Test Setup

All measurements are performed utilizing ten electronic loads (seven Array 3711A, 300W each, and three Array 3710A, 150W each), which are able to deliver over 2500W of load and are controlled by a custom made software. We also use a Picoscope 3424 oscilloscope, a CHY 502 thermometer, a Fluke 175 multimeter and an Instek GPM-8212 power meter. Furthermore, in our setup we have included a wooden box, which along with a heating element is used as a Hot Box. Finally, we have at our disposal four more oscilloscopes (Rigol 1052E and VS5042, Stingray DS1M12 and a second Picoscope 3424) and a CEM DT-8852 sound level meter. In this article you will find more details about our equipment and the review methodology we follow. Finally, if the manufacturer states that the maximum operating temperature of the test unit is only 40°C then we try to stay near this temperature, otherwise we crank up the heat inside the hotbox up to 45-50°C.

Voltage Regulation Charts

The following charts show the voltage values of the main rails, recorded over a range from 60W to the maximum specified load, and the deviation (in percent) for the same load range.

5VSB Regulation Chart

The following chart shows how the 5VSB rail deals with the load we throw at it.

Efficiency Chart

In this chart you will find the efficiency of HCP-1000 at low loads and at loads equal to 20-100% of PSU’s maximum rated load.

Voltage Regulation and Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of voltage rails and the efficiency of HCP-1000. The applied load equals to (approximately) 20%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 80% and 100%, of the maximum load that the PSU can handle. In addition, we conduct two more tests. In the first we stress the two minor rails (5V & 3.3V) with a high load, while the load at +12V is only 2A and in the second test we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle while load at minor rails is minimal.


Efficiency, if we take aside the reading at 20% load which is a bit lower than we expected, is surely up to Platinum levels compared to what we have seen from other Platinum units, since we can't verify Platinum compliance with 230VAC power input. In five out of the eight tests we conducted, efficiency readings were above 92%, something really impressive! Also as you can see we pushed the HCP-1000 over its limits, since at CL2 test we forced it to deliver its continuous power at 52.1°C ambient! Simply put there aren't many PSUs out there that would tolerate such an abuse. Regarding output noise the 135mm fan proved to be really quiet up to 80%, despite the high operating temperatures. Only at full load and CL2 tests it increased its RPMs but still its noise wasn't annoyingly loud. It was audible for sure but nothing more than this and after all we had a 1000W PSU delivering full power at >50°C, something most of its future buyers will never be able to do.
Voltage regulation at +12V and 5V is very good (for our standards) and only at 3.3V it's a little looser. For the record, at 5VSB, a rail low importance, the deviation was larger than what we expected to see from Antec's top PSU.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measure the efficiency of HCP-1000 at loads much lower than 20% of its maximum rated load (the lowest load that the 80 Plus Standard measures). The loads that we dial are 40, 60, 80 and 100W (for PSUs with over 500W capacity). This is important for scenarios in which a typical office PC is in idle with power saving turned on.


At lower than 20% of max rated capacity efficiency is surely decent for a 1kW unit. At 40W it doesn't drop below 70% and at 80W it easily passes the 80% mark. Finally with 100W load efficiency reaches 85%, a very good level for a 1kW PSU.

5VSB Efficiency

ATX spec states that the 5VSB standby supply's efficiency should be as high as possible and recommends 50% or higher efficiency with 100mA load, 60% or higher with 250mA load and 70% or higher with 1A or more load.
We will take four measurements, three at 100 / 250 / 1000 mA and one with the full load that 5VSB rail can handle.


The 5VSB rail registered very high efficiency especially at the first two tests, where it exceeded the respective thresholds by far. At the last two tests it remained at equally high levels, surpassing the 80% mark something that we don't see often in this rail.

Power Consumption in Idle & Standby

In the table below you will find the power consumption and the voltage values of all rails (except -12V), when the PSU is in idle mode (On but without any load at its rails) and the power consumption when the PSU is in standby (without any load at 5VSB).


Antec states that this unit is compliant with the future ErP Lot 6 2013 directive and we found that this claim is 100% true. Vampire power is restricted to one sixth of the max allowed (0.5W) so the HCP-1000 is one of the greenest PSUs we have ever tested. Also this is the first time we see a PSU with zero PF at standby mode, so most likely the PFC circuit is totally isolated during standby in order to restrict energy consumption.