Here in the PCDIY labs we have long been users of Antec products an industry leader and veteran. They have had a reputation of quality designs and solid performance and long history to help feel confident with the support and reliability of their products. PSUs are absolutely one of the most critical components in any system build as the quality and reliability dictate so much of the experience you have with an enthusiast PC. Whether it be general reliability and stability to overclocking margin or expansion capability to even acoustics your PSU can affect all of these. Antec is looking to give PCDIY enthusiasts another option in their product stack. Focused at users looking for high quality power delivery with an eye for aesthetics and an ear for quiet operation the new EDGE series looks like a great fit for enthusiast mid range systems based on the Z97 series chipset or AMD 900 series chispet.
With the recent launch of many chipsets, CPU and GPUs in the last 6 months the importance of a quality PSU is at a high. Whether you are upgrading or building it is definitely something you are going to need and having one which is quality in design, solid in performance, quiet in operation and looks good helps makes the decision easy. The new EDGE series look to be in the upper mainstream enthusiast segmentation offering some great specifications and features.
Some of the key features and specifications are noted below
- A range of 3 wattage ratings , 550, 650 and 750. This perfectly compliments the needs for the mid range series of chipsets and CPUs and GPUs. Wheter stock of overclocked you are going to be solid.
- A open airflow design with “honey comb” ventilation helps to ensure cool operation of on board power components and the power topology.
- 80 PLUS GOLD certified – Offers superior efficiency and overall a validation of the performance of the PSU.
- Fully modular design – Allows for easiest cable routing and helping ensure a cluttered cable look internally. Can also help to maximize airflow.
- Full black cables with flat design – Great for superior aesthetics and black compliments every color combination out there. Flat cables are also nice as they have less take less space and have thinner diameters making them superior for routing.
- 16-pin socket design – Allows for more modular cable flexibility supporting 2 different 8 pin cables per socket.
- 135mm LED FDB fan – Essentially ensures near silent operation while providing airflow to power components and power topology. The LED can can also be selectively enabled or disabled and is white which compliments just about any color themed build.
- High quality and high performance Japanese capacitors
- A high performance dual 12v rail design – Two ( 2 ) +12v rails help to ensure optimal compatibility , performance and reliability for CPUs and GPUs. This is an excellent choice for mainstream enthusiast locking to overclock as well. Along with a DC to DC power design helps to ensure you have very good +12v performance
- Vibration dampener pads – Silicon dampener pads to help reduce or eliminate vibration aiding to the quiet experience of the PSU.
- CROSFFIRE and SLI certified – EDG650 and EDG750
- Circuit Shield Protection -Over Current Protection (OCP), Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Under Voltage Protection (UVP), Short Circuit Protection (SCP), Over Power Protection (OPP), Over Temperature Protection (OTP), Surge & Inrush Protection (SIP)
- Intel ATX 12v 2.4 specification support with advanced C6 & C7 support – This includes support for Haswell and Haswell-E based CPUs
- ErP Lot 6 2013 and ErP Lot 26 2014 supported – These help to ensure ultra low power utilization in different S states.
So taking a close look at the PSU you will see it features a clean design aesthetic compliment by the honey comb venting. Add to that the quality construction of SECC steel and anti scratch coating and you have a great looking PSU. The included silicon dampeners in red not only perfectly compliment red theme builds which of course compliment ROG motherboards and graphics cards as well as the new line of STRIX graphics cards but are removable. This way you can utilize this in any color scheme build and still have quiet operation. For those looking for the quietest operation the dampener is a nice touch.
Looking more closely at the PSU and it’s modular interface you will see one of the unique points of the PSU, it has implemented a new 16-pin socket. This new socket doubles the modular connectivity by supporting 2 different 8-pin cables per socket and allow for future connector changes. You can see some of the various configurations offered.
Naturally, inserting two 8-pin connectors into one 16-pin socket does not work with standard connectors. Specialized slim connectors with a unique pin-out & pin-shape are utitlized. Do not use 3rd party cables, as they may not be compatible!
As for the cables and connections the spread of cables offered is solid and offers a lot of flexibility. Below we have broken down the options. You have a mix of PCIe PEG, SATA and MOLEX and even a floppy connection. All the way around whatever the configuration is you should be covered.
Lastly we have some of the general specifications for power on these new models.
All in all this looks like a great enthusiast addition to Antec’s lineup of power supplies. We hope to get one into the PCDIY labs to hammer out and provide you some hands on feedback as well as feature it in a build. Based on an experience and the partnership in development of this PSU with Seasonic this PSU should be a extremely solid solution for any builder.
For those that want to check out the official PR check it out below.
Antec Inc., leading provider of high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself market, broadens its range of modular power supplies with the new EDGE series. Cutting-edge components and technologies make EDGE a premium addition to Antec’s range of industry-leading power supplies. With a EU release date of September, the EDGE is a powerful choice for performance enthusiasts in the market for a quiet, high-quality power supply.
The new Antec EDGE series is based on a brand-new platform, co-developed with their partner Seasonic. Housed in 0.8 mm SECC steel with an anti-scratch black coating, the Antec EDGE series PSUs are built with noise-reducing components. The EDGE series PSUs features a fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) fan with white LED lighting, which operates nearly silent at all speeds. Furthermore, silicone anti-noise de-couplers minimize vibrations for enhanced noise reduction.
EDGE series PSUs provide guaranteed stable output for efficient and reliable system performance, are Haswell and C7 ready, compatible with the new ATX12V 2.4 standard, and are covered by Antec’s five-year warranty and lifetime global 24/7 support. EDGE series PSUs are fully modular with 18 + 10-pin MBU socket, and 16-pin sockets double the modular connectivity, supporting two different 8-pin connectors and even future connectors of 10, 12, 14, or 16-pins. All cables are darkened and also flat (except for the MBU cable), translating to stealth cables that blend in with your chassis.
Two fully-protected High Current +12V rails with high load capabilities ensure maximum CPU and GPU compatibility. Circuit Shield industrial grade protection means your computer’s components are safe from any damage from fluctuating electrical currents.
The series contains three models, each delivering 550, 650, and 750 watts of continuous power, respectively. All models are 80 PLUS Gold certified, achieving an efficiency of up to 92 percent. This efficiency effectively reduces electricity bills by 20%. High-performance Japanese capacitors provide a stable DC output, offering ultra-clean power delivery that keeps critical computer components safe. Sufficient PCI Express port connectors make EDGE the ideal PSU for high-end gamers and performance enthusiasts alike.
For the power supply that edges out the competition, look to the EDGE series.