jlchavis0844

So i recently bought a XFX 4890 and decided I should also upgrade my PSU with the $75.00 I got from my old card. In comes the Apevia Iceberg 680W which i picked up for just under $75.00 locally. Here are a few things I learned when upgrading my power supply.

1. Remove that useless power supply bar that comes with some Antec cases. I figured that out after I had to remove my CPU cooler.
2. Do not install your exhaust fan in backwards so that you only have intake. I didn't notice what I had done until I was checking voltage during benchmarking and I noticed my system temp said CPU=Hotter than hell. After cursing the cheap piece of crap PSU for over heating my case, it was about to remove it when I noticed my exhaust fan was on backwards. For 30 min, while running benchmarks. Not good.
3. Do not use any power cord with any PSU. After I fixed the silly fan issue i was able to get my voltages under load. 11.76, then 11.88, then 11.6*! Back to cursing this cheap, no name PSU. I was getting ready to take back when I noticed the power cord that came with the case sitting on my desk. Hmmm..... I just used the cord that came with my old Antec. Maybe I should try the actual Apevia cord. 12.06v rock solid. Apparently not every power cord works the same with every PSU.
4. After setting your new card speeds do not get excited when you see Crysis Warhead running at 16X10 on Enthusiast settings at 42-45FPS. As soon as you do you'll notice it's on DX9 and 0xAA. You will then be disappointed when it goes down to 35 on DX10, even in 64-bit. Still alot better than before.

The point to this rambling post is to point out 2 things. A. I'm an idiot who can't figure out which way the wind blows and B. This cheap little PSU with 680w, 22A+24A on the rails, dual adjustable fans, and 3 color modes is a pretty good deal, so far. The clear case and LED's also make it very pretty.

TwoCables

You made a very important point that is worth isolating: always use the power cable that comes with the PSU. It doesn't matter if the previous PSU was basically the same as the new one: always, always, always use the power cable that comes with the PSU.

I'm glad you posted this.

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gablain

Oh didn't know you have to use the same cable + rep

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meticadpa

How did you measure the voltage?

It's pretty much impossible to measure it with software, and it has many inaccuracies. A multimeter is the best way.

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jlchavis0844

To measure it, I just used my BIOS and then software (speed fan). I was just looking to make sure there were no indications of problems. After all, my Multi-meter is in my trunk across the street. No way I'm walking all the way over there.

gorb

1. don't buy an apevia

Zap

2. Multimeter is a lot more accurate than BIOS or software monitoring.

3. Don't buy an Apevia PSU.

Seriously though, there are a lot better choices. For a few bucks more I think this week Best Buy has the Antec Earthwatts 650W for $80, or if you purchase online you have your choice of units. Heck, even BFG makes PSUs that are better than the average Apevia.

gorb and I are not just pulling this recommendation out of our nether regions. Apevia does not have a good track record with power supplies. Now, there are plenty of reviews out there that say Apevia units are fine, but those merely just run them in a system. If the units are put on a load tester, they fail. The purpose of a load tester is so that you can check for efficiency (because you know EXACTLY the amount of power going in and coming out) and whether it can actually put out what it claims on the label. For the few times that Apevia units have been load tested, I can't think of ONE time where one of their units would actually put out what it claims on the label.

Review of Apevia Warlock 900W
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=92
Note that "overrating" means they claim more than it can put out. For instance what if someone at Ford looked at the 300HP output of the Mustang and thought "what if we just claimed the new Mustang magically puts out 350HP? Just about nobody would be able to test that claim and we'd sell more Mustangs!" This is just to illustrate what "overrating" means. Sorry to all Mustang owners (both car and horse). I used to own a Mustang GT and it was a fun drive.

Apevia 500W review:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2007/...battle_royal/3
Yeah, that's right. Trouble started at HALF of the output listed on the label, with the PSU starting to melt internally and voltages went haywire. At 3/4 output the unit failed to work at all.

Apevia 420W review:
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...=Story&reid=79
Well, besides the wrong spellcheck wording ("cable" instead of "capable") basically this PSU (included with the X-Qpack) was pretty crappy.

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[BFG Tech]

Quantum Reality

I try to make sure I have thick PSU cables for the heavy-duty jobbies. I tend to forget which cable went where over the years but I know about AWGs and the importance of having a thick enough cable to lower the resistance so the PSU doesn't get messed

And yeah, reputable PSU manufacturers will try to overengineer their PSUs so they can match the wattage demands of modern systems. My BFG PSU that I used to have (680W nominal) appears to have been built to deliver over 700W if the situation demanded it.

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TwoCables

Another reason to avoid most Apevia units is that they aren't exactly known for being a good PSU for overclockers. They're just meant to look good and they're just meant to work. An Apevia PSU might be ok for a basic office system that is designed to look pretty, but I would never trust an Apevia PSU for overclocking.

The same thing goes for Aspire.

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mmx+

I can not agree with you enough here: My friend purchased a "600w" Apevia power supply for his computer because it was $19 after rebate at Newegg. He kept insisting that it was a good power supply because it said "600w" on it. I pointed out to him that any PSU that costs $19 can hardly be a high-quality model, and that he would do best to buy a new, high quality power supply. He decided not to listen, and 3 months later his "600w" PSU blew up trying to power an 8800GT and an E6420. Not only did the PSU die, he also lost the motherboard and graphics card. After RMAing the mobo and PSU, he took my advice and bought a Corsair VX450 (despite the lower wattage rating)