Fortron 530 vs. Antec TP 550---1st Round Test

[dustybyrd]

I have both of these power supplies and I have some preliminary results testing them each separately on both of my DUAL AMD Asus A7M266-D boards---please see sig below for details on both computers tested.

Remember these are preliminary and I would like to do a more thorough review for overclockers when I can find equipment to do overload tests.

Manufacturer Specifications:

Antec 550=
Maximum output=530 watts.
+/-3% load regulation.
3 year warranty.
$104 shipped from www.directron.com

3.3v=32A
5v=40A
12v=24A

At 3.3v=32A and 5v=40A, the power supply is rated at 18.5A on the 12v rail.
As stated here by Antec:
http://www.antec-inc.com/info_DIYArticle_true550spec.html
The power supply is capable of producing the maximum rated power on all rails, subject to the maximum power of the power supply.

Fortron 530=
Maximum output=510 watts.
+/-5% load regulation.
1 year warranty.
$80 shipped from www.newegg.com

3.3v=28A
5v=40A
12v=18A

At 3.3v=28A and 5v=40A, the power supply is still rated at 18A on the 12v rail.
The power supply is capable of producing the maximum rated power on all rails simultaneously.


Weight of power supplies (weighed on chemical scale in Biology lab):

Antec 550=
4.5 pounds or 2.02 Kgs

Fortron 530=
5 pounds or 2.3 Kgs


Noise of Power supplies (currently judged only by my honest ear):
(same results for both systems in sig)

Antec 550=
I hear almost no sound with very quiet, 92 mm and 80mm stock fans. Although these are temperature controlled fans, I have yet to hear them speed up to audible levels (i.e., not louder than 5 case fans). Load conditions also didn't affect fan speeds/sound levels, and it seems that high case temperatures and room temperatures do NOT induce very high RPM on the 92mm fan. The 92mm fan comes with a sensor that indicates rpm level, and it fluctuates between 1500 and 2000 RPM, below 2000 RPM, the fans are not audible above the slight noise of the 5, 80mm Panaflo L1A case fans.

Fortron 530=
I hear almost no sound with 2 very quiet, 80mm stock fans,
UNLESS the room temps exceed 85 degrees F at which point the case temp is then 95 degrees F. Then the fans speed up to airplane jet engine levels. Load conditions also didn't affect fan speeds/sound levels. NOTE: as long as case temps are below 95 degrees F or ~35C then the fans NEVER speed up as a result of load conditions, even with 2 prime 95's running and passmark burnin test running at the same time.

Temperature of air coming out of back of power supply:
(same results for both systems in sig)

Antec 550=
40-45C, with room temp=22-24C and case temp=27-29C

Fortron 530=
37-40C, with room temp=22-24C and case temp=27-29C

Voltages under no load, heavy load as measured with on board sensors (mbm and asus pc probe) and with a VOLTMETER:

Antec 550=
sig#1---mbm values over 24 hours or 2 X Prime 95, and reg. use:
3.3v=3.28-3.31
5v=4.97-5
12v=11.98-12.16
vcore cpu1=1.65-1.71 (avg.=1.67)
vcore cpu2=1.63-1.70 (avg.=1.66)

sig#1---voltmeter values under no load and 2 X Prime 95 + Passmark Burnin Test at the same time---(Values did not change as a result of load conditions)
5v=5.0 at ATX connector and Hard Drive Molex
12v=11.98 at CPU 4 pin connector and 12.01 at hard drive molex

sig#2---mbm values over 24 hours or 2 X Prime 95, and reg. use
3.3v=3.3-3.31
5v=4.97-5
12v=11.92-11.98
vcore cpu1=1.77-1.82 (avg.=1.8)
vcore cpu2=1.75-1.81 (avg.=1.8)

sig#2---voltmeter values under no load and 2 X Prime 95 + Passmark Burnin Test at the same time---(Values did not change as a result of load conditions)
5v=5.0 at ATX connector and Hard Drive Molex
12v=11.99 at CPU 4 pin connector and 12.02 at hard drive molex

Fortron 530=
sig#1---mbm values over 24 hours or 2 X Prime 95, and reg. use
3.3v=3.28-3.33
5v=4.97-5.03
12v=12.04-12.28
vcore cpu1=1.65-1.71 (avg.=1.66)
vcore cpu2=1.63-1.70 (avg.=1.66)

sig#1---voltmeter values under no load and 2 X Prime 95 + Passmark Burnin Test at the same time---(Values did not change as a result of load conditions)
5v=5.02 at ATX connector and Hard Drive Molex
12v=12.08 at CPU 4 pin connector and 12.14 at hard drive molex

sig#2---mbm values over 24 hours or 2 X Prime 95, and reg. use
3.3v=3.3-3.33
5v=4.97-5.02
12v=11.98-12.16
vcore cpu1=1.77-1.82 (avg.=1.8)
vcore cpu2=1.75-1.81 (avg.=1.8)

sig#2---voltmeter values under no load and 2 X Prime 95 + Passmark Burnin Test at the same time---(Values did not change as a result of load conditions)
5v=5.08 at ATX connector and Hard Drive Molex
12v=12.11 at CPU 4 pin connector and 12.15 at hard drive molex


The voltmeter readings didn't change more than 0.01 for the Fortron and they didn't fluctuate at all with the Antec. The mbm and Asus PC Probe readings were slightly more variable with the Fortron versus the Antec as a function of time, even if the average values were very similar, with both the vcore cpu voltages and line voltages.

I have estimated these power requirements for the computer in sig#1:

3.3v: ~16-18A for normal to maximum use or 50-60 watts total

4-6A motherboard (dual)
10A 8500le with two monitors
0.5A soundblaster 5.1 live
0.5A Ethernet Card
0.5A USB card
0.5A TV Card
0.5A PCI Raid Card

5v: ~15A-30A for normal to maximum use or 75 to 150 Watts

2-4A motherboard
8-16A 2x512mb
0.5A sound
0.5A ethernet
0.5 USB card
0.5A TV card
0.5A PCI Raid Card
2.4A for 3 Hard Drives
1.2A CDRW
1.2A DVDRW
0.8A Floppy
0.8A Zip Drive
0.5A USB printer
0.25A Keyboard
0.25A Mouse

12v: ~20-28A for normal to max use or 240 to 336 watts

0.3-0.6A Motherboard
2A for 10 System and Processor Fans
2-6A for 3 hard drives
0.8A for CDRW
1.1A for DVDRW
17A for both CPUs

That means in normal, low usage surfing etc..., I would use 20A on 12v, 16A on the 3.3v, and 15A on the 5v for a total of 365 watts.

And I figure in heavy load conditions like burning a dvd, cd, gaming, prime 95, all at the same time, that I would use 25-26A on the 12v, 18A on the 3.3v, and 30A on the 5v for a maximum total of 522 watts.

I figure I would be using 365-450 watts for normal everyday use, occassionally topping 500 watts.

For all these estimates, I used the specs on the components and for the cpu's used the AMD website's formula for calculating wattage at certain voltages and clockspeeds:

AMD's formula:

1.65v*41.4A*2100/1733 (for o/c'd factor)*1.25 (for efficiency of the psu factor)=~8.5A per cpu...17A's total


USE OF FORTRON 350 watt PSU for DUAL AMD at 2x 1.47Ghz:

I had to use a Fortron 350 on a NON-OVERCLOCKED and NON-OVERVOLTED sig#2 computer before I received the Antec.

At that time, it was not pin-modded for more voltage, so at stock speeds 1.47ghz for each cpu (1700's), I calculated the 12v consumption at ~5A per cpu or 10-11A total on the 12v line. With the other components in the system, that would mean the 12v load on the system was 12A-16A.

I checked the voltages with a voltmeter under load and no load:

Fortron 350:
12v=11.5-11.7, load-no load (mbm reads 11.54-11.7)
5v=5
3.3=3.3

So the 12v consumption of this machine was 12-16A's and the power supply appeared overloaded with that and/or in combination with ~375-400 watts of the total system max power.

I then tried to overclock without the voltage increase and it would reboot even at 1.6ghz. But Lonely Raven (who I bought the system from) ran it all the time at 1.62ghz without voltage increases (same board and ram...just with an Enermax 650 power supply). This indicates that the 12v or max power of the fortron 350 was not enough for 2 cpu’s at 1.6ghz on this dual system.


Conclusions and thoughts about both the Antec TP 550 and Fortron 530:

1) I believe that the reason the Fortron 530 weighs more is because of the two very large heat sinks inside. The Antec TP 550 probably doesn't need as large of heat sinks because of the larger, 92mm intake fan versus the 80mm intake fan on the Fortron.

EDGE: Neither...as it's hard to say if it makes a difference.

2) I believe the noise level of the two power supplies is nearly identical under heavy load conditions in normal 70-80 degree working environments. However, I believe the Antec is quieter in high temperature (above 85 F room temperature) conditions. You probably could modify this in the Fortron by removing the thermal regulation of the fan speeds.

EDGE: Antec, because with no modifications it's quieter in high temperature conditions.

3) I believe the total wattage capacities overall and on the 12v lines to be very similar because voltages do not drop even under intense loads of 2 Instances of Prime 95 plus Passmark Burnin test with 2x2.1ghz processors at 1.8v. Both PSU's have immense power capacities. Based on the software read voltages, which must be taken with a grain of salt, I would say that the Antec has tighter rail regulation on the voltage lines. The difference between the two, however, is very very slight and neither vary directly with load conditions. The Antec is within +/-1.5% on all rails and the Fortron is within +/-2% on all rails. The voltages, however, did not vary with a voltmeter, but it's possible that the voltmeter is not as capable to determine faster voltage fluctuations as the on board sensors.

EDGE: Two close to call as both are much better than Intel/AMD requirements of +/-5% voltages with load regulation with a voltmeter and it is unclear if the difference between the software read voltages are meaningful.


Final Thoughts:

Neither of my dual systems requires enough power to actually overload the Antec TP 550 nor the Fortron 530 power supplies. Therefore, it is unclear which power supply is capable of more total output from all rails. It is also unclear if the 24A versus 18A rating on the 12v rail of the Antec versus the Fortron is relevant. But what is clear based on the possible 12v requirement of my systems is that the 12v 18A rating on the Fortron 530 seems to be an underestimate. The cpu’s ALONE in both my dual systems require about 18A on the 12v line, leaving little room for any other 12v consumption. However, I can use the DVDRW, CDRW, and all 3 hard drives at the same time without problems, and these devices add between 4-7A’s on the 12v rail.

Also, since both power supplies had better than +/-3% load regulation on all rails, either power supply should be an excellent choice for overclocking stability.

I believe the final edge goes to the Antec for the quieter function under high temperature conditions and the 3 year warranty. However, as far as raw and stable power, there is no clear winner that can be proven with my tests.

In summary, I like them both, and I prefer the Antec only when in high temperature conditions (above 85 F room temperature). Antec's 3 year warranty is also comforting. However, if cost is a consideration, the Fortron is $24 cheaper.

[Deathknight]

Alot of great info here. Bump :)

[Gautam]

Neither of my dual systems requires enough power to actually overload the Antec TP 550 nor the Fortron 530 power supplies.

This is what I was initially thinking, but I supposed that there may have been a chance for you to do so.

Neither of my dual systems requires enough power to actually overload the Antec TP 550 nor the Fortron 530 power supplies. Therefore, it is unclear which power supply is capable of more total output from all rails. It is also unclear if the 24A versus 18A rating on the 12v rail of the Antec versus the Fortron is relevant.

It may not be too revelant in your case, since you're only drawing about 22A from the 12V. Its not too surprising that the 18A rating on the Fortron can in reality extend this far. But even 22A or 24A may not be sufficent for those running, say dual Athlons at above 2.4ghz and 1.8v. Just pointing that out. Also, I thought that each processor derived core voltage from a different rail; that one used the 5v, and the other the 12v?

Anyways, excellent write-up. :) Very thorough and informative.

[dustybyrd]

But even 22A or 24A may not be sufficent for those running, say dual Athlons at above 2.4ghz and 1.8v. Just pointing that out. Also, I thought that each processor derived core voltage from a different rail; that one used the 5v, and the other the 12v?

Anyways, excellent write-up. :) Very thorough and informative. [/B]


one day, when i get bored, i may try to hit 2.3+ghz with 1.8-1.85volts...which should be an even greater 12v load...

on the vcore thing...i had heard the the asus derived power for one cpu from the 12v and one from the 5v as well....but i have found no evidence to back this up:

-it's not stated in the manual
-neither line fluctuate in sync with load conditions
-i have google searched, etc...and found nothing to support this claim
-there is a 12v 4 pin connector on the motherboard

this Asus board does, however, have independent voltage regulation on each cpu...it's just not clear if they derive voltage from different lines...

[larva]

Excellent write-up dusty. Great job.

One thing to note, the Antec does cost a third more. Both are great devices, and I tend to think the TP550 may have a touch more in the tank, but I think the Fortron is the clear value winner and in no way seriously outclassed by the TP550. Buyers are fortunate enough to have two such high quality and value packed supplies to choose from and stand an extremely good chance of being served well by either one.

[dustybyrd]

Excellent write-up dusty. Great job.

One thing to note, the Antec does cost a third more. Both are great devices, and I tend to think the TP550 may have a touch more in the tank, but I think the Fortron is the clear value winner and in no way seriously outclassed by the TP550. Buyers are fortunate enough to have two such high quality and value packed supplies to choose from and stand an extremely good chance of being served well by either one.


I agree.

and also, thank you Larva, for discussing these tests and what they really mean via PM's...

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Well done dusty :)

For Canadians like myself I'll continue to point at the Channel Well version of the Antec 550 and the Fortron, whichever is cheaper at the time. It's too bad the Fortron 530's aren't as cheap here as they are in the States :(

[Audioaficionado]

Great post Dustybyrd

I'm getting the Fortron 530 for a dual MP system I'm building soon.

How do the lenth and quantity of power connectors compare between them?

Do either have the 8pin 12v connector for the Xeon or Opteron dual boards?

[dustybyrd]

I'm getting the Fortron 530 for a dual MP system I'm building soon.

How do the lenth and quantity of power connectors compare between them?

Do either have the 8pin 12v connector for the Xeon or Opteron dual boards? [/B]


neither have the 8pin 12v connector (but newegg has two refurbished 460watt fortron's that have two independent 16A 12v lines---one for cpu---and one for everything else---and 200 watts on the 3.3+5v lines combined left over----for $52)---these supplies are specially designed for DUAL AMD and DUAL Xeon boards...

the length of the power connectors is very similar---both fairly long...50-55cm for power ables (atx, p4, aux power) and 70-80cm? for the 7 IDE connectors...for both...

the quality of the cables is very similar...both have sheathed atx connectors and the rest are not sheathed...but standard quality...

i do think the actual molex connectors on the antec are of higher quality...the internal female metal receptors are less "movable" thus easier to connect to crappy male connectors from cheap fans, etc....also the molex connectors are black instead of white...

also, another supply in this high power category that i haven't used is the Aopen/Fortron 530 with 28A on the 12v line with 176watts left for the 3.3+5v combined...for $95 shipped at newegg...

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=58&manufactory=1316&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1

[Audioaficionado]

When I build a dual Xeon or Opteron after the prices come back to Earth, I might use this one:

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=17-104-982

It seems a lot of new mother boards are using more of the +12 rail to power the CPUs rather than just the 3.3/5v. My Abit NF7-S rev2 uses both 12v connectors like the P4 boards do.

[dustybyrd]

When I build a dual Xeon or Opteron after the prices come back to Earth, I might use this one:

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=17-104-982

It seems a lot of new mother boards are using more of the +12 rail to power the CPUs rather than just the 3.3/5v. My Abit NF7-S rev2 uses both 12v connectors like the P4 boards do.


that's probably a great power supply...

also the fortron 460 has TWO independent 12v lines...one 16A I/O and one 16.5A CPU only 8 pin connector...

and the fortron 460 has a little more left for the 3.3+5v lines=200watts compared to 150watts on the Fortron 550...

but 150watts may just be enough if you are using a video card that also draws off the 12v line...then almost everything draws off the 12v line

[stan03]

awsome comparison. How did you get PSU temps?

[dustybyrd]

awsome comparison. How did you get PSU temps?


i got the psu temps by taping a thermometer to the back of the psu where the exhaust fan blows out the air...and i left it there for about 15 minutes during heavy load (2x prime 95) conditions

[LkyOldSun]

very informative comparison.
a nice, solid contribution to the agregate knowledge that can be found here at OC-forums on PSU's I frequent 4-5 forums and I always look here (and invariably link others to OC-forums) for PSU info whenever needed.

[unreal]

very nice comparision

[dustybyrd]

Also, I forgot to mention that the Antec comes with a "Fan Only" molex connector that can be used by multiple fans. The interesting thing about these fan only connectors is that they are temperature regulated, like the 92mm fan inside the power supply.

I didn't use mine since I use quiet, low rpm panaflos, but they might be useful for someone who has noisier, high rpm case fans that they would like to run slower.

[idioteQnology]

very nice detailed review.

[stan03]

are there going to be Xround tests?

[Lithan]

the 530 isn't a dual cpu PSU. It is actually quite modest on the 12v rail in compairison to many high wattage PSU's. The dual cpu specific fortrons with two seperate 12v rails would no doubt perform even more admirably.

Also, the heavier PSU can mean both heftier sinks, or a higher quality (usually larger) components. And the cooler air from the fortron is a clear indication of a less heavily stressed PSU.

[dustybyrd]

the 530 isn't a dual cpu PSU. It is actually quite modest on the 12v rail in compairison to many high wattage PSU's. The dual cpu specific fortrons with two seperate 12v rails would no doubt perform even more admirably.

Also, the heavier PSU can mean both heftier sinks, or a higher quality (usually larger) components. And the cooler air from the fortron is a clear indication of a less heavily stressed PSU.


on the first point...i agree the fortron 530 psu wasn't meant for dual systems...however it still performs excellently on a higher current dual system...

i don't know if the dual specific fortrons can perform more admirably than this one...because how can you get better than perfect, non-stressed voltage rails? fortron has at least two dual cpu specific psu's---the 460 ATXGES and the 550 EPS for dual xeons....the 460GES is made for dual AMD's motherboards that have 8 pin CPU connectors and 24 pin ATX connectors...and I believe the EPS also has a 24 pin connector...

in reference to the weight of the PSU...the fortron is also longer by about 1-2 inches which probably adds to the additional weight, but i believe the reason it is longer is because of the additional 80mm intake fan at the back of the supply....which is in contrast to the 92mm intake fan at the bottom of the Antec TP 550 supply....

and on the temperature of the air coming out the back....it's again hard to say if that actually is an indication of a more stressed PSU...the air out of neither is actually hot....but even when both PSU's are powering the PC when not in use, the air is still warm...

someone in these forums mentioned that their high power PC Power and Cooling power supply also always pumps out warm air...and these are supposedly the best power supplies available...

[cmcquistion]

Very good work, dustybyrd.

[donny_paycheck]

http://webpages.charter.net/rylandpage/thisthreadrocks.jpg

This would make a good submission for the front page. If you could type it up in MSWord and save it as .doc, email it to Ed or Joe. They'll probably be happy to put it up. If you're interested and have any questions, you can PM me.

[zachj]

I was so gonna' say that . . . Another vote for a front page article! Nice job, by the way.

Now I have greater faith in Fortron. Everyone recomends them, but nobody's done a review (that I've seen) to back up the claim. Now if I ever get off my wallet (:D ) and make a dual Xeon, that's what I'll get, methinks.

Z

[ww2717]

I liked to see a comparison of the Antec 550W against the PC Power and Cooling 510W Deluxe psu. Liked to see how they stack up against one another.

[dustybyrd]

Thanks for reading the review and thanks for the praise.

I should also add something that I have learned about the Antec power supply since writing the review.

The Antec TP 550 also conveniently has 2 Fan Only Molexes that can be used on fans to allow the thermal sensors in the Antec power supply to adjust the fan speed. I have not used them (because the 80mm Panaflo's that I use are very quiet and low RPM already), but they could be useful for someone who has higher speed, noisier fans.

Also, I will try to send the review to Ed for the front page of Overclockers. Thanks for the suggestion.

Most of what I have learned about fine tuning and extracting maximum performance of my PC's has been right in these forums. And, most of what I have learned on my own reading came from suggestions in these forums. So, this is merely some of the results of those experiences.

[Susquehannock]

Very nice job on the review dustybyrd.
ThanX for taking the time to share your results in such detail. :)

One thing though ... if the two units are that similar
why not get the Fortron for $30 less? :D


Fortron = :thup:

[blkgti]

Originally posted by Susquehannock
One thing though ... if the two units are that similar
why not get the Fortron for $30 less? :D

I bought an Antec TC550 instead of the Fortron. $30 isn't that much money - it's the price of a modest dinner for two - and it was well worth it for me to get fully adjustable voltage control with the Antec.

[dustybyrd]

One thing though ... if the two units are that similar
why not get the Fortron for $30 less? :D


Fortron = :thup: [/B]


thanks for the compliments...

for $30 and the antec tp 550 you do get a longer warranty (3 years), a quieter fan under very high room temperatures (>85F room temp)...and power supply determined case fan speed monitoring...

so it's up to what you want

[Lithan]

Fortron has fully adjustable, if slightly confusing voltage control.

[blkgti]

Originally posted by Lithan
Fortron has fully adjustable, if slightly confusing voltage control.

Which model has it? Can it be accessed without breaking the warranty and can it be tweaked on-the-fly like the Antec's?

[dustybyrd]

Which model has it? Can it be accessed without breaking the warranty and can it be tweaked on-the-fly like the Antec's? [/B]


for the 530...you don't void the warranty by opening up the psu and changing them....i don't know about on the fly however...you are referring to the antec true control 550?

[blkgti]

Originally posted by dustybyrd
...you are referring to the antec true control 550?

Yes, I am. AFAIK, it's the only PSU that offers that feature.

[Susquehannock]

IMhO ... if there is need to adjust the rails something's wrong.


BTW ..... just ordered another 300w Fortron for
another system I'm building.
For $32 delivered you can't beat the quality of the
300w P300XFPN (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=17-104-979). :D

[blkgti]

Originally posted by Susquehannock
IMhO ... if there is need to adjust the rails something's wrong.


I'm not sure if I understand, as I've yet to come across a PSU with perfectly adjusted rails right out of the box. If you meant adjusting the rails all the time, then I'd agree with you, but adjusting the 12v rail (for example) to deliver 12v and not 11.85v isn't unreasonable.

[Susquehannock]

Originally posted by blkgti


I'm not sure if I understand, as I've yet to come across a PSU with perfectly adjusted rails right out of the box. If you meant adjusting the rails all the time, then I'd agree with you, but adjusting the 12v rail (for example) to deliver 12v and not 11.85v isn't unreasonable.

The performance gain from that extra 0.15v will not
make enough difference to make the effort worth while IMhO.
Especially if you have to void your warranty to get inside.

Now, if your rails are having trouble remaining within
5% of standard, then adjusting them is a good choice.

[Susquehannock]

Originally posted by Susquehannock

BTW ..... just ordered another 300w Fortron for
another system I'm building.
For $32 delivered you can't beat the quality of the
300w P300XFPN (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=17-104-979). :D

Fortron update: ..............
The 120mm fan model listed above isn't what I thought
it was going to be. :(
For one, it's more noisy than the 300w 80mm back fan model.
(fsp300-60atv)
But according to my DMM both PSU perform exactly the same
in my system. Not only that, the fsp300-60atv gives me
lower system temps as well. At least in my case.

Lower temps & and noise with the same stable rails?
Guess which I'll be buying next time. ;)

[cmcquistion]

Originally posted by Susquehannock


Fortron update: ..............
The 120mm fan model listed above isn't what I thought
it was going to be. :(
For one, it's more noisy than the 300w 80mm back fan model.
(fsp300-60atv)
But according to my DMM both PSU perform exactly the same
in my system. Not only that, the fsp300-60atv gives me
lower system temps as well. At least in my case.

Lower temps & and noise with the same stable rails?
Guess which I'll be buying next time. ;)

If you don't mind modding, that PSU is easy to mod for low noise. I've modded five of them like this... disconnect the fan from the temp control circuit and hook it up, directly to the 5V line. Let it run 5V all the time and your case airflow will still be good, but the noise will stay very low.

[Susquehannock]

Originally posted by cmcquistion


If you don't mind modding, that PSU is easy to mod for low noise. I've modded five of them like this... disconnect the fan from the temp control circuit and hook it up, directly to the 5V line. Let it run 5V all the time and your case airflow will still be good, but the noise will stay very low.

Appreciate the suggestion. :)
I ended up putting the fsp300-60atv back in
and using the 120mm fan unit for the rig I built for
my sister. It's not OCed and doesn't require the
higher fan speeds.

Another thing which made the 120mm fan frustrating was how
the fan grill interfered with the PSU shelf in both my cases.
Had to do some cutting to get it to fit. :rolleyes:

[cmcquistion]

You can take the grill off, completely, or just take it off the outside and mount it, inside.