What to buy: Fortron, Silverstone, or Antec PSU?

[eliu]

I'm in the market for a new 350W PSU for $30-$40. I've been doing some reading/research, and I've settled on these three choices...

$35: SilverStone Tech. 360W Super Silent Power Supply w/ 120mm Fan and SATA Connector, Model "SST-ST360" -RETAIL

$39: Antec P4 ATX12V 350 Watt Power Supply With 2 Fans, Model "SL350" -RETAIL

$39: Fortron 350W ATX12V Power Supply with 120mm Fan, P4 and AMD ready, Model "FSP350-60PN" -RETAIL

I'm leaning toward the Fortran or the Silverstone right now. I hear they're made by the same company (Enhance)--the two things certainly look very similar. However, the Silverstone has the 12V at 18A compared to the Antec/Fortron's 12V at 16A (and it's $4 cheaper to boot).

On the other hand, I haven't found many reviews of Silverstone, so I don't know what to think of them.

Fortron, on the other hand, has lots of reviews...and most people seem very pleased with them. I like the idea of a 120mm fan; I know someone with the Antec I'm looking at, and it is a bit noisy to me.

What do you guys think?
-Eric

 

[navicaph]

I have the 400w version of the Fortrone, and its as dead silent as it gets. Unless you get a fanless psu.

 

[eliu]

Cool, I've definitely seen a lot of people in agreement with you

Would you suggest that I buy the Fortron 350W then? The Silverstone is tempting...given the extra 2A, but I'm wondering how the customer service is for these two companies.

-Eric

 

[Turd Furguson]

Almost everyone would recommend the Fortron PSU here.

 

[sandman001]

fortron

 

[Mr.Radar]

Fortron under-rates thier PSUs. The 120mm 350 watt version will put out 410 watts.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

The Silverstones are Sirtec made units - not bad, but not at Antec or Fortron levels of quality. I also vote Fortron.

 

[johan851]

Another vote for Fortron from another guy named Eric.

 

[Supertrucker]

i think fortron may have changed thier psu labels as well, my fsp-300 showed a 16a 12v rail at newegg, but the spec on the actual psu says 18a, and this is only a 300w unit. one more vote fot the fortron, and i have that 350watt antec, thier psu's, aside from the "true" line just dont impress me much

 

[eliu]

Wow, with such resounding support for Fortron, looks like I'll have to join the party...

 

[tonyou]

The SilverStone power supplies are indeed made by Enhance (although their new fanless power supply is made by another company, Etasis), so if Fortrons are also made by Enhance, there should be no difference between them in terms of quality.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Enhance is also Sirtec made... Fortron is a completely different company.

 

[eliu]

Oh ok, I see. Thanks for straightening me out on the Enhance/Silverstone/Fortron business.

Though, I do have one more question...how is Fortron's warranty/RMA service? I've heard really good things about Antec's customer service, but not many have comments about Fortron's...(I guess this is good, b/c their stuff doesn't break, lol) But anyway I'd like to have an idea in case something goes wrong w/mine.

Thanks,
-Eric

P.S. Unless their RMA service gets a -100 out of 10, I'm going to buy the Fortron 350W

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Can't help you on that one... don't have a Fortron myself (yet), and I haven't heard of many at all breaking down (less than 10 so far in the time I've been on this board, and none in the last 3 months or so). PC Power and Cooling has good reason to use them in their lower watt offerings

Sirtec is a pretty big PSU maker and has their fingers in quite a few pies... Thermaltake and Highpower are another two names of theirs, though I'm not fully clear on what Sirtec's relationship is to all of these; or who gets what PSU from who - I believe Highpower is actually owned by Sirtec, but not sure.

 

[sJetski]

Sirtec is a pretty big PSU maker and has their fingers in quite a few pies... Thermaltake and Highpower are another two names of theirs, though I'm not fully clear on what Sirtec's relationship is to all of these; or who gets what PSU from who - I believe Highpower is actually owned by Sirtec, but not sure.

I always thought the Thermaltakes were manufactured by Enlight? Their features and wattages are almost identical, including the ones with active PFC. Or does Enlight get their psu's from Sirtec also?

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

I forgot about Enlight there... yep, they're Sirtec as well.

 

[tonyou]

Oklahoma Wolf, Enhance are not Sirtec made, they are two completely different companies. I kinda knew that FSP made their own power supplies but wasn't sure after eliu said they maybe made by Enhance. Thanks for confirming it tough!

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Thx for the correction - hard to keep all these companies straight at times. Now I can say my knowledge has been "enhanced" lol

Edit: Did some more checking - Enhance does have their own UL file number, but I'm not totally convinced yet Sirtec's not a part of them somehow (Antec also has their own - units are CWT made). Their 120mm fan units have an uncanny similarity to the Sirtec made Silverstones (and Sirtec has been confirmed there - traced the UL file number in a review).

 

[thorilan]

just look at the tolerance of a forton vs the others. all others have 5% while forton sparkle has much tighter tolerance.

 

[Tedinde]

Fortron!!! I've ran my Vapo and whole computer off a 300 watt fortron, when my antec 550 was giving me disapointing 3.3v "read 2.95v" when i went over 4ghz. I put the forton 300 in upped the 3.3v to 3.6 for some BH5 love.

15 minutes later i ordered a 530 fortron. And that's all i'll buy now.