WTF happened to Antec??

[Disparia]

Old time fan, used them a lot back in the SX1030 days:

Very versatile, I built dozens of 1P/ATX and 2P/EATX systems in this case, which also came in black-ish color. Back in my day "Antec black" was a different shade of black compared to Chieftec version of this case so you had to make sure to get the correct bezel for your optical drives or they would not match!

The last Antec case I ever bought was the P150 (2005). Since then I haven't really been interested by what they've put out. On the PSU side I have an Earthwatts 380w (IIRC), it's in an old system that I don't keep on.

 

[SonicZap]

I have only positive experiences with Antec, although I haven't bought anything from them since I built my current system.

I've used a 520W Antec High Current Gamer PSU for the last 5 years, no complaints.

My father's system has a decade-old 430W Antec Neo-HE power supply that came with an Antec case bought in 2006 (I can't remember what the case was named). It has been powering systems reliably for a decade, and for the first 7 years it powered a mid-to-high-end gaming build at the time that was used for thousands and thousands of gaming hours (Radeon X1950 XT / HD 4850 with a 65W Core 2 Duo). Currently it's serving a relatively low-power Pentium G3258 / HD 4850 system and despite its age isn't showing any issues. I find it fairly impressive.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

For those of you that are relatively new to PC DIY builds, Antec was the Corsair of PC DIY when Corsair was just re-branding memory and getting its toe wet in the PSU market. Antec has some of the best cases out there with the 300,600,900. Along with some of the best PSU units. It seems the last four-five years their offerings have been lackluster at best offering over priced or cost cutting products to the DIY PC market compared to other brands like Corsair, EVGA, NZXT.

I'll put my DF-85 case up against anything from Corsair or NZXT, and EVGA doesn't even make them. Sure, Corsair has a lot of boutique looking cases, with good build quality, but none have as good airflow and temps for air cooling. I'll also put their customer service up against any of those brands.

 

[Static~Charge]

Every Antec PSU I've used or deployed failed, usually smoking something else when it went, didn't matter what spectrum of their PSU line I purchased from, top to bottom...they all failed over the past 10 years...I might have had bad luck but I stopped using and recommending Antec PSU's and have replaced many failed ones since.

I had an Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 power supply in my rig a few years ago. One night, I was typing up some docs on the machine, and the power supply burst into flames. After that, I refuse to buy any more Antec products. I still have two Earthwatts 380's in my kids' PCs, but when those die, I'll replace them with a different brand.

 

[amit_talkin]

I still have Antec NeoPower Blue 650w PSU in my office rig. Its been 8 years it served various builds of mine. My Ultra x3 1000w just died months ago and I replaced it with Corsair RM850.
It still amaze me how my Antec PSU holding still after 8 years of constant usage.

 

[cadaveca]

I'll just say that I don't have any aversion to Antec, even though my TPQ-1200 OC popped. Stuff dies these days, no matter what it is. OEMs are companies... they are focused on max profit. I could build a PSU far better than any out there. It wouldn't be cheap though.

I've built hundreds of systems using Antec PSUs and cases (literally, used to work at a PC store doing nothing but building systems) fro m$300 builds all the way up to server racks. I have personally seen one problem with an Antec PSU, in my own system, from a high-level part... that I pushed hard and dirty for a couple of years (running either Crossfire and SLi with 2-4 cards, benching hard with all types of cooling including LN2).

Nearly every system I have right now in my house has a Thermaltake Smart Standard 750W PSU ( I got five of them running), but they were affordable, and Antec units are only available in four flavors locally, 450W, 520W, 620W, and 650W, so nothing within the power requirements I had for those systems..

 

[Frick]

I'll just say that I don't have any aversion to Antec, even though my TPQ-1200 OC popped. Stuff dies these days, no matter what it is. OEMs are companies... they are focused on max profit. I could build a PSU far better than any out there. It wouldn't be cheap though.

"These days" make it sound like hardware failures didn't happen before. And I honestly don't understand your other statement. I too could do that if I had infinite money. Easy peasy.

 

[cadaveca]

"These days" make it sound like hardware failures didn't happen before. And I honestly don't understand your other statement. I too could do that if I had infinite money. Easy peasy.

There are far more "value-oriented" PSU products than ever before. Let's take Corsair for example... how many different product lines do they have? Thermaltake? EVGA? Even Antec, with Basiq, Earthwatts, and High Current Gamer... why do we need so many? Can't they just make one fantastic one, rather than trying to appeal to everyone?

 

[Frick]

There are far more "value-oriented" PSU products than ever before. Let's take Corsair for example... how many different product lines do they have? Thermaltake? EVGA? Even Antec, with Basiq, Earthwatts, and High Current Gamer... why do we need so many? Can't they just make one fantastic one, rather than trying to appeal to everyone?

I'm the first to agree with the PSU market being overflowing with "decent" stuff, and part of me hate it (because it's really time consuming to research all the choices), but it's also really nice. You can get exactly what you want and need these days, and decent stuff exists on all price points above €35 or so, and if you want godlike units you can have those too. As for cheaper stuff not lasting as long ... that's a price I'm willing to pay. And there really are decent stuff avaliable for cheap, and there are true duds, which is why good reviews are more important than ever.

 

[Toothless]

I loved my Antec Sonata III 500 case. That thing was built like a tank and took some hard hits. Still was pretty.

 

[yogurt_21]

honestly the instant the 80+ efficiency was adopted by most manufacturers Antec, Enermax, Seasonic, etc all lost their edge. They sold these units at high prices but back in 2002-2006 those were about the only places you could get that kind of efficiency. Now there are so many economy brands with at least 80 + silver certified and will last you 5 years or more. Suddenly even a 200$ psu seems wasteful, much less a 300$ one.

Case wise most who build their own already have that 5-10 year old one they never plan on replacing. Why would they? It was built solid, has good config and airflow, and will continue to fit the latest and greatest hardware for a long time to come.

Maybe these markets just aren't that profitable anymore.

 

[peche]

Maybe these markets just aren't that profitable anymore.

that’s the completely and heartless truth my friend… the current market is not for well designed, durable and solid build hardware… I do agree that a component could make it for more than 5 years, with the proper service and maintenance, but now days market, hardware and brands are made to force users consider a replace or well said "Refresh" on some parts…


Regards,

 

[Caring1]

Same can be said for Thermaltake. They use to be the shit. Now a third rate company

Only PSU that has ever died on me, was a Toughpower, no smoke, no burning smell, it just gave up and died.

 

[R-T-B]

For those of you that are relatively new to PC DIY builds, Antec was the Corsair of PC DIY when Corsair was just re-branding memory and getting its toe wet in the PSU market. Antec has some of the best cases out there with the 300,600,900. Along with some of the best PSU units. It seems the last four-five years their offerings have been lackluster at best offering over priced or cost cutting products to the DIY PC market compared to other brands like Corsair, EVGA, NZXT.

Their main OEM was Delta for years, but if I recall Delta has been withdrawing from the consumer market. I don't know, maybe this is related?

 

[cdawall]

Old time fan, used them a lot back in the SX1030 days:

Very versatile, I built dozens of 1P/ATX and 2P/EATX systems in this case, which also came in black-ish color. Back in my day "Antec black" was a different shade of black compared to Chieftec version of this case so you had to make sure to get the correct bezel for your optical drives or they would not match!

The last Antec case I ever bought was the P150 (2005). Since then I haven't really been interested by what they've put out. On the PSU side I have an Earthwatts 380w (IIRC), it's in an old system that I don't keep on.

Isn't that just a rebadged chieftech case?

 

[R-T-B]

Isn't that just a rebadged chieftech case?

Read your quote carefully.

 

[cdawall]

Read your quote carefully.

I did that's what the question stemmed from. I had the chieftain version.

 

[THE_EGG]

Same can be said for Thermaltake. They use to be the shit. Now a third rate company

Very true. Though imo, they are beginning to turn it around.

------

I've still got an original Antec Sonata floating around somewhere in my parents' attic. I remember that was built like a tank, nothing would bend in it at all. My old man was using an Antec Fusion HTPC case for some time as well (and that too was built like a tank and had quality materials and paint), but changed to a Silverstone SG10. We used to run TP PSUs in just about everything too, but that has changed.

IMO they really went downhill after Corsair came into the case market with their Obsidian and Graphite line. It made Antec's Lanboy and DarkFleet cases look like outdated junk.

 

[R-T-B]

I did that's what the question stemmed from. I had the chieftain version.

Sorry, misunderstood your question I guess.

 

[Caring1]

I've still got an original Antec Sonata floating around somewhere in my parents' attic. I remember that was built like a tank, nothing would bend in it at all.

I'm still using mine for my current build, it's in perfect condition still.

 

[silentbogo]

Isn't that just a rebadged chieftech case?

That's my chieftec dragon!
The only difference is that I have one HDD caddy, that's flipped 90° and no purple plastic thingies on the back. The door with a lock is somewhere in the closet, since there is no one to lock it from.
My cousin bought it when he was in high-school, and now almost 13 years past it is still operational! My favorite case, which I am using right now this very moment!

 

[AlienIsGOD]

Antec 900 was a great case, too bad it weighed 300 lbs. Fully loaded

 

[Disparia]

I did that's what the question stemmed from. I had the chieftain version.

Yup, Antec and Chieftec both produced very similar full/mid/small tower versions but I don't know the relationship between the two companies.

The main differences were the thinner 0.8mm steel that Chieftec used vs the tougher 1mm steel preferred by Antec. While some took to the tankiness of the Antec model, LAN party patrons liked the weight savings of the Chieftec. Also, Antec Black was more of a dark-gray and the Chieftec was true black. At some point Chieftec also started putting out red, blue, green, yellow, models with optional windowed sides.

For quite awhile I was building systems in both Antec and Chieftec -- then aluminum got popular and other brands popped up with some great designs.

 

[AsRock]

To me Antec never happened, cannot say i been ever interested in any thing they made.

 

[Slizzo]

I'll put my DF-85 case up against anything from Corsair or NZXT, and EVGA doesn't even make them. Sure, Corsair has a lot of boutique looking cases, with good build quality, but none have as good airflow and temps for air cooling. I'll also put their customer service up against any of those brands.

My 500R seems to do just fine. Better than my old Antec 900 (gen 1). More room inside the case, better cooling, quieter.... Better cable management (Antec 900 lacks all cable management).