INTRODUCTION

   While i am writing these lines the temperature here vary from 30-35 degrees Celsius (60-70 degrees Fahrenheit) and so because things will most definitely get worse as we get deeper in the summer period we can't stress enough the importance of having a good power supply unit as part of your system. Now as some of you know during this year’s Computex most PSU manufacturers (if not all) introduced all their latest models with features aimed mostly towards enthusiasts and gamers. Naturally Antec was also present to introduce the latest modular additions in their High Current Gamer PSU line and since we've already checked out the very good HCG-750M a couple of weeks ago today we decided to take a step further and test its larger brother the HCG-850W 850W PSU.

   Antec, Inc., is the leading global brand of high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in these industries and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of efficient, quiet, and reliable products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators. Antec is headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as well as in Germany, China and Taiwan. The company’s products are sold in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Please visit www.antec.com for more information.

   If we were to place the specifications table of the HCG-750M right next to the one of the HCG-850M we'd see that they are almost identical and so once again we see the 80 Plus Bronze efficiency certification (up to 88% efficient), two +12V high load rails (840W output), Japanese heavy-duty capacitors, several industrial grade protections (OCP,OVP,UVP,SCP,OPP,OTP,SIP), 135mm LED cooling fan and a full 5 year warranty to back it up. So the only difference these two models have is their continuous power output (even their size/weight/topology is identical) which is not really something to be taken lightly since 100W more can be more than just enough to make a serious difference in a power-hungry system. Naturally since both the HCG-750M and the HCG-850M are almost identical we are somewhat curious to see if their performance numbers are also identical and so without further ado let's check it out.