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Old 12-07-2008, 02:30 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard View Post
A much better source of info about power supplies is one of my other haunts: Silent PC Review.

silentpcreview.com | Everything about Silent / Quiet Computers
Wasn't aware of that site. Good find, looks like their tests are as through as Tom's Hardware.

Here a link that takes you straight to the Power Supply Articles & Reviews at Tom's Hardware.

And here is a link that takes you straight to the Power Supply Articles & Reviews at Silent PC Review.

Silent PC's article about Power Supply Fundamentals looks particularly good.

The specific article at Tom's Hardware that I had in mind is
Inadequate and Deceptive Product Labeling: Comparison of 21 Power Supplies
Quote:
In spite of the high end-user retail prices, our lab technicians were surprised by the test results. No fewer than 6 power supplies struggled under full load: 3 of the candidates simply went up in smoke, while the other 3 shut down prematurely. The "black sheep" among all the test participants was Maxtron, with the TOP-520P4. According to the manufacturer's specifications, this power supply is represented to be capable of withstanding 520 watts - divided up over the corresponding voltage ranges. However, in our test, it ceased working at 446 watts. Completely dead!
Lawyers, politicians, statisticians and Power Supply Manufacturers - they all tend to bend the truth and a significant number of each one tell out and out lies. Take manufacturer's specification numbers with a great, big block of salt. Shop for specific units that have performed well in tests conducted at one of the above sites. Or shop for brands that consistently perform well in multiple tests conducted at one of the above sites.
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