We're not sure what constitutes a gaming power supply versus just a regular PSU, but lest there be any doubt about the target audience, Antec's new High Current Gamer (HCG) says it right there in the name. Beneath the marketing, however, these look to be high-end models with a generous 10-year warranty.
That means you're likely to upgrade your PC at least once, if not multiple times, before the warranty expires. Not that Antec is the only one offering a 10-year warranty—Corsair does for some of its PSUs, as does EVGA and Enermax.
Equally important is the quality of components, because really, swapping out a dead PSU is not exactly fun. To that end, Antec says its HCG series uses 100 percent Japanese capacitors, the insinuation being they are less likely to bulge and burst like cheaper caps. In addition, the new PSUs feature a PhaseWave Design that "offers a server-class full-bridge LLC design with a synchronous rectification based on a DC-DC topology," and an extra capacitor on the ends of the all-important 12V cables to store power to provide extra power as needed.
There are three models available—650W, 750W, and 850W, Each one is 80 Plus Gold certified and uses fully modular cables. Connectors on the 650W model include a 20+4 pin motherboard, a 4+4 pin EPS, four 6+2 pin PCIe, eight SATA, three molex, and a floppy connector. The 750W and 850W models gain an additional 4+4 pin connector, while the 850W also ups the ante with six 6+2 PCIe, 10 SATA, and five molex connectors.
If shopping for one of these models, be careful not to confuse them with Antec's High Current Gamer Bronze line, which are 80 Plus Bronze certified. The new models are available now. Street pricing on Amazon breaks down as follows:
- Antec HCG 650W: $99 + $3 shipping
- Antec HCG 750W: $105 + $6 shipping
- Antec HCG 850W: $120 (free shipping)
You can also find two of the three models on Amazon. The 650W model sells for $100 and the 750W model for $105. There's a listing for the 850W model as well, but no pricing information yet.
