Introduction

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

Antec finally decided to release many new models, including one that belongs to the mainstream VP series. The fresh VP550F we will evaluate in this review is mostly for the budget-oriented user who isn't willing to spend a fortune on a reliable PSU that will power their downloading- or office station. According to Antec, the VP550F is crafted for quality, performance, and incredible value. Given our experience with the VP550P in the past, we have absolutely no reason not to believe them, especially as the new VP unit is also made by the legendary Delta Electronics, one of the best and definitely the largest PSU manufacturer. Antec must be one of the very few companies that uses Delta-made PSUs in their mainstream lines as this OEM is pretty expensive; that said, Antec must have also managed to close on a good deal with them.

The VP550F doesn’t feature any useless bells and whistles. Its main focus is on delivering reliable and efficient power under all conditions. It is equipped with a 120 mm fan, has two +12V rails, since Antec is a strong supporter of multi-rail PSUs, and a complete protection circuitry that takes care not only of the PSU but also the supported system. The new VP550F will be an ideal choice for builders that don't care about modular or fully sleeved cables and care about a good and reliable performance; that is, if it registers a good performance, especially given the unit's affordable price. Our test sessions will give a clear picture of the VP550F on the aforementioned points, so let's get started.

Specifications

The PSU is only certified for the basic 80 Plus level since Antec strove to keep the cost as low as possible and Delta is an expensive OEM. However, you do get what you pay for with these guys.

The official specifications don't mention the operating temperature range. We will still conduct our tests at the usual ambient used in all of our reviews (40-45°C). Also, the PSU is to our surprise equipped with a full set of protection features, including OTP, which mainstream units such as this one hardly ever include. Finally, according to the results of our tests, the unit isn’t Haswell ready--it failed the test Intel proposed to check for Haswell compatibility.

The cooling fan has a diameter of 120 mm and uses sleeve bearings to keep the cost down. Also, the VP550F doesn't feature a semi-passive operation because of its low efficiency rating. The dimensions of this PSU are pretty compact, and its weight is low as well. Finally, the warranty is set at two years only, with a price that looks very good for a PSU with such characteristics.



Antec, contrary to the single-rail trend, stuck with their believes and equipped the unit with two +12V rails. A single +12V rail would in our humble opinion suit a unit of such a capacity better as the pair of +12V rails can only deliver a combined total that is about 100 W less than the overall capacity of the unit, which points to an older internal design. The minor rails are pretty strong at 120 W and the 5VSB rail has the standard amperage of most entry-level PSUs nowadays.

Cables & Connectors, Power Distribution

Only the main ATX cable is fully sleeved. The other cables have been left naked. This is surely not a nice sight but production costs demanded sacrifices and the first feature to go is usually sleeving; that is, if all cables are already affixed.

The PSU is equipped with a satisfactory number of connectors for its capacity. Regarding cable length, the ATX connector is installed on a rather short cable, but this unit will most likely be installed into a small case, so the length of the ATX cable won't cause any problems. Also, the length of all the other cables is sufficient and the distance amongst connectors is adequate. Finally, all connectors follow ATX specifications by using 18AWG gauges.



Power distribution is good since the EPS connector is fed by a dedicated rail. The 12V1 rail may appear to take on too much but there are only two PCIe connectors, and the small capacity of the PSU along with its small number of connectors won't cause the 30 A OCP trigger point to kick in--at least on paper.

Packaging

The box is pretty small but its graphics are interesting. The front has a close-up photo of the unit and a series of badges on the front's bottom point out the capacity, the 120 mm fan, the APFC, and the unit's efficiency threshold of 87% with 230 VAC power input. Also, the 80 Plus badge and a small sign making mention of the unit's quiet operation can be found in the top-right corner.


You will find a multilingual description of the PSU's technical characteristics on this side.


The power input / output specifications are depicted on this side, with a pictorial list of all available connectors and contact information for Antec RMA Support in three different continents.


The only interesting part on this side is a scheme that depicts the dimensions of the PSU; its depth is only 140 mm, making sure every ATX chassis can house the unit.


On the back are feature descriptions in multiple languages. The top has several badges, including one for EuP compatibility to signify that the unit consumes less than 0.5 W in standby mode. All PSUs sold in the EU have to comply with the ErP Lot 6 directive and the VP550F does.