Tech Reaction

Well lets take a quick look into the Antec TPQ 1200w with a nice picture tour and a brief overview of what I see and notice along the way.

I hope you like pictures because I am bringing a lot for you to look at. Lets get started with the massive PSU and all the glory that is 1200w!

Features:

• PowerCache™, a high-performance capacitor that delivers an extra power reserve when and where users need it most
• NVIDIA™ SLI™ – ready certified and ATI CrossFire™ certified
• 80PLUS® Silver Certified – 85% or more efficiency at 20%, 50%, and 100% load
• Designed to support quad core, Core i7 and Core i5 CPUs, quad GPUs
• Six 12V output circuits and DC to DC Voltage Regulator Modules ensure supreme system stability
• 80mm cooling fan uses Pulse Width Modulation for whisper-quiet operation
• Advanced sleeved cable management improves airflow and reduces clutter
• Gold plated connectors for superior conductivity
• Industrial grade protection: OVP (Over Voltage Protection), UVP (Under Current Protection), SCP (Short Circuit Protection), and OCP (Over Current Protection)
• Universal Input and Active PFC allow the Quattro to operate efficiently on any power grid in the world
• Approvals: UL, CUL, FCC, TTüVV, CE, C-tick, CCC, CB, BSMI
• Unit Dimensions:
  - 3.4″ (H) x 5.9″ (W) x 7.9″ (D)
  - 86mm (H) x 150mm (W) x 200mm (D)
• Package Dimensions:
  - 9.4″ (H) x 12.4″ (W) x 5.3″ (D)
  - 240mm (H) x 315mm (W) x 135mm (D)
• Net Weight: 7.0 lbs / 2.72 kg
• Gross Weight: 10.0 lbs / 4.53 kg

Output Voltage Range / MAXReg.OCP Set / PointRipple / Noise

+3.3V, +5V max. load: 170W

+12V1, 12V2, 12V3, 12V4, 12V5, 12V6 max. load: 100A

The continuous maximum total output power shall not exceed 1200W.

Input:

With only being able to look the Antec 1200w over, since it is not ready to be installed yet, I can just give a little info on it.

With everyone these days overclocking everything and running SLI/Crossfire or even tri and quad SLI/Crossfire. People are starting to pay more attention to the efficiency of their power supplies and how they handle different load types. This Antec TPQ model is 80PLUS Silver Certified (85% or more efficiency at 20%, 50%, and 100% load) Which makes this an extremely efficient power supply, and does not matter what kind of load the PSU is under.

You also may have noticed above the modular spots have stickers as a little guide to what to plug into each section. It is a nice addition to the power supply and will help take the guessing work out of where you need to plug hardware into. This will be greatly appreciated by a user who is not well read up on PSU’s and the multiple rail system.

One thing I was not super impressed with was the cable sleeving. It looks very half assed and for the price you pay on this unit I expect better. Also, the sleeving itself is not the greatest. Yes it helps with the aesthetic value of somewhat hiding the wire colors, but the sleeving is cheap and pretty much see through. I have seen a lot better sleeving on a lot cheaper units. With the money you dish out for this unit I do not see why they could not up the quality of the sleeving, e.g., Murdermod sleeving.

Now doesn’t that look so much better than what you see from Antec. If they used quality sleeving, I am sure it would help boost sales and win customers over who are on the border of buying the PSU. Another thing that annoys me is the fact they did not even complete the sleeving into the casing itself. They left it dangling at different lengths outside the PSU casing, and it looks atrocious.

Overall, other than the crap cable sleeving, I am happy with this unit. Once I can run further tests I can be a little more help with this power supply. I am really pleased with the solid feel of all the cables and the unit itself. It seems very well put together and the paint job is a nice touch!