Page 2 - A Close Look - Outside
When we take a look at the design of the Antec High Current Gamer M 750W, we see the usual black metal finish over the whole power supply. Unlike some manufacturers that choose to use a more rugged design or some other fancy ways to decorate the exterior, Antec took the simple approach. There is nothing wrong with simplicity; to be honest, I'd say there are times when simplicity is a good thing. This is not to mention there won't be many times where your PSU will the visual forefront of your computer, given the fact that the power supply is always tucked away in the back of most computer builds. A giant Antec High Current Gamer M logo can be found on the sides of the power supply, as well as the rated voltage of the unit. When it comes to build quality, the Antec High Current Gamer M 750W meets all expectations for a clean finish. There are no rough edges, and the metal is cut and smoothed well, leaving no sharp corners or defects in the finished product.
The Antec High Current Gamer M 750W sizes in at 150 mm width, 170 mm depth, and 86 mm height, which is a fairly standard size for most PSUs in this category. Compared to the FSP AURUM S 600W I have looked at a while back, this is only about 10mm deeper. This PSU is fairly bigger due to the bigger size fan included compared to the FSP, as a well as the fact the Antec is a modular design. Our Antec High Current Gamer M 750W includes a 135mm fan, while the FSP AURUM S 600W only had a 120mm fan. A power supply of this size is perfectly fine in a standard ATX sized case. However, it may be a tighter fit in mATX and mITX cases, where space can be a luxury, and every single centimeter can count. This is especially a concern since heat distribution is very important when space is a limiting factor in smaller cases.
Looking at the back of our Antec High Current Gamer M 750W, we can see the standard components we expect. First on the right, we have our power socket, and to the left of it is the power switch. To be honest, sometimes it still feels weird to see a power switch here, since a few manufacturers have decided to remove the power switch entirely. I can't say I've used the power switch very often, since I would just remove the power cable to make sure it is not powered at all, but I guess it is easier to use a power switch than unplugging the PSU. The back of the Antec High Current Gamer M 750W uses smaller honeycomb mesh than some builds we have seen in the past, but the size of the mesh isn't as important, as the overall area the mesh creates for heat dissipation. Right below the power switch and the power socket is a small Antec High Current Gamer M logo with the wattage right next to it. As with most modern power supplies, the Antec High Current Gamer M 750W features an automatic full range (100V-240V) AC line voltage selection, so users do not have to adjust the input voltage for their current country, making it simple to just plug in the power supply, and start using it right away.
Located on the top of the Antec High Current Gamer M 750W is the standard power output/rail configuration information label. Information found here includes warnings, various certifications, and most importantly, wattage information. Combined together, the +3.3V rail and +5V rail gets 150W combined -- while independently, they can theoretically get up to 82.5W and 125W, respectively. In practice, we cannot go over the maximum combined output of 150W as mentioned. The above calculations were done using the formula P=IV. Each of the +12V rails has a sustained current of 40A, which means it can deliver up to 480W each. This is 99.2% of the power supply's maximum combined rated output. In terms of the -12V rail, it is given 0.5A of current for 6W output overall. Finally, the +5Vsb gets 3.0A for a total of 15W. All of this together cannot be higher than the maximum combined wattage of 750W, except at peak, which can usually be a bit higher; useful for starting up your computer when some components require significantly more power to start up than to run such as hard disks. Overall, the numbers are quite reasonable, and are well distributed for a 750W power supply.
When we look at the back of the Antec High Current Gamer M 750W, we can get a better look at the cable area for our power supply. The first thing we notice in this area is the ATX 24-pin and ATX 4+4-pin cable is permanently attached to the PSU, and is not modular. Some manufacturers like to use a modular cable for this one, so it allows for a customizable length. Although it is a good feature to have, it isn't necessary, especially when we look at more budget oriented PSUs. You cannot use a computer without those cables connected anyway. To the right of the attached cable are the modular power outputs. There are five connectors on the top for SATA and Molex connectors, while the bottom two connectors are for the PCI-E connectors. Lastly. there is also a switch here to turn the LED in the fan on and off;, this is a great feature since some people would prefer to have a good night's sleep if they choose to keep their computers on overnight.
All of the cables, which includes both the permanently attached and modular cables, are rated 18 AWG. In addition, all of the cables are sleeved, which has a cleaner look compared to unsleeved cables. For convenience's sake, we also measured each of the cables to give a good overview of how far they can reach.
The following cables can be found attached to the power supply:
- 1x ATX 24-pin, 550mm
- 1x ATX 4+4-pin, 650mm
The following modular cables are also available:
- 2x PCIe 6+2 pin, 2 connectors each, 550mm to first connector, 150mm spacing thereafter
- 3x SATA + Molex, 3 SATA connectors each & 1 Molex connector , 550mm to first connector, 150mm spacing thereafter
- 1x Molex + FDD, 3 connectors each, 550mm to first connector, 150mm spacing thereafter
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Minor Tests and Conclusion
