Antec High Current Gamer Extreme X850 Power Supply Review

Introduction

Antec High Current Gamer Extreme X850

The Antec High Current Gamer (HCG) brand of power supplies has been around for a remarkably long time. In fact, when Antec sent me their latest gold-rated Extreme X850 power supply, my initial reaction was to think about the first time I had encountered this range. I am, for example, fairly certain that an old AMD system I used to have was powered by an HCG power supply. In fact, I’m fairly certain I used the exact same power supply for a recent family-build I did. Despite its age (and the huge level of usage it saw) I was still that confident in it’s performance.

The HCG range, to me, is a testament to what a great branding reputation Antec has with the design.

The HCG Extreme X850, however, is their latest release and, as you might expect, it boasts some pretty impressive features. 850 watts of power, gold-rated efficiency, 100% Japanese capacitors and a huge 10-year warranty. Yes, this is ticking all of the right boxes!

Let us, therefore, take a closer look and see just how bullet-proof this latest iteration of the HCG branding is!

Features

The Antec HCG Extreme X850 comes with a single 12v rail which outputs on it’s own a total of 840w. This isn’t, however, where the good stuff ends!

• Guaranteed 850W of Continuous Power from Antec
• 100% Modular－Improves airflow and reduces clutter
• 80 PLUS® GOLD certified－Up to 92% efficient, to reduce your electricity bill
• PhaseWave™ Design－A server-class full-bridge LLC design with a synchronous rectification based on a DC-DC topology
• 16 pin Socket－Industry-leading 16-pin sockets double the modular connectivity by supporting 2 different 8-pin cables per socket and allow for future connector changes
• Antec Quality 10-year warranty and lifetime global 24/7 support
• 135mm FDB Silence－Whisper-quiet high-quality fluid-dynamic bearing fan with long lifetime
• Zero RPM Manager－An advanced low voltage fan control with fan-off mode at low loads for absolute silence
• 99%+12V – Output for maximum CPU & GPU support
• CircuitShield™－Full suite of industrial grade protections: OCP, OVP, UVP, SCP, OPP, OTP, SIP, NLO
• 100% Japanese capacitors achieve unprecedented tight voltage regulation & low ripple & noise to maximize your system’s performance
• 28(18+10) pin MBU socket – For possible future MBU connectors
• ATX12V 2.4－Engineered according to the newest PSU guideline and compatible with the latest CPU generation
• HCG Extreme delivers non-stop industrial class performance for high-end computer systems at up to 50°C ambient.

Specifications

For in-depth specifications, please visit the official Antec High Current Gamer Extreme X850 product page here.

What Antec Had To Say

“Engineered to meet the power demands of high-end systems, the Antec High Current Gamer Extreme power supply series boasts unparalleled stability and 80 PLUS® Gold-certified efficiency, thanks to the top-grade Japanese capacitors and Active PFC.” – Antec

Cabling

A cursory look at the X850 cabling shows that it places a pretty strong emphasis on CPU cabling. In terms of connectors, this 850w model should be more than enough to connect any standard gaming PC.

The cables themselves are well labelled and pleasantly flexible (while still feeling more than durable). All in all, so far this power supply is looking pretty good!