HEC Raptor R500

[jvroig]

I can get a HEC Raptor R500 for pretty much 1/3 the price of a Corsair 650W power supply. I'm wondering if this is a good PSU for gaming. If this is ok, that means I can get this HEC PSU + Antec 300 for cheaper than I could have gotten the Corsare 650W PSU by itself. It's a lot of possible savings, HEC is a trusted PSU brand in our company, used in all our servers and workstations. Obviously, no gaming happens, no high-end video card gets used, so I have no idea how HEC performs under gaming conditions.

The HEC Raptor R500 specs are:

+3.3V = 22A; + 5V = 15A; Combined: 130W
+12V1 = 19A; +12V2 = 19A; Combined: 384W
-12V = 0.3A; +5Vsb = 2.0A;
--------------------------Total Output Power: 500W

Is this enough for me to use on a Phenom II X4 955 System with
1.) Radeon 5770?
2.) Radeon 5850?
3.) Radeon 5870? (Too much?)

Thanks in advance for any and all input,

 

[HOOfan 1]

There is a reason it is 1/3 the price of the TX650...Not sure why you would compare a 650W active PFC unit with 52A available 12V power to a 500W passive PFC unit with only 32A 12V.

There are many other PSUs much better than the HEC to choose from...

BFG LS-450
Corsair VX450
Antec Earthwatts EA500

 

[jvroig]

There is a reason it is 1/3 the price of the TX650...Not sure why you would compare a 650W active PFC unit with 52A available 12V power to a 500W passive PFC unit with only 32A 12V.

Sorry for any confusion, I was not clear about it. In terms of availability, Corsair / Antec / Enermax etc are easy enough to find. They all cost pretty much the same, at least for the units listed in the pricelists of the stores here.

Aside from those, I can also source HEC power supplies including the Raptor R500 since they are the trusted PSUs for our servers and workstations. Aside from those units that were already more than 5 years old, we never had issues with our HEC PSUs.

I posted the specs not to compare it to Corsair / Antec / Enermax because I know those PSUs will walk all over this HEC PSU. I posted the specs just to see if it can be good enough to be used for gaming with a Phenom II X4 955 system, along with the possible video cards I listed. Would it be good enough if used with a 5770? How about a 5850? How about a 5870?

So I'm not really "looking for advice for a great PSU", and I'm sorry I wasn't very clear about it. I pretty much know the Corsair CMPSU-620HX will be great, and it's readily available as well, I just have to walk down the street and buy it over the counter. But it comes at a price, and I was wondering if, without overclocking, the cheaper HEC PSU could do the job. "Doing the job" is relative and depends on what I wish to run, so I indicated the processor along with options for the video card.

Thanks.

 

[BTA]

I've always used HEC power supplies from their super low end to the top of the line and I've never even had one die or have problems of any kind. Used to sell them years ago. They were great then and I still use them personally today. A buddy I gave a PC to years ago is still running an old dual fan 350w HEC to this day..and that pc has gone through a few upgrades.

Best value in power supplies imo.

 

[jvroig]

Thanks for the feedback. Your experience is one that is echoed by our company. I'm wondering if it can be used for a gaming machine as well... by any chance are you, or your friend, a PC gamer? What video card do you use or have used?

Thanks.

 

[BTA]

Yes I am a PC gamer, I only have an old 8800GT right now though.

My buddy uses a year old Zephyr model HEC (by my suggestion) and he has a GTS 250 for a video card right now I believe. He's always been very hard on his gaming PC's and has loved the PSU. He used to use Antec.

I'm actually running a PC Power and Cooling Silencer right now that I am not happy with (silent my ass) and have a new HEC Zephyr 580 on order that should be in this coming week. I knew better than to go away from HEC but I thought I'd change it up...bad idea on my part. My old HEC is now in the wife's rig running strong.

 

[BTA]

woot double post

 

[jvroig]

Thanks for the feedback. I also saw the HEC WinPower+ and Zephyr models (>500W) and wondered if they were good, too. Should be a good choice then, if it runs your friend's GTS 250 with no hassle.