The power supply of a computer is a very enigmatic thing.  Power goes in and power comes out, and that is all most people expect it to do.  Most people don’t understand how they work, they just expect that they do work.  And, worst yet, because of their enigmatic nature, most people underestimate the importance of a quality unit. 

     Overclockers, on the other hand, appreciate what a good quality power supply can do for a system.  As you reach for the limits of an overclock, rock-solid voltage is a requirement for system stability.  Cheap power supplies are known for overvolting, undervolting, poor load control, and worst of all, destroying your equipment when they break down and die. 

     So, the question for the day is, is the Antec TruePower Trio 550W worthy of powering your massively overclocked PC?  Read on to find out!

What Antec claims:

• Nvidia SLI certified
• Universal Input, automatically adjusts for 100V to 240V power grids
• Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) for environmentally friendlier power
• Three 12V output circuits provide added system stability
• Accurate power rating allows TruePower Trio to deliver its full rated power, 24 hours a day rated at 50ºC
• Up to 85% efficiency
• 120mm low noise cooling fan
• Fan Only power connectors allow TruePower Trio to control case fan speeds, reducing total system noise
• Dedicated outputs for stable output and less ripple noise
• Feedback loop circuits for tighter load regulation (±3%) to maintain accurate voltage to all components
• Heavy duty protection circuitry prevents damage resulting from short circuits (SCP), power overloads (OPP), over voltages (OVP), and under voltages (UVP)
• 4 SATA connectors for Serial ATA drives
• Two PCI-E connectors for PCI-Express video cards on 550W and 650W models, one connector on 430W model
• MTBF: 80,000 hours at 25°C
• Safety approvals: UL, CUL, FCC, TÜV, CE, C-tick, CCC, CB
• Power Factor value up to 99%
• Gold plated connectors for superior conductivity
• AQ5 - 5 year warranty

     Some impressive claims, for sure.  What is especially worth noting is that this PSU is rated at 550W at 50C!  This means it could be capable of even more than that at lower ambient temperatures.

Antec’s notes on the Trio series of PSUs:

One, Two, Trio!

The new generation of power supplies has arrived with Antec’s TruePower Trio series. The three +12V rails allow you to distribute your power more evenly, which will result in a more stable system. Available in three models: 430 Watt, 550 Watt and a 650 Watt that gives you serious power for even the most cutting edge components. TruePower Trio perfectly handles dual processors, dual graphics cards, and just about anything else you can throw at it.

     Not only does Trio signify the third series of the TruePower line, it also apparently signifies the three 12V rails as well.   We will be investigating exactly what this means later.

     Antec has chosen this for their cabling configuration:

• 24 pin motherboard connector with detachable 4 pins to convert to 20 pins

• 4 pin motherboard connector

• Strand with two Molex plugs for fans only

• 3 pin connector for fan speed control

• 8 pin motherboard connector (EPS)

• Strand with three Molex and one floppy connector

• Strand with three Molex connectors

• Two 6 pin PCI-e connectors

• Two strands with two SATA connectors each

Specifications: