Antec pushes new form factor PSUs

Peter G. 2 Apr, 2009 at 11:19am ET Article published in Tech

It takes stones to buck the system and throw tradition to the wind, but Antec seems to have grown quite a pair lately. The company’s latest line of power supplies don’t follow the size requirements in the ATX specification, and have gone quite another direction. The current physical dimensions for power supplies date back to 1987 and the arrival of IBM’s PS/2 form factor systems from which ATX later evolved. It’s been 22 years since power supply size has changed for consumers, and Antec wants to lead that charge.

Antec’s new line of power supplies adhere to what they deem the CPX form factor. Instead of the standard 3.4″ height, Antec’s latest PSUs are 120mm tall. That’s 4.72″–too big to fit in any standard case without serious modding. In fact, only three cases on the market now are compatible: The Antec Twelve Hundred, P183 and P193. Why build and market a power supply that doesn’t fit in standard cases?

The Antec CP-850 power supply, courtesy of Antec.

Herein lies the beauty: The first CPX power supply on the market is the semi-modular CP-850 and it blows away the competition when it comes to real power supply quality. JonnyGuru recently tested it and it surpassed their expectations, barely breaking a sweat under the heaviest load testing their professional equipment could provide. It’s a rare day to see a power supply get their highest praises and rarer still when you consider the price.

The CP-850 costs $120.

Other units with similar performance are easily $50-$100 more expensive. Antec’s Senior Vice President Scott Richards says bucking the size barrier has allowed them to create a high-quality unit at an exceptional value. “We like being innovative, especially if we can truly give first class performance at a great price,” he said.

The question is whether the market will adopt it. Currently Richards said Antec is the only company that offers compatible cases which makes switching to the new line a more expensive endeavor than simply upgrading the PSU. Factor in the price of a CPX-compatible case and the cost of adopting the new form factor edges close to or exceeds $300. Richards thinks Antec can win over consumers with the combination of quality and value, but we wonder if the case limitations aren’t too restrictive.

So let me pose the question: Would you buy a CPX system?

Comments

2 Apr 2009 ~ 11:34am QCH I would if I felt the new standard would benefit my system setup and the case was worth the switch. 22 years is a long time to be tied to one standard in the computer hardware industry.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 11:41am MiracleManS I think for something in the future, for someone looking for a quality power supply AND needing tons of space, it'll make sense AND be cheaper.

But right now? Without a smaller/less expensive case to work with, no.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 11:48am Thrax I reserve judgment to observe its market uptake.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 12:06pm BuddyJ I'd like to see a Nine Hundred revision that would accept these PSUs, or other case manufacturers make compatible cases. Without broadening the case selection to include a mid-sized high airflow case or a way to adapt it to work in some standard ATX cases, I don't see them catching on.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 1:16pm UPSLynx I'd be on board, but as everyone else said, only if the market adapts.

This is a GOOD trend buck, I'd like to see higher efficiency PSU's. It seems to be a portion of hardware that's typically neglected, both in performance to efficiency ratio and in actual tech advancement. Here's to hoping this encourages other manufacturers to adopt the new standard.

I've got a bad feeling that we'll see this go wayside in the way that PhysX cards did. Bold new tech, but no one wants to support it.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 1:18pm Skryking As the article states it might make a nice edition to a custom built case.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 1:31pm Cliff_Forster I don't see any reason to avoid it on a new build as long as the Antec case options appeal to you. The case's all accept standard ATX form factor PSU's as well, so you can always replace if the market does not turn out.

Would I mod around it, probably not, but if those three cases apeal to you or your customers, no reason to avoid the new form factor because the cases are flexable enough for that as well as the standard options.

Good for Antec to buck the trend and take a risk.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 1:33pm Linc I'm rooting for them.

I'm not that worried about cross-compatibility. If Antec expands its line of compatible cases, I'd be down for giving it a shot. The only way a PSU/case combo gets split up for me is if one breaks, in which case I'll probably be looking for more of the same to replace it.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 1:33pm Snarkasm When it's more efficient and more stable, lack of market pickup will do nothing but piss me off. I sincerely want to see this have a place in our build scene. I may organize my next build around it.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 1:51pm BuddyJ I didn't think of the custom case mod applications Cliff. Thanks for the reminder. If I were doing a custom build, the CPX PSU would be on my short list of items to build around. You sacrifice additional height for a shallower unit and gain additional airflow and quality, clean power. For a modder, what's not to love?
2 Apr 2009 ~ 3:16pm Cliff_Forster Antec realy looks like they want to challenge some paradigm's,

Tri Cool fans with the built in three speed controler, the Skeleton exposed cases, and now a new PSU form factor, I dig innovation.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 5:07pm Garg If I ever needed a new case or did a mod, I'd be interested. I love my five year old aluminum Chieftec case though, and I don't plan on giving it up anytime soon.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 5:26pm Leonardo OklahomaWolf at JonnyGURU just reviewed the Antec CP-850. He was highly impressed:

I have to be honest though... if I didn't have a Twelve Hundred I'm reviewing for next week, and had just load tested this unit without said case, I'd probably want to go buy one just to have a case to go with it. If the CPX form factor catches on, the CP-850 will be flat out untouchable. It is completely unmatched by any ATX unit on the market I can think of. You'd have to spend twice as much as this thing costs to find the next best thing, performance wise.

He gave the PSU a 9.5 out of possible 10. That rarely happens at JonnyGURU.

Low price -- encourage consumers to buy an Antec CPX case and the PSU in a single opening of the wallet. Not a bad strategy, to get the new form factor started and to sell cases and power supplies in the process.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 5:40pm Leonardo

If I ever needed a new case or did a mod, I'd be interested. I love my five year old aluminum Chieftec case though, and I don't plan on giving it up anytime soon.

I know exactly what you mean. Antec will have an uphill climb. The target market for that PSU is the hard bitten crowd like us who are likely to have custom machines tricked out for gaming or other heavy duty use. We also tend to be very picky about components such as cases, and are not necessarily inclined to go out and purchase a new computer case.

On the other hand, as OklahomaWolf accurately stated, the CP-850 is one-half the price of anything even close to it in performance. You really could buy that CPU and a case to go with it for not much more than a competing PSU alone.
2 Apr 2009 ~ 5:45pm Leonardo Take a look! Antec 1200 - Antec CP-850 combo, $279. (combo deal is shown at the bottom of the page)

Man, I would have jumped on this about two weeks ago had the JonnyGURU review already been up and the Newegg combo deal posted!
3 Apr 2009 ~ 7:35am deepsea If smaller PSUs will fit into the case, I'd bite. I don't want to be down waiting for a PSU if (when?) my 850 dies.
3 Apr 2009 ~ 10:13am BuddyJ They do, deepsea. All three CPX compatible cases are also fully ATX compliant. Go ahead and bite without fear.
3 Apr 2009 ~ 6:43pm TheSmJ I have a 6-year old Antec clone of the Cheiftec full-tower cases which has a removable adapter plate where the PSU screws into the back of the case. I don't have it here to measure but it looks like with a different/custom built adapter plate this PSU would fit great.
3 Apr 2009 ~ 7:06pm Leonardo

All three CPX compatible cases are also fully ATX compliant.

That's one of the reasons I think CPX has a fighting chance of becoming viable - an accepted, common format. The internals are essentially the same as the ATX format. It's mainly the sheet metal enclosure that's different. For the case manufacturers and the PSU manufacturers, this has got to a negligable design and tooling change. Fortunately, this is Antec pushing the new designs. They just might be able to force enough momentum.

If anyone here is looking for a high-end PSU upgrade and has been thinking about a new case, that Newegg-Antec combo deal I linked above is dynamite. JonnyGURU was effusive with praise over that PSU.
4 Apr 2009 ~ 6:14am Mochan If you want to buy those Antec cases, then these are the PSUs for you. I mean, I don't think any other PSU will "fit the bill."

I am all for evolving the market but let's see if this becomes something big. I am dubious but you never can predict market behavior with 100% certainty. In the meantime if you are able to buy the case and PSU combo I think it's just a good deal, too good to pass up really if you are in the market for a new case and PSU.
4 Apr 2009 ~ 2:06pm DrLiam Wow, very impressive and an enjoyable article! I can see a CPX in my future. Even though I always assumed technology was getting smaller, not bigger. :S
4 Apr 2009 ~ 2:38pm Snarkasm Sometimes bigger is better... as in this case.
5 Apr 2009 ~ 4:03pm revorocks Ohh yes! I new I made a good choice with the 1200 Its a brilliant idea. Much much better cooling capability, nothing has to be crammed in so cheaper PSU's

Nice one Antec
6 Apr 2009 ~ 3:33pm Leonardo

so cheaper PSU's

Only as long as Antec is pushing their new form factor to become accepted. If it weren't for that, Antec could easily ask $200+ for that CP-850, given it's performance and quality level.
6 Apr 2009 ~ 3:40pm BuddyJ Even if these things catch on, I don't think Antec has plans to jack the price up. It'd be contrary to their marketing which suggests that the main reason to increase PSU size was for the significant cost savings and better quality.
6 Apr 2009 ~ 3:54pm Mt_Goat

Buddy J wrote:

Even if these things catch on, I don't think Antec has plans to jack the price up. It'd be contrary to their marketing which suggests that the main reason to increase PSU size was for the significant cost savings and better quality.

I totally agree. And I am interested to see how this new form factor and concept catches on. Given the current times I feel this is a very good move on Antec's part as most folks are strapped for cash.
6 Apr 2009 ~ 6:04pm Leonardo

It'd be contrary to their marketing which suggests that the main reason to increase PSU size was for the significant cost savings

Cart before the horse? It was my opinion that any such cost savings - which there are at present - are to induce acceptance of a new standard. Not counting what I consider to be the current teaser cost of acquisition, how does the CPX standard impart cost savings to the consumer? Did I miss something? Is the CPX format less expensive to manufacture? Being better cooled with better airflow, yes, I would imagine a new generation of PSUs could be more efficient, but that's a cost savings to whomever pays the power bill, not a savings at retail purchase time.
6 Apr 2009 ~ 6:15pm fatcat I'm all for it. This world needs more better PSUs
6 Apr 2009 ~ 6:18pm Leonardo I hear you. I've purchased three high end PSUs in the last several months and an Antec case (P180) just two weeks ago (Craigslist). Had I know about this Antec 1200 - CP850 deal, I might have ordered it, even considering the terrible shipping charges to Alaska.
6 Apr 2009 ~ 6:32pm BuddyJ Yes, it is less expensive to manufacture. Look at the inside shots of the CPX unit compared to a PCP&C or similar ATX unit. The components in the Antec are HUGE but standard devices in a relatively simple layout. They make power with a good old push-rod V8.

A standard ATX unit to get the same results requires complex heatsinks, smaller and more expensive components, and origami packaging to get it to fit in an ATX-sized case. They're trying to supercharge a 4-banger so it'll still fit under the hood.
6 Apr 2009 ~ 6:51pm fatcat

Buddy J wrote:

They're trying to supercharge a 4-banger so it'll still fit under the hood.

My PC Power & Cooling 750w is a V12 biatch!
17 Apr 2009 ~ 2:48pm Cliff_Forster I just won one of these in an Antec twitter contest!!

I'm going to document the entire build around it and share sometime in the not too distant future.
17 Apr 2009 ~ 2:51pm Snarkasm Awesome, Cliff. I'm jealous.