INTRODUCTION

   This may not come as a shock to some people (however it does to me sometimes) but not every gamer or professional in the market is willing to spend much on a quality power supply unit even if they happen spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars/euros on a single graphics card. The good thing with this however is that it's not possible sometimes since really strong graphics cards require quite a bit of power and to get that people have no choice but to spend a lot more than they'd like to. On the other hand if you just want to power a low-mid/end system you don't have to worry about that (not as much anyways) and so even a low-output PSU should suffice. Today we're taking a look at one such PSU, the Strictly Power VPF550 550W model by Antec.

   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’s offering of enclosures includes a large range of cases, such as its technically advanced Performance One Series, cost-effective New Solution Series and server grade cases designed for the needs of all workstation and server markets. Antec’s products also include front line power supplies such as its TruePower Quattro Series and EarthWatts, the most environmentally friendly power supplies available. PC gamers are an increasingly significant consumer of performance components, and many Antec products are geared toward the gaming demographic, like the Nine Hundred, the premier gamer enclosure. Antec also offers a computing accessories line comprised of many original products, including its patented LED Fans and Notebook Cooling solutions. 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.

   The Strictly Power VPF line of power supply units is aimed towards consumers who are either not willing or just don't need something special and so unlike most others currently in the market all cables are hardwired into the chassis. The VPF line also features an 80 Plus Bronze efficiency certification, 2 high-current +12V rails, 120mm thermal controlled fan, ErP Lot 6 support and Antec’s CircuitShield™ suite of industrial grade protections such as OCP (over current), OVP (over voltage), UVP (under voltage), SCP (short circuit), OPP (over power), NLO (no load), BOP (brown-out), OTP (over temperature) and SIP (surge & inrush).