Who Really Manufactured Your PSU?

1 Sep, 2006 at 11:38am ET Article published in Tech

With a little detective work, the [i]UL File Number[/i] on your Power Supply Unit may reveal that the “name brand” you bought actually has little to do with the company which branded it, at least from a manufacturing viewpoint.

We can separate power supply companies into three groups: the ones that design and manufacture their own products (the minority), the ones that design their own products but hire another company to manufacture the products for them, and the ones that use OEM products, i.e. another company designs and manufactures their products, but adding the label, box and manual from the contracting company. Almost all well-known manufacturers that aren’t originally from the power supply business fall in this last category.

Keep in mind that any reputable company is going to insist that those who manufacture products carrying their name adhere to certain standards. The fact that they are not directly responsible for an items manufacture does not mean that the product is inferior

[b]NOTE:[/b] PSU’s not intended to be sold in the USA may not have the UL File Number.

Source: Hardware Secrets

Comments

1 Sep 2006 ~ 1:34pm primesuspect Sorta like memory - a handful of companies design and manufacture, some "merely" assemble, sort, and test, and some just re-badge.
1 Sep 2006 ~ 4:27pm RWB Laptops as well :P
2 Sep 2006 ~ 9:59am Leonardo

Laptops as well

Exactly. I think there are only five laptop manufacturers, total, but about 30 brands.
2 Sep 2006 ~ 11:41am fatcat some good info the consumer