on with the results!
Both the cold and hot tests showed spectacular numbers, especially when taking in account that this power supply was loaded up to the brim!
Installation is no different from any other power supply, after all this is a standard sized unit.
Now that we are done here, head over to the next page and we will wrap things up.
Page 6 : Conclusion
Chalk another one up for Antec! The EarthWatts 500W is an excellent power supply unit which combines efficiency, performance, and is almost inaudible despite the single 80mm fan. This power supply was able hold its ground even under absolutely treacherous conditions.
While this power supply is excellent, there are a few things that need to be pointed out. 17A on both 12V rails may be a bit low, especially considering newer video cards, but should more than enough in most systems. For those running super high end systems, you are just going to have to wait and hope Antec releases a higher output unit!
Advantages
Excellent performance
Quiet
Active PFC
Disadvantages
Could use a paint job
Overclockers Online would like to thank Antec for making this review possible.