Introduction

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



The High Current Pro or HCP series has for quite some time now been Antec’s top-of-the-line PSU offering. The series only included two Platinum members with 850 W and 1000 W capacity; that is, until now. Antec has raised the wattage bar much higher by adding the HCP-1300 to the line. Now that most users use power-hungry VGAs for scryptocoin mining, such high capacity PSUs are in demand, which inevitably has relevant companies adding such offerings to their arsenal to boost sales. But miners not only care about capacity and reliability as another crucial factor is the PSU's efficiency because it will operate at high loads around the clock, which can even have a small difference in efficiency net a big difference on that electricity bill and consequent earnings. Yet the general rule is that the higher the capacity of a PSU, the more difficult it is to achieve such high efficiency levels because, as the P=IV = I^2 x R power equation shows, power losses also increase exponentially as the load increases.

Currently Antec’s top-of-the-line PSU with 1300 W capacity, Platinum efficiency, and four powerful +12V rails that can feed up to an equal number of high-end VGAs without breaking a sweat, we will take a look at the fresh HCP-1300. Antec speaks of up to 94% efficiency, which we are eager to verify with our equipment. This PSU is also backed by a seven year warranty. A very long time, it should satisfy the demanding user that will spend a significant amount on its purchase. And for those of you that want to run multiple VGA mining rings a single HCP-1300 just can't support on its own: You can utilize the OC Link feature to put two HCP-1300 units to work in tandem.

Specifications

Efficiency is Platinum and the unit is fully modular and compatible with the new Haswell sleep states (C6 & C7). Like every other HCP unit, this one is equipped with a full set of protections, which will ensure its safe and reliable operation under all conditions, and, as we expect from a high-end PSU, its maximum operating temperature is 50°C, which is as the ATX spec recommends. Cooling of this monster is handled by a Delta fan of incredible quality.

The HCP-1300 cannot operate in semi-passive mode, and, we, to speak frank, actually don't like semi-passive mode since it stresses sensitive components like electrolytic caps unnecessarily. Regarding the PSU's dimensions, the casing is on the long side, but we have to take into account that it houses a real power plant. The unit fully complies with the most recent ATX12V v2.4 specifications, and its price looks incredibly intimidating, which isn't unusual for a Delta product that uses top-of-the-line components. Finally, the warranty is extra long at seven years; however, to be in line with EVGA's offerings, Antec could go one step further by raising it to ten years. A long warranty is, after all, a key factor for many buyers out there.

There are four powerful +12V rails that, combined, can deliver the unit's full power. Also, the OCP for each rail is set rather high since some of today's VGAs are very power hungry and take a lot of juice. The minor rails are strong enough for today's use, and we would like to see a stronger 5VSB rail with at least 4 A maximum current output. However, even the 3 A this unit's 5VSB rail can provide will suffice in most cases.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

The PSU comes with a ton of connectors to fully utilize its huge capacity, including ten PCIe and two EPS connectors, and all are available at the same time. However, we would like to see SATA connectors in the double digits since the competition in this category usually comes with twelve. There are, on the other hand, a ton of 4-pin Molex connectors given very few components nowadays utilize them. All cables are long enough and the distance between connectors with cables that host more than one is fine as well. Also, the main ATX, both EPS, and all PCIe connectors use thicker 16AWG gauges for lower voltage drops at high loads, while all other cables except the OC Link one use standard 18AWG wires. Thicker wires are surely good for high loads, but they definitely decrease flexibility, which makes managing these cables inside your case a lot harder.


Like the HCP-1000, power distribution is incredibly versatile to cover every need and system configuration. The 12V1 rail feeds all peripheral cables and the main ATX connector, and it can also power one PCIe or one EPS connector. You can also opt to connect the 8-pin ATX connector to 12V2 instead of 12V1 since the ATX cable comes with a 20-/8-pin configuration, but we don't see any practical reason to do so, so you had better stick with the 12V1 rail. As for the PCIe and EPS connectors: you should definitely avoid mixing rails with these - better feed the PCIe and EPS connectors through their dedicated rails.

Packaging

The PSU comes in a large box with the series description at its face, in large white font. In the top-left corner are two badges for its Platinum efficiency and the seven year warranty, while several icons at the bottom describe its 1300 W capacity, fully modular design, the up-to-94% efficiency Antec lays claim to, and the energy this unit will save you.


Two tables on this side provide the input and output power specifications of the PSU. Contact details for Antec's technical support centers in the US, Canada, EU, and Asia are also listed here.


Antec already went through the math for you to prove that this Platinum-certified PSU will save you a significant amount of energy and, consequently, money. You will also find a graphical list of the unit's connectors on this side. We would also appreciate information on cable length and a description of all connectors, but Antec didn't do us the favor, so we will take out our trusty meter and measure all cables, one by one.


There are brief feature descriptions in Polish and Portuguese and an interesting scheme depicting the unit's dimensions on this side. As you can see, it is pretty long at 190 mm, which is fine given its huge capacity.


Three interesting features - the OC Link technology that allows two HCP-1300 units to work in tandem for a total of 2.6 kW of power, the unit's stealthed, nearly black wires, and its 16-pin modular sockets which Antec says to allow for maximum flexibility and compatibility with connectors that may require even more cables - are mentioned on this side.


On the back of the box are feature descriptions in six languages and a series of badges for some of the unit's features and compliances.

Contents

Antec doesn't follow the ECO packaging road with their high-end products, but instead uses the more secure approach utilizing packing foam. Although we care a lot for the environment, we agree with their strategy here since DOAs/RMAs due to insufficient protection can be just as debilitating to the environment. In an effort to justify the incredibly high price, the PSU is stored in a nice black bag, which will protect it from dust and accidental scratches until you install it into your case.


A nice cloth bag stores all cables, including the AC power cord, and Antec included several Velcro straps and the usual fixing bolts we actually expected to be thumbscrews given the PSU's price.


A warranty leaflet and a piece of folded paper including a product overview accompany this PSU. Antec unfortunately didn't provide a decent user's manual. The warranty leaflet also makes clear that you absolutely have to keep your purchase receipt to claim your warranty. We think that they should only ask for the serial number of the product instead of making owners keep a useless piece of paper around for years on end.