Antec Quattro TPQ-1200 Modular 1200W ATX Power Supply Review

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Testing 1200 Watts
Two main tests were performed on the PSU. First, it was used in a rather non typical system built for nothing more than guzzling power just to make a dent in the unit. The goal is to push the PSU upwards of 75% if possible so we can check voltage levels and fluctuations so you know what to expect with typical power hungry systems.

Here’s the test system break down:

Intel Core i7 980X Gulftown “Hex-Core” Processor
GIGABYTE X58A-UD5 ATX Motherboard
Patriot Memory 2000MHz 6GB ViperII DDR3
Dual ZOTAC Geforce GTX295 Videocards
Kingston HyperX 128GB SSDNow V+ (Rev 2)
Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB Hard Drive
Western Digital Black 2TB Hard Drive
Four Seagate Barracuda 500GB Hard Drives

Second, the PSU was connected to a scope and voltage tester designed to measure each rail’s perspective voltages. With this hardware, the PSU can also be pushed to its maximum load whereas the test system cannot. It’ll also push it past specs to see if the circuit protection does its job and shuts down properly.

Going 0 to 1200 Watts in 5 seconds!

Using my trusty volt meter, a manual voltage measurement was recorded from the power supply while connected to our power hungry test system. Voltages were well above spec and there was little voltage fluctuation while at 75% load. Also, the 80mm cooling fan wasn’t audible at all. Obviously, it’s not enough to make the TPQ-1200 break a sweat.

Next, we used the equipment to push the PSU all the way up to 100% load. Again, we recorded voltages and were able to monitor the rails for sloppy power output. Here’s what the PSU finally gave us.

In typical performance level power supplies, we see .04 to .09 volt fluctuations. Large fluctuations, usually caused by bad switching and/or weak capacitors, can adversely effect component lifespan. The unit here didn’t quite hit .04 which is really great. Fluctuations and “ripple” noise were extremely minimal overall placing the Antec TPQ-1200 in a very small list of exemplary power supplies.

Our unit was about 87% efficient at 1200 watts and even a bit higher proving that this is truly is an 80Plus Silver power supply. The only time we heard the 80mm cooling fan was when the room temperature was above 32 C which is roughly 90 degrees Fahrenheit. From a regular user’s perspective, you’re probably never going to hear the fan unless your computer case is sitting next to a powerful heater.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, what all of this testing means is that you’re not going to ever have a problem with power if you have this power supply in it. The ANTEC Quattro TPQ-1200 is for extreme gaming or power administrator systems running multiple cores or multiple video cards. Based on its size and performance, it’s not meant for smaller mid-sized towers and computer systems requiring less than 300 watts. Sure you could run it, but mother nature would hate you. If you need less, we strongly recommend one of the smaller units that ANTEC makes. All of which are built upon the same pedigree. Otherwise, you won’t be disappointed at all.

There are very few power supplies that can, or have achieved similar results while maintaining their certified efficiency rating. The Antec TPQ-1200 takes a highly coveted place amongst the best of performance level power supplies ever tested. If the rest of the Quattro series is created equal, we would expect the TPQ-850 and TPQ-1000 to be equally impressive. Now, we just need a couple ATI HD5970s or GTX480s to make this a truly indispensable upgrade.

The Antec Quattro TPQ-1200 will run you in the neighbourhood of $279US which isn’t cheap by any means. It is one of few things you can buy for a high performance system that is worth every dollar and compared with other competitors in the 80plus SILVER range it is quite reasonable. This mix of high performance with a a favourable price earns it our Editors Choice Award.

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