X-bit labs

ATX Power Supply Units Roundup. Part V (page 11)

Category: Other

by Oleg Artamonov

[ 11/21/2006 | 03:51 PM ]

When the PSU was working in pair with an APC SmartUPS SC 620, loads below 315W were allowable irrespective of the power source (electric mains or batteries). Judging by that, the TruePower is unlikely to have high efficiency.

At a load of 530W the output voltage ripple was 20 millivolts on the +5V rail, 31 millivolts on the +12V rail, and 17 millivolts on the +3.3V rail.

Like a majority of models with independent voltage regulation, the TruePower 2.0 has excellent cross-load characteristics. In the whole range of allowable loads it’s only the +3.3V voltage that goes out of the “green zone”. And even this voltage doesn’t reach the maximum allowable deflection.

The PSU is cooled with a single Top Motor DF1212BB-3 fan whose speed is nearly constant at loads below 200W, but grows up quickly thereafter until reaches an almost constant level again. The PSU is very quiet at low load, but its fan makes itself heard at speeds higher than 1500rpm.

The efficiency is indeed mediocre at about 79% through the most part of the load range. That’s not bad, but worse than many other modern power supplies offer.

The power factor is 0.65 on average, quite expectably for a PFC-less model.

So, the Antec TruePower 2.0 is just a good midrange model. It doesn’t have any exceptional features that would distinguish it from the crowd, but it has no serious defects, either. If you need just a good power supply, you may want to consider the Antec TruePower as an option.