# Enermax vs. Seasonic



## Underclocker (Aug 13, 2007)

Just wondering why TSF doesn't recommend Enermax PSUs? I'm aware the old Liberty series had some issues stemming from bad capacitors but what about the newer Liberty ECO and PRO82+ lines?

To be specific I'm weighing up these:
Seasonic S12 Energy+ 550W - AU$119 (The one in the PSU sticky.)
Enermax Liberty ECO 620W - AU$125
Enermax PRO82+ 525W - AU$110

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

I've seen some pretty good reviews of the newer Enermax units, don't know how much I'd want to use them yet though. Been pretty much sticking with Corsair here, lots of power and I find them very quiet. I do have one OCZ, but never use that computer, can't stand listening to the psu fan, it's way to loud. And the SeaSonic I have is in an agp system, not being used right now. Zero complaints about the 750TX and 850TX here, they've both been great.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Not enough data on the new Enermax units to be sure yet, so I'd go with the SeaSonic since we know it's quality. I forget if the SeaSonic S12 550W is the same as the Corsair VX550W, but if so then it's a great unit that could easily have been labeled a 600W, and for the price it's very good value.

My recommendations in the power range you're looking at:
SeaSonic S12D 550W
SeaSonic S12D 650W
Corsair HX520W
Corsair VX550W
Corsair HX620W
Corsair TX650W
PC Power and Cooling 610W
OCZ StealthXStream 600W


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

Enermax used to be one of our highly reccomended units; but then they started using less than stellar internal components in some of their builds; they have some very good units and they have a pile of mediocre units

unless you want to become a PSU professor, I suggest you stick to a manuf that doesnt make any mediocre units

seasonic / PC Power & Cooling / Corsair


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## Underclocker (Aug 13, 2007)

Oh I forgot to mention this PSUs going into the system I have listed as my specs. First thing I did when I got it was rip out the Widetech 650W PSU in it. :3-smash: The CM Extreme Power Plus 460 is temporary. I still regret not being able to afford the Silverstone ST56ZF I saw for AU$96 just over a year ago.

The store selling the Liberty ECO 620 had it listed as model ELT620AWT instead of ELT620AWT-ECO so I double checked with them and it turns out it's indeed the older Liberty model they're carrying, so it's not an option any more. Talk about false advertising...

grimx133, is your OCZ a StealthXStream because they had problems with faulty fan controllers according the the Hardware Canucks review. Most Corsair units are out of my budget, and the single store that was selling Corsair HX520 for under AU$130 is out of stock now. :sigh:

Phædrus2401, the Corsair VX550 is a CWT OEM unit. It's off my list since it's going for the same price as the Seasonic E+ 550, which is currently at the top of my list. PCP&C isn't sold in Australia unfortunately. The StealthXStream is good value, but has crap transient filtering.

linderman, I'm a little curious about the CM Real Power Pro 650 on the PSU sticky since it's an Acbel OEM unit? I had the impression they were the ones to avoid since everyone here keeps saying CM's Extreme Power series are junk, but the Extreme 460 models are Acbel as well.

Still a toss-up between the Enermax PRO82 525W and Seasonic E+ 550W. It seems the PRO82+ has a weird cable system that might make a cable management a pain in the neck. I'll probably just go with the safe choice Seasonic 550.

Thanks for the pointers guys. :4-cheers:


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I've seen some very good reviews of the new Enermax PSU's but I don't put a lot of faith in reviews. I use Seasonic in all of my PC's and many retail units.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

> Phædrus2401, the Corsair VX550 is a CWT OEM unit. It's off my list since it's going for the same price as the Seasonic E+ 550, which is currently at the top of my list. PCP&C isn't sold in Australia unfortunately. The StealthXStream is good value, but has crap transient filtering.


Odd. The VX450W is made by SeaSonic, which is Corsair's other major OEM, so I wonder why the VX550W would be by CWT. Unless they've changed supplier on the VX series.

PC Power & Cooling seems to be pulling their units off shelves everywhere; they're getting hard to find.

The OCZ 600W is at the bottom of the list for a reason, and is on there just in case you can't find a Corsair or SeaSonic for a decent price.


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## Underclocker (Aug 13, 2007)

Phædrus2401 said:


> Odd. The VX450W is made by SeaSonic, which is Corsair's other major OEM, so I wonder why the VX550W would be by CWT. Unless they've changed supplier on the VX series.


I found this post on Tom's Hardware from 2007. Looks like the VX550 has always been CWT. Strange considering even their newish budget-line CX400 is also a Seasonic unit, so I doubt it's to do with cost.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

Corsair's CWT OEM unit (channelwell manufacturing) is an excellent unit and you wont find any reviews bashing that one! the Corsair is the exact same build as the Thermaltake toughpower line-up (CWT)but minus the modular cabling which adds cost.

I have sold hordes and hordes of Corsairs now, and not one dead or troublesome unit (i probably just jinxed myself)

in my personal builds and in my corporate builds ONLY Seasonic is under the hood! 

Coolermaster Realpower Pro is an excellent unit; ACbel makes good units and they make crap units; its up to the end user which supplies the SPEC of the units to be built

CWT's are often found both good and bad; again its up to the end labelr who specs the units for selling (antec / corsair / Coolermaster / Thermaltake >>>>they are all re-labelers who spec and buy units from an OEM like CWT; AC Polybel, Seven Team, Etasis, Enhance, Seasonic etc etc etc)

The extreme power units are extreme junk! same Thermaltake Pure power = PURE JUNK

if you want ONE PSU manufacturer that NEVER sells any mediocre units = SEASONIC

PC Power & Cooling has been owned by OCZ for several years now and I dont think it has done them any favors in doing so. As I suspected when OCZ bought them, they had plans of just snatching PC Power & Cooling engineering department. OCZ at that time didnt have their own engineering and design department and had to rely on outsourcing. OCZ has many worldwide production facilities so now they are in the power supply manufacturing business for real including cheap overseas labor just like all the rest!

OCZ units are "all right" they are not the golden child seasonic is by any means HOWEVER they run much better on European power for some reason, I had an electrical engineer once explain to me why a mediocre PSU here in the united states runs like a champ on 230 volt, but this info was soon over my head!


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

My dad's is the 600w. StealthXStream, though not for much longer, he's getting a Corsair VX550 and an Antec 300 for Christmas. Going to be expensive to ship, but what the heck eh. 
I've got the 600w. GameXStream in my third machine, loud sucker, that. Drove me nuts when I used it, glad I never use that computer. Oh yah, the stealthxstream isn't very stealthy, it's just as loud as the other one. The only other fans in my dad's machine are Noctua, and the one on the Scythe Zipang, and that's an extremely quiet heatsink.


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## Underclocker (Aug 13, 2007)

I couldn't help notice a lot of Aussie stores sell Antec Neo ECO "brown box" PSUs, but I can't seem to find any reliable info on them. The range consists of 380, 430, 500, 520, 550 and 620W models and it doesn't match up to the Neo HE line on the Antec website despite the specs copied from those units. Any ideas?



linderman said:


> I have sold hordes and hordes of Corsairs now, and not one dead or troublesome unit (i probably just jinxed myself)


Hope not! :laugh:

Just for kicks, if anyone's interested in Corsair's explanation of "why a high-quality PSU is an essential purchase": video


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

Just another two cents worth. 

I use only Seasonic power supplies in my personal units and those that I sell now only Seasonic and a few Corsair units at times. Both of these named power supplies are top-of-the-line and the Seasonic is one of the quietest that you will find. I just don't purchase anything else much anymore and although the failure rate is way below most makers (almost non-existent), Seasonic has excellent service should you have an issue.


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

I'm wondering if OCZ is phasing out the PC Power & Cooling models in favour of it's 
Z series line. 
Maybe not, just looked at a review for the Z series 850 watt unit, it's 80+ Gold. 
Very odd that the OEM is sirtec, when they own PC P&C.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

I thought it was the other way around, and PC P&C owns OCZ now?


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

Nope.
http://www.ocztechnology.com/aboutocz/press/2007/222


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

We have been seeing those units listed as OCZ - PC Power & Cooling units more and more with the OCZ name FIRST. I think they have been doing that to make the OCZ line (which has been cheaper line to manufacture) appear to be like the quality of the PC P&C line. 

I also think you will see some real quality units from the OCZ line, but I think you will see some cheaper (in quality) OCZ units sitting out there right beside them trying to appear as high quality units when they may still be middle grade supplies.


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## Underclocker (Aug 13, 2007)

Just picked up the Seasonic S12 E+ 550 today. Currently I'm breaking it in running ORTHOS and 3DMark06. All the voltage rails are stable though the 5V is a little low for my expectations.

For some reason there's a soft electrical buzzing coming from the unit that's not audible from more than 15cm away. I've heard of PSUs buzzing when under light loads, but an E4500 @ 2.84GHz 1.4V and 7950 GX2 both under max load would draw more than 200W.

Maybe I've got a faulty unit... :sad: Have you guys experienced this before?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Underclocker said:


> Just picked up the Seasonic S12 E+ 550 today. Currently I'm breaking it in running ORTHOS and 3DMark06. All the voltage rails are stable though the 5V is a little low for my expectations.
> 
> For some reason there's a soft electrical buzzing coming from the unit that's not audible from more than 15cm away. I've heard of PSUs buzzing when under light loads, but an E4500 @ 2.84GHz 1.4V and 7950 GX2 both under max load would draw more than 200W.
> 
> Maybe I've got a faulty unit... :sad: Have you guys experienced this before?


I have heard this buzz before but never on a seasonic and I only use seasonic. I don't think you have anything to worry about though, only if it becomes more apparent and louder should you worry or if it becomes a whistling or creeching sound.


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

I have never had "any" issue like that with a Seasonic and through the past few years have had many go out the door to my customers. This company will take care of you, so I would send it back if not up to snuff with either the voltage or noise.


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## Underclocker (Aug 13, 2007)

I was thinking it's the active PFC's reaction to the 240VAC we get from the wall sockets here in Australia. But I emailed Seasonic support anyway and the reply was... well, not good.



> Dear Sir,
> Thank you for favoring Seasonic products.
> According to your describe,we think that your PSU may out of work.
> Any about PSU RMA request, you may contact our authorized local vendor or distributor for service.
> ...


Just my luck...


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