[crmaris]

Introduction

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

The glory times for our former PSU load tester, Faganas, came to an end. From now on our new set up consisting of nine electronic loads and a dedicated transient load tester will take the reins. However Faganas will still have some action since with its help we will conduct the Turn On Transient Load tests at +12V.

Enough with the talk about the changes to our testing setup, let’s take a look at today’s PSU sample. Antec was kind enough to provide us with its flagship PSU, the mighty HCP-1200, a gold efficiency PSU with monstrous capacity that can handle up to four high-end VGAs along with other power hungry components almost effortlessly. Antec HCP-1200 along with Corsair AX1200 are considered the kings of the Mega PSU category, with the first slightly outperforming Corsair’s flagship. Behind HCP-1200 we find the biggest and one of the most respected PSU OEMs, Delta, which is responsible for many successful Antec PSUs (e.g. the legendary Signature series) so we expect very much from HCP-1200.

Specifications

Antec HCP-1200 Features & Specs
Max. DC Output	1200W
PFC	Active PFC
Efficiency	80 Plus Gold
Operating temperature	10°C - 50°C
Protections	Over Voltage Protection Under Voltage Protection Over Current Protection Over Power Protection Over Temperature Protection Short Circuit Protection
Cooling	80mm Sanyo Denki fan (9AH0812P4G131)* max. 3900RPM
Dimensions	150 mm (W) x 86 mm (H) x 180 mm (D)
Weight	2.5 kg
Compliance	ATX12V v2.31, EPS 2.92
Warranty	5 years
Price at time of review	$254.99

Don't be afraid of the 80 mm fan's high RPMs, as Antec states that it is very quiet even at high loads. Regarding the protections all currently available are present, even OTP, giving you a piece of mind along with the five year warranty. Its price has dropped significantly since the last time we checked. At the moment the HCP-1200 is available for $254.99 on Newegg. Not too long ago its price was close to $300.

Antec HCP-1200 Power Specs
Rail	3.3V	5V	12V1	12V2	12V3	12V4	12V5	12V6	12V7	12V8	5VSB	-12V
Max. Power	25A	25A	30A	30A	30A	30A	30A	30A	30A	30A	4A	0.5A
	175W		1188W								20W	6W
Total Max. Power	1200W

Not five or six but eight +12V rails are available! We think that Antec exaggerated with the number of +12V rails but since the OCP is high enough (surely higher than 30A) then you won't have any problems with powerful VGAs that draw much juice. The 5VSB rail is strong enough but we would like it to have 1-2 Amps more. In the end we don't have a plain PSU here but one that belongs to the high end category so we expect the best available performance everywhere. Finally the max combined power of all +12V rails is very close to the max total power, something natural since HCP-1200 uses DC-DC converters for the minor rails generation.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

Native Cables
ATX connector (650 mm)	20+4 pin
8 pin EPS12V (650mm) / 4+4 pin EPS12V (650mm)	1 / 1
6+2 pin PCIe (550mm+150mm)	4
SATA (550mm+150mm+150mm)	3
4 pin Molex (550mm+150mm+150mm)	3
Modular Cables
6+2 pin PCIe (550mm + 150mm)	4
SATA (550mm+150mm+150mm)	9
4 pin Molex (550mm+150mm+150mm)	3
4 pin Molex (500mm+150mm+150mm) / FDD (+150mm)	3 / 1

The PSU is equipped with eight PCIe connectors, while its direct competitor (Corsair AX1200) has only six. Also with two EPS, twelve SATA and nine peripheral connectors it will power everything you throw at it.
The main ATX cable and the EPS12V ones are very long at 650mm so there won't be any problems even with very large cases. All other cables are fairly long and the distance among the connectors is the recommended by ATX spec. Finally the ATX and EPS connectors use thicker 16 AWG wires while all other connectors use 18 AWG.

Power Distribution
12V1	ATX, hardwired SATA and Peripheral connectors
12V2	EPS 4+4 pin
12V3	EPS 8 pin
12V4	modular SATA and Peripheral connectors
12V5	PCIe1, PCIe2
12V6	PCIe3, PCIe4
12V7	PCIe5, PCIe6
12V8	PCIe7, PCIe8

Power distribution is flawless since the EPS connectors have their own rails and the PCIe connectors in pairs use dedicated rails. The modular SATA/Peripheral connectors are fed through 12V4 while the hardwired ones use the same rail with the main ATX connector, a wise choice since the latter doesn't draw much juice from +12V in order to need a 30 Amp rail by its own.

Packaging

Despite its monstrus capacity and relative big footprint, the HCP-1200 comes in a rather small package. Again in the front we find the same fonts, but with different color, that are used on all High Current Pro/High Current Gamer packages to describe the PSU's model number (and remind us of an AC/DC album, High Voltage). In the rear of the box and its sides as usual we find much more useful information about the PSU. Here we should note that we were amazed by Antec's low profile packaging. We expected the flagship HCP-1200 to have a much more striking packaging, but on the other hand is the content that counts and not the outside.

On one of the packaging's sides we find the noise levels of the HCP-1200 according to the load. To our surprise even at full load the small (80 mm) fan is very quiet, at least according to Antec's claims. During our tests we will find out if this is true and also if such a small fan can keep a 1200W PSU cool.

Contents

A cardbord box and a nylon bag protect the PSU inside the packaging. We would feel much better if we saw some packaging foam here but as it seems Antec's green policy prevented the usage of such materials. A nylon pouch stores all modular cables and besides the two cable ties that hold all hardwired cables in place, in order for the PSU to fit inside the small box, we find a user's manual, an AC power cord and a set of plain fixing bolts (not thumbscrews). Pretty poor bundle for such an expensive PSU.

Exterior

The external look of the PSU is very nice. The finish is almost glossy but doesn't attract fingerprints, at least much. Also the case's dark blue color is fantastic and gives the HCP-1200 an air of luxury. In general once you hold the heavy PSU in your hands you immediately understand why it costs so much, even without opening it. Its high workmanship is evident in every aspect. On the front we find the small fan that keeps the temperatures down and on the rear we have some modular connectors, not many, and the hardwired cables which according to our opinion could be less, to help cable management. The cable exit hole doesn't feature a grommet but this isn't necessary since the edges around the hole are rounded.

A Look Inside

Before reading this page we strongly suggest to take a look at this article, which will help you understand the internal components of a PSU much better.


The OEM of the HCP-1200 is Delta Electronics, a major manufacturer and one of the most experienced in this field. Once we open the PSU we find out that it is consists of two PCBs, facing each other. One holds the transient filter and a part of the APFC while the other holds the rest of the APFC along with the primary and the secondary side.


At the AC receptacle we find a line filter and the wires are wrapped around a ferrite bead. The rest of the transient filter resides on one of the two PCBs and consists of one X and four Y caps, an MOV and two chokes. In this area we also find two thermistors for in-rush current protection and an electromagnetic relay to isolate them once the PSU starts.


There are two rectifier bridges, LL15XB60, which are bolted to a heatsink. The APFC switchers are two SPW47N60C3 and of course there is a boost diode (C3D10060A).


In the part of the APFC that resides on the first PCB there are two Rubycon caps (450V, 390μF, ΜΧΗ, 105°C). On the second PCB we also find two smaller Rubycons (450V, 150μF, ΜΧΗ, 105°C). So in total the APFC has four smoothing/reservoir capacitors!


On the second PCB we find the four primary switches which follow the full-bridge phase-shift topology and the main transformer, which has a unique design since it accommodates the mosfets that regulate +12V. Afterward the +12V is feed into two DC-DC Voltage Regulation Modules (VRMs) which generate the minor rails. In each VRM we find three FDP038AN mosfets. In the secondary we also find a mix of Nipon Chemi-Con and Rubycon filtering electrolytic caps along with several polymer caps. All electrolytic caps are rated at 105°C.


Housekeeping is done by a DWA103N IC which is assisted by two LM339 and two LM393A voltage comparators. On the back of the same daughter-board we find the PWM controller, a UCC3895.


The modular PCB is quite small and on its solder side we find two electrolytic caps along with many SMD ones. Three +12V rails feed this small PCB!


Soldering quality in general is quite good although it isn't of the same quality level as we have seen on other Delta products (the first HCP-1200 I reviewed last year had far better soldering quality and the solder side of both PCBs featured a black color and not a green one). On the solder side of the second PCB we find the synchronous controller of the VRMs, a Fairchild SG1577 IC. Also in the area where the +12V wires leave the PCB there are eight shunts, for the equivalent number of +12V rails.


The cooling fan is provided by Sanyo Denki and its model number is 9AH0812P4G131. It uses ball bearing and according to Antec is relatively quiet even at high loads. In our load tests will see that.

Test Setup

All measurements are performed utilizing nine electronic loads (six Array 3711A, 300W each, and three Array 3710A, 150W each), which are able to deliver over 2000W of load and are controlled by a custom made software. We also use a DS1M12 (Stingray) 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 two more oscilloscopes (Rigol 1052E and VS5042) 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.

Voltage Regulation Charts

The following charts show the voltage values of the main rails, recorded over a range from 70W to the maximum specified load, and the deviation (in percent) for the same load range.

Efficiency Chart

In this chart you will find the efficiency of HCP-1200 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-1200. 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 minimum.

Voltage Regulation & Efficiency Testing Data Antec HCP-1200
Test	12 V	5 V	3.3 V	Power (DC/AC)	Efficiency	Temp (In/Out)	PF/AC Volts
20% Load	18.368A	1.972A	1.996A	240.00W	89.87%	42.4°C	0.900
	12.163V	5.069V	3.305V	267.05W		46.8°C	226.7V
40% Load	36.896A	3.976A	4.039A	480.00W	90.75%	45.8°C	0.949
	12.110V	5.029V	3.267V	528.90W		51.5°C	227.0V
50% Load	46.222A	4.989A	5.080A	600.00W	91.12%	46.9°C	0.956
	12.083V	5.011V	3.248V	658.50W		54.0°C	226.8V
60% Load	55.591A	6.008A	6.132A	720.00W	91.49%	47.5°C	0.961
	12.056V	4.993V	3.229V	787.00W		54.8°C	223.8V
80% Load	74.461A	8.069A	8.278A	960.00W	90.91%	49.2°C	0.962
	12.001V	4.957V	3.189V	1056.00W		57.4°C	223.4V
100% Load	93.503A	10.158A	10.585A	1200.00W	89.45%	52.1°C	0.960
	11.943V	4.922V	3.146V	1341.50W		60.7°C	223.4V
Crossload 1	2.000A	15.000A	15.000A	145.30W	80.81%	47.7°C	0.819
	12.245V	4.913V	3.141V	179.80W		53.8°C	226.2V
Crossload 2	100.034A	1.000A	1.000A	1201.40W	89.86%	51.6°C	0.961
	11.927V	5.029V	3.269V	1337.00W		59.5°C	222.7V

Efficiency is great, especially if we take into account that we have a 1200W PSU here and that as capacity goes up, it becomes harder to keep high efficiency. Voltage regulation at +12V was near 2%, at 5V close to 3% and at 3.3V a little over 5%, the current ATX limit. We don't know if the sample we had in our hands had the loose ATX connectors symptom but another HCP-1200 we had tested with the previous loader exhibited much better voltage regulation, not only at 3.3V but on all rails. Finally, although we operated the PSU at 52.1°C with full load it worked flawlessly and the most amazing of all was that its fan operated very quietly but efficiently. Antec's claims that the fan is very quiet are indeed true. We expected much more noise but thankfully we were wrong.

Efficiency at Low Loads

In the next tests, we measure the efficiency of HCP-1200 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, 70 and 100W. This is important for scenarios in which a typical office PC is in idle with power saving turned on.

Efficiency at Low Loads Antec HCP-1200
Test #	12 V	5 V	3.3 V	Power (DC/AC)	Efficiency	PF/AC Volts
1	1.917A	1.967A	1.990A	40.00W	69.03%	0.594
	12.208V	5.082V	3.316V	57.95W		225.7V
2	4.374A	1.967A	1.991A	70.00W	76.42%	0.673
	12.210V	5.082V	3.314V	91.60W		225.5V
3	6.835A	1.967A	1.992A	100.00W	83.02%	0.737
	12.203V	5.082V	3.312V	120.45W		225.0V

Some of you might consider efficiency testing of a 1200 W PSU at such low loads a joke, since it makes little sense to buy a top performing Mega PSU and have it run with a system that draws only so little power. However we want to give you an idea of the efficiency at such low loads, because these numbers are significant for systems that idle a lot.
The 80% mark is only passed at 100W load. Except for the 69% reading in test #1, the HCP-1200 performs fairly well even at low loads, taking of course into account its huge capacity.

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 100 mA load, 60% or higher with 250 mA 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.

5VSB Efficiency Antec HCP-1200
Test #	5VSB	Power (DC/AC)	Efficiency	PF/AC Volts
1	0.100A	0.51W	47.66%	0.038
	5.056V	1.07W		227.3V
2	0.250A	1.26W	70.39%	0.066
	5.056V	1.79W		223.1V
3	1.000A	5.03W	77.62%	0.207
	5.029V	6.48W		225.4V
4	4.000A	19.72W	79.52%	0.428
	4.930V	24.80W		225.8V

With only 0.1A at 5VSB, efficiency is a little lower than the 50% mark but in all other tests it is way higher than the levels that ATX spec recommends. Overall good performance here.

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).

Idle / Standby Antec HCP-1200
Mode	12 V	5 V	3.3 V	5VSB	Power (AC)	PF/AC Volts
Idle	12.225V	5.109V	3.343V	5.064V	21.20W	0.394
						229.9V
Standby					0.48 W	0.018
						228.7V

Despite its enormous capacity, the HCP-1200 consumes very little power in standby, so it easily meets the ErP Lot 6 2010 requirements (and on the verge the future 2013 ones).

Advanced Transient Response Tests

In these tests we monitor the response of the PSU in two different scenarios. First a transient load (11A at +12V, 5A at 5V and 6A at 3.3V) is applied for 50 ms to the PSU, while the latter is working at a 20% load state. In the second scenario the PSU, while working with 50% load, is hit by the same transient load. In both tests, we measure the voltage drops that the transient load causes, using our oscilloscope. In any case voltages should remain within the regulation limits specified by the ATX specification. We must stress here, that the above tests are crucial, since they simulate transient loads that a PSU is very likely to handle (e.g. starting of a RAID array, an instant 100% load of CPU/VGAs etc.) We call these tests “Advanced Transient Response Tests” and they are designed to be very tough to master, especially for PSUs with capacities lower than 500W.

Advanced Transient Response 20%
Voltage	Before	After	Change	Pass/Fail
12 V	12.165V	12.118V	0.39%	Pass
5 V	5.066V	5.021V	0.89%	Pass
3.3 V	3.305V	3.283V	0.67%	Pass
5VSB	5.038V	5.027V	0.22%	Pass

Advanced Transient Response 50%
Voltage	Before	After	Change	Pass/Fail
12 V	12.085V	12.030V	0.46%	Pass
5 V	5.010V	4.945V	1.30%	Pass
3.3 V	3.249V	3.195V	1.66%	Pass
5VSB	5.011V	4.986V	1.04%	Pass

The voltage drops on all rails were kept minimal, although these tests are very tough and stress the test PSUs very much, or at least this is the case with all other PSUs except the HCP-1200 which passed them with flying colors.

Below you will find the oscilloscope screenshots that we took during Advanced Transient Response Testing.

Transient Response at 20% Load

Transient Response at 50% Load

Turn-On Transient Tests

In the next set of tests we measure the response of the PSU in simpler scenarios of transient loads, during the turn on phase of the PSU. In the first test we turn off the PSU, dial 2A load at 5VSB and then switch on the PSU. In the second test, while the PSU is in standby, we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle and we start the PSU. In the last test, while the PSU is completely switched off (we cut off power or switch off the PSU's On/Off switch), we dial the maximum load that +12V can handle and then we switch on the PSU from the loader and we restore power. The ATX specification states that recorded spikes on all rails should not exceed 10% of their nominal values (e.g. +10% for 12V is 13.2V and for 5V is 5.5V).



The big Antec didn't even sweat at the loads we tried in Turn On Transient Tests. Absolutely no voltage overshoots, spikes etc. and the rise time is inside the ATX limits on all three tests. Perfect!

Ripple Measurements

In the following table you will find the ripple levels that we measured on the main rails of HCP-1200. According to ATX specification the limits are 120 mV (+12V) and 50 mV (5V & 3.3V).

Ripple Measurements
Test	12 V	5 V	3.3 V	Pass/Fail
20% Load	5.2 mV	6.8 mV	6.2 mV	Pass
40% Load	6.2 mV	9.8 mV	10.6 mV	Pass
50% Load	7.0 mV	10.2 mV	11.0 mV	Pass
60% Load	7.6 mV	10.4 mV	11.2 mV	Pass
80% Load	8.4 mV	12.4 mV	14.2 mV	Pass
100% Load	9.4 mV	14.2 mV	17.8 mV	Pass
Crossload 1	6.2 mV	8.8 mV	7.2 mV	Pass
Crossload 2	8.4 mV	13.6 mV	17.2 mV	Pass

Ripple at minor rails is low and among the lowest we have seen. What amazed us, actually we are still trying to pick our jaw off the floor, is ripple suppression at +12V. Even with full load it didn't exceed 10mV. This is by far the best performance we have seen till today. This alone is more than enough to make us forget the loose voltage regulation at 3.3V and praise the performance of HCP-1200. If Dlata continues to evolve their designs then in the near future we won't need an oscilloscope for PSU reviews, since ripple measurements will be unnecessary.

Ripple at Full Load

In the following oscilloscope screenshots you can see the AC ripple and noise that the main rails registered (+12V, 5V, 3.3V). The bigger the fluctuations on the oscilloscope's screen the bigger the ripple/noise. We set 0.01 V/Div (each vertical division/box equals to 0.01V) as standard but sometimes we are forced to use 0.02 V/Div, meaning that the fluctuations will look smaller but actually this wont be the case.

Ripple at Crossload 1

The order of images is +12V, 5V and 3.3V.

Ripple at Crossload 2

As above the order of images is +12V, 5V and 3.3V.

Value and Conclusion

	The Antec High Current Pro 1200 retails for $254.99
	High efficiency Unbelievably low ripple at +12V Very low voltage drops in Advanced Transient Response Tests Excellent performance in Turn On Transient Tests Low noise levels even with full load and 50°C+ High quality components and sophisticated technology-design Lots of cables & connectors / support for up to four high-end VGAs
	High price Loose voltage regulation on minor rails, especially at 3.3V Many hardwired cables
9.3	The Antec High Current Pro series consists of three PSUs with 750, 850 and 1200W capacity respectively. All three are manufactured by Delta but HCP-1200 uses a completely different design than the other two smaller models. HCP-1200 proves that the use of an 80mm cooling fan on the front of the PSU is not an outdated technique and with the right design, performance can be top notch and accompanied by low noise levels, like in this case. Even when I heavily stressed the PSU with 1200W load and over 50°C ambient it easily handled the situation and the small fan worked very efficiently and quiet. The only thing that troubled me with this sample was the loose voltage regulation at minor rails, especially 3.3V. Another sample that I tested last year, with my previous set up , had much better voltage regulation. So maybe this review sample was not among the best performers of its batch. However voltage regulation at +12V, the most important rail, was close to 2%, a very good level for a 1200W PSU and the most amazing result of all was the crazy low ripple at +12V. I measured with different cables and scopes just to be sure that this wasn't a glitch but the readings remained the same. With such terrific ripple/noise suppression and high efficiency throughout 20% - 100% load this PSU definitely deserves its good reputation. On top of that it performed very well in the tough Advanced Transient Response Tests. To wrap it up, if you have three or four high-end VGAs and you want the best available PSU money can buy today then you should put the Antec HCP-1200 on top of your list, at least until an 80PLUS Platinum contender manages to dethrone it or Antec/Delta decide to release a successor.