Manufacturer of Power Magic PSU?

[Nudnik]

Which company actually manufactures the "Power Magic" PSU?

[setarip_old]

A Googlesearch indicates that the manufacturer is XCase...

[Nudnik]

I noticed that as well. I thought XCase was simply a case maker however, and it has been my experience that such makers usually subcontract the manufacture of their PSUs to someone else.

Is XCase known for manufacturing PSUs? If so, do they manufacture only for their own cases or do they sell independently as well? Does anyone have any idea what the quality of these units is? (I would imagine low, but hope springs eternal amongst the flintskin tribe)

[CWR03]

It's definitely low - My PC never performed the way it should have with the PSU that came with the case (also a Power Magic), and when it went out (just outside the 1-year warranty, of course) I replaced it with an Antec. It now runs faster, cooler and more reliably - worth every bit of the $120 it cost.

[Nudnik]

That is for the most part, exactly the information I needed.

There really should be more emphasis in courses, tech forums, etc on the benefits of a proper power supply. It’s not discussed as much as it should be in guides, books, magazines etc. A cheap PSU seems to be more detrimental to a system than anything else. They cause the oddest problems.

I very much appreciate the advance warning.

[Nudnik]

An update:

Based on your recommendation and input from countless other Antec fans online, I bought an Antec 550W unit and was amazed at the difference in quality between it and the generics.

It is at least twice the weight of my largest generic and a look inside reveals architecture reminiscent of equipment my father (an engineer in 30s and 40s) use to have in his arsenal.

The cabling was a surprise in so far as other than the primary 12v and 24 pin motherboard connector; the remaining wiring can be connected or disconnected from a series of female interfaces at the rear of the unit. Antec includes a variety of cables which connect to these interfaces, allowing you to select only what is needed, eliminating the usual nasty tangle of wires which must be stuffed, tied and pushed aside to ensure proper airflow and access.

Additionally, this unit seems to be approved by nearly every, if not all, major regulatory agencies in existence, including UL.

An excellent value to say the least. If its construction is any indication of its constitution, it should last for several years, perhaps even a decade.

If anyone is interested, COMPUSA has a somewhat smaller Antec 500W unit on sale now with rebates which bring the eventual cost down to about $50.

:D

[CWR03]

If anyone is interested, COMPUSA has a somewhat smaller Antec 500W unit on sale now with rebates which bring the eventual cost down to about $50.
That is of interest to me, thanks. I was about to upgrade an older PC, and I like to make my own connectors to match my hardware. I didn't like the idea of voiding the warranty right out of the box by cutting the wires, and with the connectors at the rear of the PSU I can just make what I need to length and plug them in. My only concern is that I'll forget to send off the rebate cards. :)