Is the Antec TPII or the Ultra X-connect 2 better?

[SparkyJJO]

I know most of you don't like antec PSUs, and it seems that many don't like Ultra either. I am currently running an Antec TPII 550W in my computer (don't kill me plz). I just won an Ultra X-connect 2 PSU of the same wattage rating. The ultra is modular so that would help with my cable management (plus it looks cooler) but I don't want to put a worse PSU in my system just for that. Also my antec is rated at 19A per 12V rail, with 36A combined. The ultra is rated at 17A and 18A per 12V rail with 34A combined. Big deal or not?

Bottom line: Which is the better PSU?

Don't tell me to ditch both and buy a Seasonic or PCP&C or whatever, because I don't have the money right now to do so. I'm stuck with these two choices.

Thanks in advance!

Specs:
Asus A8R32-MVP
Opteron 165 @ 2.81GHz
X1900XT
Samsung 250GB SATA HD
NEC DVD burner
Samsung CD burner
SB Audigy 2 ZS

 

[caberguy]

Antec, no question. Antec has _almost_ always made a solid product. A few years back they had a pretty high fail rate with one of their OEM manufacturers and some folks believe everything they read. There's nothing wrong with an Antec True Power.

 

[SparkyJJO]

OK 1 vote for Antec. Any others?

 

[John]

The Ultra X-Connect is all show and no go, but they finally did something right when they released the Xfinity. I would keep the Antec because it is a solid power supply backed with a 3 year warranty. However soon the anti-Antec posts will start showing up stating that Antec units blow up, use inferior caps, etc. While this may be true to a certain extent I can name dozens of other mfg's that use or have used crappy Taiwanese caps over the years, and other reputable mfg's psu's that have blown.

 

[SparkyJJO]

k 2 votes on antec.

I've heard about the x-connect but this is the x-connect 2 so I wasn't sure if there was any difference between the two or not in terms of reliability, quality, and whatnot.

 

[myocardia]

While neither is an awesome power supply, both will work fine, as long as you don't try to run them @ 100% output. In other words, it depends totally on what you're planning on powering with them.

edit: But of the two, I'd choose the X-Connect, since you already have it, and there isn't going to be a major difference between what either of them will be able to power. Neither will be able to power SLI'd 8800GTX's, for instance. And they'll most likely not power a single X1900XT, either.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: myocardia
edit: But of the two, I'd choose the X-Connect, since you already have it, and there isn't going to be a major difference between what either of them will be able to power. Neither will be able to power SLI'd 8800GTX's, for instance. And they'll most likely not power a single X1900XT, either.

He has the Antec installed. To say that a TP II 550w won't handle a single X1900XT is nonsense. In fact the Antec SmartPower 2.0 450w will handle that card with ease. You can run SLI X1900XT's with a TP II 550 and not even break a sweat.

* forgot to put the 450w after SP 2.0

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: myocardia
While neither is an awesome power supply, both will work fine, as long as you don't try to run them @ 100% output. In other words, it depends totally on what you're planning on powering with them.

edit: But of the two, I'd choose the X-Connect, since you already have it, and there isn't going to be a major difference between what either of them will be able to power. Neither will be able to power SLI'd 8800GTX's, for instance. And they'll most likely not power a single X1900XT, either.

Umm.... I have one in my system right now.

I'll update my OP with my specs, might be important I suppose.

Originally posted by: John
He has the Antec installed. To say that a TP II 550w won't handle a single X1900XT is nonsense. In fact the Antec SmartPower 2.0 450w will handle that card with ease. You can run SLI X1900XT's with a TP II 550 and not even break a sweat.

* forgot to put the 450w after SP 2.0

You mean crossfire?

 

[John]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
You mean crossfire?

As you can see I'm an NVIDIOT.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I suppose if I looked around a little more I'd already have known the answer
PSU list

Antec Truepower II is listed as Tier 3, the Ultra Xconnect 2 is Tier 4 according to that list.

The antec stays then
It is a pity in some ways though, the Ultra looks really cool and would help with the cable management but o well, quality before aesthetics

 

[Gautama2]

Never seen that thread, thanks for the post OP!

 

[caberguy]

Odds are very good that, unless you are really pushing your system to the limits, the Ultra will work fine and that nothing bad will happen... but the odds are also good that the antec will work fine and nothing bad will happen longer.
If you wanna throw the Ultra in there go for it... despite urban legends, it's very rare that PSUs go out in a blaze of glory and and fry your system. Usually they just stop working. If aesthetics are THAT important then go for it. It's not like the difference between a BMW and an 84' Yugo here, more like the difference b/t a honda and a nicer honda.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
I suppose if I looked around a little more I'd already have known the answer
PSU list

Antec Truepower II is listed as Tier 3, the Ultra Xconnect 2 is Tier 4 according to that list.

The antec stays then
It is a pity in some ways though, the Ultra looks really cool and would help with the cable management but o well, quality before aesthetics

You completely misread that list. The higher the number (on that list), the lower the quality. PC P&C and Zippy are the best of the best, that's why they're at the #1 spot. Here's a quote from your link:

Tier 4 is recommended for stock or low power systems if Tier 3's are more expensive or are not available.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
I suppose if I looked around a little more I'd already have known the answer
PSU list

Antec Truepower II is listed as Tier 3, the Ultra Xconnect 2 is Tier 4 according to that list.

The antec stays then
It is a pity in some ways though, the Ultra looks really cool and would help with the cable management but o well, quality before aesthetics

Im sorry but that list is somebodys opinion......

Yet all the reviews I have read of the Ultra X Connect 2 a real fine review....



Then you have caberguy saying -- Antec, no question. Antec has _almost_ always made a solid product. A few years back they had a pretty high fail rate with one of their OEM manufacturers and some folks believe everything they read. There's nothing wrong with an Antec True Power.

Who probably is employed by Antec....
If you read the forums or othr forums like badcaps.net...etc....
You will find that Antec is well deserving of their past reputation for shoddy workmanshop and quality control...

Now we advance to the now...Antec is trying to correct those issues and has come along way in doing so....

Thus your chouce between the Antec TP2 550 and the Ultra X Connect2....

Its really no contest.....Ultra X Connect 2 wins hands down!!

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
I suppose if I looked around a little more I'd already have known the answer
PSU list

Antec Truepower II is listed as Tier 3, the Ultra Xconnect 2 is Tier 4 according to that list.

The antec stays then
It is a pity in some ways though, the Ultra looks really cool and would help with the cable management but o well, quality before aesthetics

You completely misread that list. The higher the number (on that list), the lower the quality. PC P&C and Zippy are the best of the best, that's why they're at the #1 spot. Here's a quote from your link:

Tier 4 is recommended for stock or low power systems if Tier 3's are more expensive or are not available.

What did I misread? Higher the number, lower the quality, right. The Antec is Tier 3, and the Ultra is Tier 4... so what did I misread about that?

 

[John]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
Im sorry but that list is somebodys opinion......

Yet all the reviews I have read of the Ultra X Connect 2 a real fine review....

Then you have caberguy saying -- Antec, no question. Antec has _almost_ always made a solid product. A few years back they had a pretty high fail rate with one of their OEM manufacturers and some folks believe everything they read. There's nothing wrong with an Antec True Power.

Who probably is employed by Antec....
If you read the forums or othr forums like badcaps.net...etc....
You will find that Antec is well deserving of their past reputation for shoddy workmanshop and quality control...

Now we advance to the now...Antec is trying to correct those issues and has come along way in doing so....

Thus your chouce between the Antec TP2 550 and the Ultra X Connect2....

Its really no contest.....Ultra X Connect 2 wins hands down!!

Thanks for sharing your opinion. Are you employed by Ultra?

 

[Pantoot]

Originally posted by: caberguy
Antec, no question. Antec has _almost_ always made a solid product. A few years back they had a pretty high fail rate with one of their OEM manufacturers and some folks believe everything they read. There's nothing wrong with an Antec True Power.

A single data point, but I just RMA'd my TP2 550 to newegg. I don't think they have all their problems sorted out. True, don't believe everything you read, but enough single data points can sometimes paint a convincing picture.

BTW the RMA procedure with newegg went great, :thumbsup: to them.

 

[smthmlk]

I would stick with your antec; if it's working fine, don't mess with it. However, I would also start putting some cash aside for a better psu, such as an enhance, fortron, seasonic, enermax, silverstone, corsair, etc. I would also see what sort of cash I could get for the Ultra on ebay, and put that into my 'better psu savings fund.'

 

[caberguy]

I work for Antec? Sweet. That's some pretty awesome flaming there JEDIYoda.

For the record there is plenty of anecdotal evidence for the high fail rate of the Ultra line of power supplies too, just google it (I don't feel like digging for links).
However, Antec has been around for much longer and is much better known so their problems are more familiar, Ultra is more obscure and hasn't been around as long.
I did qualify the statement with the word "_almost_" (underscored for effect).
I also did not suggest that the Antec was the best power supply on the market.

Fact of the matter is that every manufacturer of every piece of electronic equipment has failures, even in the case of the problematic Antecs it's still quite a small percentage. People who don't have problems with their PSUs tend not to yell as loud. I ran a POS Rosewill 400W PSU that came with a cheap case in my second system for two years without ever having a problem, it was still working when I replaced it in august with a TP 430 which had been running my main system for a year and a half with no problems. I also had a Fortron 450W PSU crap out after 8 months. Clearly that means that Rosewill makes better power supplies than Fortron, right?

 

[PianoMan]

I've had ZERO issues with two TrueBlue (Power) 2.0 480W PSU's. One's in my temp system right now - an OC'ed 939 and 1900XT.

Single data points are just that - a small blip in a large statistical manufacturing process. If you take everyone that'll post something bad about a PSU, you'll have much more to count than those who post "yeah, great PSU - no issues! :thumbsup: ." A quick perusal of the reviews in Newegg - not reading some of them, mind you - checking the numbers which will statistically come in - most of the PSU's (even Antec), will fall around 65%-75% of people who "really like them." With some reviews reaching up into a few hundreds in number, it can be argued than no one single brand is superior to another (barring a few exceptions). In fact, one of the PSU's I was considering an upgrade to (Seas S12-600) has empirical reviews that place it in less stead than some of the Antec models - and the Seas has been well regarded on this forum.

Now, before all of you start throwing all of your (working or burned out) Antec PSU's at me - a lot can also be placed by word of mouth among enthusiasts with similar priorities. I was a heavy Antec whore (sort of still am - I want a P180 really soon), but after reading about manufacturing, design, and priorities, have broadened my appreciation for PSU's.

That said - I'll probably upgrade to an M12 or PC P&C when I go C2D.

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