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FPSLabs Home: PCP&C Silencer 750 EPS12V PSU

By: Thomas Gribble - Published October 24, 2006 at 2:01 AM EDT - Writer Archive
The latest 750W power supply out of PC Power & Cooling has a unique look and some interesting features. Is it a candidate for you next gaming rig? Read on to find out.


Category: Power Supplies
Manufacturer: PC Power & Cooling
Product: Silencer 750 EPS12V
Gallery: Click Here
Price: $199.99

There are few companies in the world that have earned enough respect through their products to be considered the top dog in the industry. There are even fewer companies like this in the hardware world, where the fast majority of manufacturers produce high-quality equipment. In fact, there is only one company I can think of that has really taken the reigns as the #1 manufacturer of anything for more than a few months. There is only one company that has earned the respect of hardware enthusiasts time and time again and remained at the top of their respective market. That company is PC Power & Coooling (PCP&C).

Should you be so inclined as to check out the recommendations for power supplies on most hardware websites, I am willing to bet that you will find a PCP&C product at the top of the list. They are known for the tremendous quality of their power supplies, characterized by the accuracy and stability of the voltage rails. We previously published an article entitled “What’s a PSU?”, where we explain in great detail about how a power supply works and the importance of things like rail stability. At the end of that article we presented some recommendations. While those recommendations need to be updated (sorry), you will notice that there are two PCP&C power supplies right at the top of the list.

PC Power & Cooling recently rolled out a new product line under the “Silencer” moniker, and today I will be looking at its flagship power supply, the Silencer 750 EPS12V.

Package
The Silencer 750 EPS12V ships, usually directly from the PCP&C headquarters, in a rather plain yet large cardboard box. This is a far cry from what we have seen with power supplies in the past, with their gaudy designs and often inadequate protection. Included in the package is the power supply, a power cable, 4 case screws, the shipping invoice, the three year PCP&C warranty, and what I believe to be one of the coolest things I have ever seen in a hardware package, a Certified Test Report. To say that the Certified Test Report included with the PCP&C Silencer 750 EPS12V power supply is a welcome addition would be a gross understatement. Not only does PCP&C put their products through a strict quality control test, they include the results of the test right in the box so you can see for yourself how your specific product performs; you could even test the product yourself to verify the results if so desired.


Back to the packaging -- you can see that the power supply is practically suspended in the middle of the case. There is bubble wrap or air on every side of the PSU, which does a very good job at cushioning the unit from any bumps and jolts that might occur during shipping. The packaging on this power supply is very well designed and shows the attention to detail that PCP&C engineers put in to their products.

Appearance
While I hate to even judge a power supply by its looks, users with side windows on their cases will note that the power supply can be a big presence. The Silencer 750 EPS12V PSU has a metallic-copper look to it that is quite different from any other power supply we have seen. I think it looks pretty cool, but gamers with strict case motifs will likely think otherwise. For those users who think the copper finish is ugly, the Silencer 750 ships with a flat black paint job upon request.


The other thing to note about appearance is the size of the unit itself. While the Silencer 750 EPS12V is not nearly as long as some of the 1kW PSUs out there today, it is longer than most of the standard ATX power supplies we have reviewed in the past. For a specific comparison, you can see that the 750 is just about an inch longer than the Antec Neo HE 550.


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User Comments

1
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Hitting 12.00 right on the dot is very impressive. Plus, $199.99 isn't that bad for a high quality 750W psu. Normally PC Power and Cooling's stuff are a step up in price, but this guy is just right. If I did this review I'd give it the same score!
2
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IMO,
- Not Modular
should be listed as a Pro, not a Con.

"3. DON'T LOSE POWER WITH MODULAR PLUGS
Due to their look, convenience, and cost savings for manufacturers, modular plugs have become a popular power supply feature. Unfortunately, there has been little or no discussion of the impact of this feature on overall performance and reliability. The fact is, modular plugs limit power by adding to electrical resistance. The voltage drop can be as much as would occur in 2 feet of standard wire. Worse yet, modular plugs utilize delicate pins that can easily loosen, corrode, and burn, creating the potential for a major system failure. That's why pros specify uninterrupted wire!"

i guess it's also PCP&C's opinion too...
PCP&C users represent!

This comment was edited at 10/24/2006 5:47 AM
xfire username: werdwerdus
3
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Also, DFI motherboards utilized a "floppy drive" power connecter to help with SLI stability. And I believe X-Fi sound cards and front bays use one each. So actually 3 would be welcome to many gamers.

This comment was edited at 10/24/2006 5:53 AM
xfire username: werdwerdus
4
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#2 got lost in the marketing hype. While I haven't seen a study to indicate a limit of power with modular power supplies, it makes some sense, but that modular plug notion is laughable.

While I can't speak for every type of modular power supply, the one I own has the same connection for the device you're using. So if you have a molex connector, that is what you plug into the power supply. I guess my PCI-E connector, molex connector, etc... can all easily loosen, corrode and burn. I better stop using them!

It's funny that I know other modular power supplies have different connectors, but PC&P decided to lump them together as if that was suppose to mean something.

This comment was edited at 10/24/2006 9:44 AM
5
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too bad im poor and far away from usa
:)
6
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gotta love PCP
Its not how you pick your nose...its where you put the booger that matters
7
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i wonder what his cpu is hmmm
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
8
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9.8/10 is nice

really nice powersupply. hm might use it
#rt #remnant
9
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Kinda ugly lol
Sup Dood
10
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kinda ugly shouldn't really be a con. Come on.. its a power supply....people don't exactly pick these based on looks.
Steve Smith is Pro!
11
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#10 you have to admit one like the ocz powerstream is a fair bit more asthetically pleasing :D
http://www.ocztechnology.com/images/produ..
http://www.ocztechnology.com/images/produ..
#advantage
12
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It's only ugly compared to my black PCP&C which is sexxy
xfire username: werdwerdus
13
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On the pcp&c product page it says you can get the psu black on request.
xfire username: werdwerdus
14
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In the article it says you can get the black on request too. That doesn't change the fact that it is kind of ugly in the copper.
FPSLabs - Managing Editor - http://www.fpslabs.com - #fpslabs @ gamesurge
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seems pretty nice
lawl
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#15
XeT
17
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There is an error in your article. 12V will NOT kill, shock, or harm you (unless you lick it). It is voltage that determines how much current will pass through your body. The reason you should not touch the insides of a power supply when it's on is because there are high switching voltages inside. Take for example a car battery. They range from about 550 to 900 CCA. Or a radio controlled car battery. They can supply 60 amps too. Remember, it's I=V/R. Current (Amps) equals voltage divided by resistance. Let's say you grab a hold of a multimeter and take a reading of your resistance. Depending on the location and moistness of your skin, you may come up with a reading of around 500 to 100,000 ohms. So if 12V is divided by 1500 ohms (resistance of moist skin) you'll get 8mA. Now let's raise that voltage up to line voltage. 120/1500=80mA which could be lethal depending on where you're shocked and how long. Keep in mind that dry skin will greatly reduce the current and wet skin will do the opposite.
18
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Oh, and about the air intake vents...maybe they were designed that way to force high speed air over the heatsinks.

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