Category: Power Supplies
Manufacturer: PC Power & Cooling
Product: Silencer 610 EPS12V
Gallery: Click Here
Price: $109.99

Intro
We last checked out a PCP&C power supply last year when we reviewed their 750W Silencer model. A few things have changed since then. First and foremost, PC Power & Cooling is no longer a stand alone company; they have since been bought out by OCZ, the company widely known for RAM production. PCP&C as we mentioned in the previous article has become the standard of excellence in the computing world when it comes to power supply quality. While often priced slightly more than the competition, their performance and stability has been second to none. Hopefully with OCZ running the show we will see the same grade A performance we have come to enjoy and expect from PCP&C.

This Silencer differs a bit from the last one we looked at. First off, we should note that it is much cheaper and fits more into that average build that most of you look to put together on our forums. Another point we should make note of is the 610 Silencer's 5 year warranty, unlike the 3-year from the 750. We don't know whether or not this is a new concept since the acquisition by OCZ, but either way it comes as a welcome addition.

When it comes to power supplies, you really don't want to error on the weak side. We often recommend you stick to well regarded brands, as often some of these lesser brands that are dirt cheap produce lower quality PSU's with rails and voltages that vary to levels that are unstable for your system. We aren't trying to say that every cheap PSU you buy is going to be a piece of shit, but generally you get what you pay for. This is definitely something you have to keep in mind when you are on the prowl for a new PSU for your current or new rigs. At the same time we have to ask if higher end power supplies are worth the cost vs. that of the mid range. So today will be put this Silencer 610 head to head with a Antec NeoHE 550w.

Package
PC Power & Cooling's Silencer 610 comes packaged in their very plain white box. It's a good thing that the quality within is never determined by the style of packaging. The box features the PSU's specs on both sides and also mentions the warranty period of 3 years. As does the product warranty flier inside. The point of interest here however is that as of September 18th of this year all of the Silencer models have been upgraded to a 5 year warranty. Now that may not mean a lot to some of you who upgrade your machines at a rapid rate but many people keep their hardware around for a some time and welcome such an addition to the warranty.

Inside the box we find the Silencer well packed, suspended on cardboard with the cables and accessories divided into their own compartments on the sides. Its a solid packaging job that will surely keep your goodies safe during transport. The PSU comes packed with the warranty card/instructions flier, a AC power cable, and a bag of screws - everything you need to get the Silencer 610 pumping juice through your system like the Mississippi cutting through the heartland.

The old saying goes never judge a book by its cover and the PCP&C power supplies seem to fall under that category as they may lack flash on the outside but have always performed near the top in any PSU test we perform. Let's take a closer look at the Silencer 610 itself.