Thoughts on this?

[MX2times]

You guys think this PSU will suit the basics? Anyone ever use one? TIA


http://www.amdreview.com/reviews.php?rev=powmax

 

[Ice Czar]

a fine selection if the objective is to destroy your computer

Powmax is quite literal; They have a tendancy to go *pow*

Storytime...

- Bought an Antec Minuet case, for a HTPC. The Minuet has a 220W power supply.
- The computer's guts include a nforce2 IGP motherboard, a Palomino XP2000+, a DVD drive and a single hard drive. Not much of a load.
- Got pissed off with the cheap low profile TV tuner I had, and bought a PVR350.
- Needed a big case, so I bought a $40 POWMAX case from a local store. Inside? a 400 watt POWMAX supply.
- Worked fine for about a month. Then the computer started to squeal whenever it went under high CPU load.
- Didn't trust power supply anymore, replaced it with a *145 watt!!* Compaq supply.
- Works fine now.
- Part of my day job is switching power supply design. I took the supply apart out of curiosity, and I don't think I've laughed harder in my life. I brought it into work, and everyone got a chuckle out of it... we calculated that the E core used inside for the main transformer could only do about 200 watts.

Moral: don't buy POWMAX.

POWMAX is a well known company and maker of PSU's and cases, all right - but of the really cheap, low-quality variety. You see, their cases typically sell online for $20 to $30 (though retail stores which may be selling the POWMAX cases jack up the price due to overhead). And their PSU's are equally cheap and crappy.

I'm currently using a powmax case for my A64 system...and needless to say...it sucks, pc will randomly restart from either not getting enough power or two voltage flucuation. I can't install certain things that are power hungry right now due to this...and when playing a game the computer just locks...

Save your self the trouble and either buy a case with no psu...or buy a decent company. I fell into the trap because i liked the case but now i regret it and am having to pay ~100+ for a decent psu.

We sell them at work. About half of them blow up (not an exaggeration) as soon as they're powered on.

I sell them too. Ive noticed there may be a problem with 1 out of 20. But i pretest them all. 1 in 20 is kinda high,but its not aweful.

If you get them from a local warehouse, maybe they're being handled roughly? Dont know, 50% is crazy.

(dont get me wrong, this is not an endorsement, they ARE cheap. If you have the cash get something better obviously)

and with shiping, i doubt youll find a case for less than 30-40ish. even newegg charges 10-15 to ship cases. so a 30dollar case turns into a 45 dollar one.

Had 1 400watt powmax... lasted less than 24 hours. Got another for free from the place I bought it... that one lasted a week.

They are pure crap.

we had a wag in the forum come up with a rule
if it has max in the name

avoid it

POWmax, RAIDmax, COOLMax

and every rule needs an exception
Enermax makes fine supplies

 

[Ice Czar]

forgot this one

PowMax

 

[Papa-Ming]

forgot this one

Graphic tutorials, just simply cannot be beaten when used to make a "point."

Priceless!

 

[Black Label]

haha, stupid piece of sh*t power supply!