Introduction

We would like to thank Antec for supplying the review sample.



It has been a while since Antec's last mid-capacity PSU line, so we are happy to see them delve back into such a popular category. The EDGE family currently only consists of three members with capacities ranging from 550 W to 750 W, and while their maximum power output puts them into the mid-capacity category, their price tags are high enough to classify them as units of the higher end. These aren't budget units, and given their features, we didn't expect them to be. We will put the EDGE unit with 650 W to the test and expect it to perform well because it is based on a Seasonic platform we have come across before.

The EDG650, like all EDGE units, features a fully modular cabling design, Gold-certified efficiency, and a fancy LED fan. We aren't huge supporters of such marketing gimmicks as the LED fan, but also aren't in the representative majority which has some companies add these in order to make their PSU offering more appealing. And while Antec, oddly enough, doesn't mention it on their packaging, this is a Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) fan. The only downside its increased cost, its bearing is superior to sleeve- and ball-bearings in both noise output and lifetime expectancy. As the fan plays a key role in ensuring longevity and reliability, it is also the second most important component to a PSU with Japanese capacitors that last a long time.