Avoid the Antes Neo 500

[orion25]

I have an Antec Neo 500. I sent an email to antec complaining about the not so stellar 12v rails. This is what I got in reply.....

Comment: It is barely within spec:
[5v: 4.85v-5.15v]
[12v: 11.64v-12.36v]
[3.3v: 3.2v-3.4v]

So, who's spec is that? I paid for 12V, I expect 12V!!! Not 11.64v to 12.36v. And I was no where near 12v, much less 12.36v. Smartguardian reports 11.71v. It also says I am getting 3.2 on the 3.3 and 4.89 on the 5.0v bus.

Avoid antec if you want a rock solid overclocking PS.

I have an OCZ PS on order. I replied to the Antec email with this info (the OCZ). I hope it enlightens them but I doubt it....................

My reply to Antec was as follows:

I placed an order for an OCZ power Supply today. Since you cannot guarntee your rails any better than that I will abandon Antec. I have used Antec for 3 years, first with a True Power 430 then with a Neo 480 (which died) and now with a Neo 500.

I am sad to say it but Antec is a thing of the past as far as I am concerned. I will have to put the Neo 500 on Ebay. Failure to maintain a solid 12v rail is a deal breaker for me. It may be within your spec. but it is not within mine.

Thank you and I look forward to my OCZ power supply.

[darkknight187]

You don't say if you used a multimeter on the psu or just some pc utility. everybody knows your pc normally doesnt read it right, i moved (with the same hardware) from a thermaltake purepower 420w to a Antec TP2 550w and was getting the same readouts within my smart gaurdian. and now i've changed some parts and had 2 different 550w psu's hooked up to this, my old TP550 and my new NeoHe550. with the same low readouts but nothing done by multimeter

[cw823]

So the assumption is that OCZ does not have similar specifications on it's power supplies? Seems a bit over zealous to post here crapping on Antec without comparing to other manufacturers "with specs" numbers as well.

My neoHE550 does just fine with my PD930 @ 4.0. Usually around 12.18

[orion25]

This is a NEO 500. Not a 550!!!!!

Read above as to what the Antec rep told me were acceptable voltages.

If you think that these ranges are acceptable then I will have a Neo 500 watt available for you as soon as my OCZ 520watt comes in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[orion25]

You don't say if you used a multimeter on the psu or just some pc utility. everybody knows your pc normally doesnt read it right, i moved (with the same hardware) from a thermaltake purepower 420w to a Antec TP2 550w and was getting the same readouts within my smart gaurdian. and now i've changed some parts and had 2 different 550w psu's hooked up to this, my old TP550 and my new NeoHe550. with the same low readouts but nothing done by multimeter

The multi read 11.72 on the 12v rail and 4.71 on the 5v Rail............... Any other questions?

I have a multimeter available and used it.

[Know Nuttin]

The voltages given to you were with the +/- 3% deviation. With your electrical engineering degree, I'm sure you understand the workings of a standard PSU and how hard it is to maintain 12.00v exactly, all the time.

The +5v is not right though, ATX Specification is +/-5% and that is approaching 6%. You should RMA the unit.

That said, I don't believe having one bad unit is enough justification to post the comments you did. You're entitled to your opinion though, and I'm not trying to change it.

[darkknight187]

The multi read 11.72 on the 12v rail and 4.71 on the 5v Rail............... Any other questions?

I have a multimeter available as well as my electrical engineering degree.

Anyone else care to question me????????????????/

i feel a bit of a defensive vibe, your degree isnt a big deal with this, but alot of people go by an application which is known to normally be off. and because it wasnt stated i asked so as i would have more information to go by.

[orion25]

All I am saying is go with the OCZ 520. It will be more stable than the Antec Neo......................

I got crap voltages from the Neo. I have heard nothing but great things from the OCZ..............

[Nilo]

As soon as your OCZ comes, you'll finally have the chance to experience the great PSU it is.
Then, you'll not only hear good things about it, but also tell those things to others ;)

[orion25]

As soon as your OCZ comes, you'll finally have the chance to experience the great PSU it is.
Then, you'll not only hear good things about it, but also tell those things to others ;)

That is what I am counting on! :)

[Captain Hook]

Sorry ta here that yer powersupply ain't spot on matey. After ya put yer new OCZ ye can remove that thar mizzenmast that be sproutin' out yer arse.

Captain Hook

...so chain me to tha ocean floor fer that. i be a risk takin' swashbucklin' sea dog.

[MVC]

... I don't believe having one bad unit is enough justification to post the comments you did. You're entitled to your opinion though, and I'm not trying to change it.

Orion25's comments were a bit, um.., forceful, and you're right, it's always possible to get a "lemon." But, I haven't had good luck with Antec PSUs for going on two years now. I had my Neo 480 fail completely after only 14 months or so (and it was having problems before that), and the 380 it replaced was never really stable. On the other hand, I've got a PowerStream 600, which doesn't get very good reviews, that's been all but bullet proof even after I modded it to power an Iwaki pump. With those experiences, there is no way I'd ever recommend an Antec PSU--they aren't that much cheaper and the risk of getting a bad one far outweighs the small savings. Oh, and FWIW, I replaced the Neo 480 with a PowerStream 520. I've only had it a little over a month, but so far it's as solid as the old 600.

[dfonda]

Looking forward to the specs on the OCZ so it can help me decide on a PSU.
Orion post results when you get that OCZ. :)

[orion25]

Looking forward to the specs on the OCZ so it can help me decide on a PSU.
Orion post results when you get that OCZ. :)

I am sure you can find specs posted on the forums already.

I am hoping the OCZ will be here this afternoon, but I most likely will not get it installed until this weekend. I will post results when I get it up and running.

[steveeb]

I'm over Antec too. Their power supplys are mediocre. My TP2 went out after only 4 months. I even had to lengthen some cables so it would work in THEIR P180 case, thus voiding any chance of an RMA :rolleyes:

[orion25]

Looking forward to the specs on the OCZ so it can help me decide on a PSU.
Orion post results when you get that OCZ. :)

The OCZ 520 is installed and running very well: Voltage rails are as follows:

12v - 12.16v
5v - 5.13v
3.3v - 3.31v

I am very happy with these results! This is the info provided by Smartguardian (I cannot find my Fluke, the wife must have done some housekeeping :rolleyes: ) The Smartguardian voltages were within .05v of the multimeter voltages on the neo 500HE so these must be close.

The above voltages are at a full cpu load via FAH. I have not adjusted the OCZ pots.

Finally I have a PSU that will do what it advertises!

[diehrd]

I have to agree Antec over the last 2 years has slid backwards.I used a True 550 on a dual XP @2418 per chip and could not boot,,I tossed in a CompUSa 500 watter no name and ran fine until I got a deal on a fotron 530 . .

At which point I tossed the Comp Power supply in my fathers rig and 2 years later it is going strong still.

[mepis]

Its a shame to hear that Antec has gone down hill in the power supply's. I've been running an Antec 320 watt in my computer for years. It's the most reliable supply I've ever had. The bios and everything else reads it under voltage but a couple years back I tested it with a multimeter and the 12v and 5 v rails were rock solid and never dropped under any condition.

[Couger]

Its a shame to hear that Antec has gone down hill in the power supply's. I've been running an Antec 320 watt in my computer for years. It's the most reliable supply I've ever had. The bios and everything else reads it under voltage but a couple years back I tested it with a multimeter and the 12v and 5 v rails were rock solid and never dropped under any condition.

I know what ya mean but im affraid times change ive just changed from Antec To Tagen, from what ive been told and read the Tagen unit is alot stronger and more reliable unit than the antec

Cheers Cougs

[mepis]

I was going to get one of the true power 420's but I guess Ill hold off with my 320 for right now. I've been pushing my 320 to it's limits for well over a year and it's still rock solid. It really is a shame. We see so much of that though. So many companies we're great at one time and then decline. Thermaltake used to be awsome and now thier not so great anymore either (though they do still have a couple good products.) And same for Asus. They had excellent motherboards but now even they are starting to go down a little. Abit was a little bad there for a while too but it looks as if they are getting things together again. oh well...

I can remember back in the day when those little black label delta fans used to be all the rage and now there non existant anymore. But then again I can remember using my Abit motherboard back in the socket 5 days. Oh what fun that was to overclock an old cyrix 60 mhz computer to 120 mhz. Those were the days...

[Shadowknight281]

If you think that these ranges are acceptable then I will have a Neo 500 watt available for you as soon as my OCZ 520watt comes in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, if you're giving it away for free, I'll take it ;)

[surjer]

Umm - I am very happy with my Neo 500 HE. I just destroyed a generic "500watt" PSU. Was quite entertaining. Was running a Benchmark OC'ing my 7800 MAJORLY and then heard a loud pop and then smoke. Twas the PSU's soldered in fuse. Now I have the Neo 500 HE and its running like a champ.... Nice braided lines too!

[orion25]

Umm - I am very happy with my Neo 500 HE. I just destroyed a generic "500watt" PSU. Was quite entertaining. Was running a Benchmark OC'ing my 7800 MAJORLY and then heard a loud pop and then smoke. Twas the PSU's soldered in fuse. Now I have the Neo 500 HE and its running like a champ.... Nice braided lines too!

I am glad you have a solid 500HE. But with the neo problems I have had recently (both 480 & 500HE), I have become an OCZ fan. Antec made great stuff back in the day (I still use a TP430) but they have slipped recently in my opinion. My rails were crap and Antes decided that they were within spec.

I'll admit (and even apologize for my comments) that I was a little overzealous on my first post. But when I buy a product I expect it to preform at least close to advertised specs. The Noe 500 did not do this. The OCZ 520 did this without missing a beat.