COOLER MASTER eXtreme Power 550W

[jjmIII]

$9.99 at Newegg

Should I buy one??
It would possibly be used on a Quad-AMD with a basic PCI-e video card, 1-2 hdd, and one DVD-burner.

Thanks guys (& girls) -Jim

EDIT: any suggestions on a PSU deal appreciated

 

[jonnyGURU]

1. Depends on what you're powering with it. It's a 550W rated at 30°C with a de-rate of -4W per +1°C.

2. $9.99? It says $49.99 AR for me.

 

[jjmIII]

It would possibly be used on a Quad-AMD with a basic PCI-e video card, 1-2 hdd, and one DVD-burner.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Depends on what you're powering with it.

Sorry. "Basic PCI-e video card" doesn't tell me much, and the graphics card is typically the most power consuming thing in your PC.

As for "Quad-AMD", do you mean a Quad FX? A dual proc? If so, we'll stop right there because that thing isn't even going to boot into Windows with that power supply no matter what graphics card you have.

 

[MarcVenice]

He prolly ment phenom, anyone buying a dual proc isn't going to skimp on the PSU. Either way, if a generic PCI-e videocard means low-end, then you should look into buying an antec earthwatts 430w or perhaps a corsair 450vx.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
He prolly ment phenom, anyone buying a dual proc isn't going to skimp on the PSU.

Have you seen some of the people on this forum and others like it? I love the "I'm buying the water cooled BFG 8800 GTX OC2 and only have $50 on a PSU. Please help!!!!"

 

[jjmIII]

Phenom
8600 GTS or lower (most likely a $20-25 card though)

I have an EarthWatts 430 in my Quad-6600.......if they were $9.99, I wouldn't even ask about this CM.

EDIT: thanks for the replies guys

 

[jjmIII]

Maybe an EarthWatts 380 is better ??

 

[jonnyGURU]

The Cooler Master is still better IF it's the same price or less.

I still don't see where the unit is $9.99 at Newegg.

 

[MarcVenice]

Heh, I kinda noticed, ridiculous, although somewhat understandable. It's like something that creeped into the PC market. I was hesitant to spend 50 euro's on a PSU when I needed to upgrade it after buying a 280eu 8800gts.

Btw, internally the antecs are still better then the CM's, aren't they jonny ? I think I'd prolly rather have a AE 430w then any CM psu, unless it's an i-green or really high end CM.

 

[richwenzel]

here is how to get it for $9.99
http://promotions.newegg.com/N...mail-_-top-_-Moredeals

I am doing a new build and was gonna get an Xclio (same manufacturer as the guys who do Antec, though they seem to get better reviews and are cheaper), however, $9.99 is so cheap. Might buy it, test it out, and if its not great keep it as a back up.

Here is the only review I could find:

http://www.extremeoverclocking...ler_Master_550W_8.html

Just checked Newegg, looks like they are out of stock.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
He prolly ment phenom, anyone buying a dual proc isn't going to skimp on the PSU.

Have you seen some of the people on this forum and others like it? I love the "I'm buying the water cooled BFG 8800 GTX OC2 and only have $50 on a PSU. Please help!!!!"

YES!!! Gotta love those people!!!!
After all if we don`t love them who will?

 

[jjmIII]

The CM 550 was a newsletter deal.......but I waited too long .

I bought an EA380 for 45 shipped with 30 rebate instead .

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: richwenzel


I am doing a new build and was gonna get an Xclio (same manufacturer as the guys who do Antec, though they seem to get better reviews and are cheaper), however, $9.99 is so cheap. Might buy it, test it out, and if its not great keep it as a back up.

that depends on what Antec you are talking about...I believe Xclio's OEM is Channel Well

 

[jjmIII]

Originally posted by: jjmIII
The CM 550 was a newsletter deal.......but I waited too long .

I bought an EA380 for 45 shipped with 30 rebate instead .

Canceled my order, and got a CM 600 instead!

 

[jonnyGURU]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice

Btw, internally the antecs are still better then the CM's, aren't they jonny ? I think I'd prolly rather have a AE 430w then any CM psu, unless it's an i-green or really high end CM.

Not really. A lot of people give the Antec's a pass card because they use Seasonic as an OEM. But one has to realize that they use the absolute cheapest BOM available to them from Seasonic (BOM = Build Of Materials). That's how they can sell them so cheap and still make money.

The Cooler Master is an Acbel. Albeit it's an Acbel rated at 30°C as opposed to 50°C, I'd still take the Acbel built unit.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Major components inside the Earthwatts...

-Main filter caps...Hitachi or Nippon Chemi-Con
-other caps...OST 105C
-Transformer...unknown but shouldn't be an issue with adequate cooling
-resistors...unknown but shouldn't be an issue with adequate cooling
-transistors...unknown but shouldn't be an issue with adequate cooling
-inductors...unknown but shouldn't be an issue with adequate cooling
-diodes...unknown but shouldn't be an issue with adequate cooling
-logic ICs...unknown but shouldn't be an issue with adequate cooling
-fan...ADDA high speed 80mm

Higher grade components will only add a few more bucks to each unit. As a designer, we are always faced with price vs performance. Using the best discrete devices may add another 10% head room. Would this benefit the average consumer? Absolutely not.

I could go crazy and order MIL SPEC bread board. Would this benefit the average consumer? Absolutely not.

One could purchase a set of Kumho ESCTA for 1/3 the price of Michelin MXV. Would the MXVs get you from point A to point B any faster or safer in the US? Absolutely not. BS marketing rarely shows up as real world benefit.

I would guess that the Antec Trio, Antec Earthwatts, and Corsair PSUs share the same core design. The Corsair units are marketed as a higher quality PSU will the addition of Japanese caps and upgraded cables.

Unless the user pushes the PSU to 95% load in a very hot environment, I see no benefit with the Japanese caps during the nominal 4 to 5 years sevice life of the PSU.

 

[jonnyGURU]

I'm simply not impressed with the use of the higher grade caps. The only real reason they do this is because caps have a lot of surface area good for branishing known brand names. This gives consumers warm fuzzies even though it rarely enhances the performance of a unit. If good brands are used, you will increase the longevity of a PSU. But OST is hardly a "great" brand and there are very few that are know for leaking after only a couple years used.

Caps don't generally run too hot. Even in a 40°C chamber, the primary caps typically run between 40 and 55°C (depending on air flow inside PSU housing). The secondaries will run between 60 and 80°C depending on location and duty. 105°C? Never.

But what about the Schottky Diodes that can be running upwards of 100°C? What about the transformers that can make a difference in the PSU's ripple and noise and can be the reason why your PSU squeals like a stuck pig?

Also, the Antec uses a different PCB. It's only a two layer PCB, which in itself can be a potential problem or shorten the life of the PSU. You could guess that the Trio, EW and Corsair are the same design with different components, but you would be incorrect.

FWIW, it probably only cost $1 more to upgrade that primary cap to a Chemi-Con as opposed to a Teapo or SamXon.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Have not seen any thermal issue with Earthwatts or Trio. The DC outputs look fine on my analog HP scope. No report of squeaking transformer, either.

105C OST caps are very popular on ECS boards. No report of premature failure over the last two years.

It's normal for diodes to run @ 100C. I've only seen thermal issue with diodes on some DC resistance welders (EQ5240 from Square D in 1980s). The machine can provide 3600A @ 16VDC with 60' 350MCM cable. Yes...30-60KVA weld transformer the size of a shoe box.

Explain to me why the Antec bread board can shorten the life of the PSU? I have the Trio and Earthwatts. They share a lot of core components. A smart engineer would come up with one quality core design, capable of accepting additional circuits to tighly regulate voltage and current at minimal cost.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Originally posted by: SerpentRoyal
Have not seen any thermal issue with Earthwatts or Trio. The DC outputs look fine on my analog HP scope. No report of squeaking transformer, either.

105C OST caps are very popular on ECS boards. No report of premature failure over the last two years.

It's normal for diodes to run @ 100C. I've only seen thermal issue with diodes on some DC resistance welders (EQ5240 from Square D in 1980s). The machine can provide 3600A @ 16VDC with 60' 350MCM cable. Yes...30-60KVA weld transformer the size of a shoe box.

Explain to me why the Antec bread board can shorten the life of the PSU? I have the Trio and Earthwatts. They share a lot of core components. A smart engineer would come up with one quality core design, capable of accepting additional circuits to tighly regulate voltage and current at minimal cost.

I never said there was anything wrong with OST. I merely said they're not "great." I had said that there were actually very few brands known for leaking over the long term. OST is NOT one of them.

I'm also citing generalizations for using sub-standard components like diodes, transformers, etc. Not the Antec specifically because, like you, I don't know the specific components because I haven't taken one completely apart. Of course, I could if I had to.

As for thermal issues with diodes; if the diode is run near or at it's peak thermal temperatures, it's performance is going to fall off and/or eventually fail. Even the best brand diodes have an operating temperature of up to 125°C and have a drastic fall off at 110°C. If you've only seen the problem with some welders, you need to expose yourself to some more PC power supplies. Perhaps NASA power supplies are more up to snuff, are provided with better ventillation, etc. but in the PC arena it's save money at every possible opportunity yet still maintain a small size and low noise characteristics.

As for the PCB, cheaper PCB's with fewer layers have known issues. Greater transients, increased EMI, etc. Does that mean that Antecs have known issues? Certainly not. But you were making the implication that the Antec is the same as the Corsair, with the only difference being that Corsair is marketed as a higher end unit and I'm telling you that that's an incorrect assumption. One glaring difference IS the PCB and that's all I was pointing out.