Is this a good fanless power supply?

[amanojyaku]

Is this power supply any good?

http://www.directron.com/cf480coolmax.html

[blitzkrieg1110]

personally......i wouldnt go with a fanless power supply. i dont think that one is very good though, i think people say coolmax is a bad brand but im not sure.

[Jacobman]

This Antec Phantom looks better in my opinion,
350
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103925

500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103926

[Shadowknight281]

They had a Coolmax fanless PSU on SPCR that they reviewed. Apparently it spontaneously shut down in use. There may have been a manufacturing defect in that particular unit. Despite promises, Coolmax never sent another unit to test.

The early Phantom's had problems, but all of the 2005 units have done well on SPCR. Mine's a 2004 unit and I've had zero problems with it.

Silverstone/Etasis have gotten good reviews as well.

[3DFlyer]

I also would avoid fanless PSU's. All PSU dissipate heat, and you have to remove that heat for things to work properly. Controlling heat is the preface to successful OC'ing.

[Deathknight]

I am not a big fan of totaly fanless PSUs either, although it really comes down to what is the application of it? I opted to go with a PSU with a very quite fan over completly fanless when I built my HTPC. The whole system is barely audible and the PSU is certainly drowned out by the HSF on my cpu.

[bazx]

I also would avoid fanless PSU's. All PSU dissipate heat, and you have to remove that heat for things to work properly. Controlling heat is the preface to successful OC'ing.


agreed

[RangerXLT8]

18A on the 12v rail should itself exclude this unit as an option for an overclocker.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

I recommend no fanless units for overclocking, and only three of them really get my attention for general use: Fortron Zen 300w (not sure if it's available in the US yet, Canada has it already), Antec Phantom 350w, and Etasis/Silverstone 350w in that order. Otherwise, give the Seasonic S12 line a good look.

[meionm]

I used that power supply, it not bad, I ran with the setup in my sig. The only problem was when box for memory that allows over 3.3v was one the system wouldn't boot. The 3.3v rail drops to 3.1v under load. Plus the components in this psu make some low noise when they are under load.

My recomendation is seasonic s12. I have S12 600w and I can say is silent. I can turn the psu on and put it 3 feet away and I won't even know that is on. Seasonic make really quiet psu, with rails that won't drop under load

[Dell_Axim]

I do not recommend any fanless PSUs for normal PCs. A fanless PSU is acceptable for a Dothan machine, but normal fanned PSUs tend to be better.
Just use a normal fanned PSU unless it's for a specialty application.