Neo HE 430W Power Supply
The HE in the name stands for High Efficiency. This allows the Neo HE power supplies to be more environmentally friendly because they conserve electricity and generate less heat. In addition to overall efficiencies of up to 85%, Antec claims the Neo HE series power supplies offer quiet operation and they feature modular cables.
Antec Neo HE 430 Key Features:
- High efficiency, up to 85% (typical load, 230V)
- Modular cable management system
- 430W continuous power output (up to 50°C)
- Tripple +12V outputs and one dedicated PCI-e 6-pin connector
- ATX12V v2.2 compliant
- Universal input with active PFC
- 3-Year AQ3 warranty
Specifications (from the Antec website)
The Neo HE 430 power supply is rated for a combined, maximum output power of 430 watts with a maximum ambient temperature of 50°C. This is an important feature and is an area where some less reputable manufactures mislead their customers by significantly limiting a power supply’s full load output if the internal operating temperature exceeds 25°C.
The main power cable and +12V cable that feeds power to the motherboard are hard wired into the power supply (as they should be). The other cables, which supply power to the peripheral devices, are modular and plug into a connector on the front of the power supply.
All five 6-pin connectors are the same. The individual cables are pinned according to the voltages they need to deliver. Each connector is fitted with a latching mechanism to insure connectors don’t work loose and become disconnected over time.
Here is a picture showing the layout and components inside the Antec Neo HE power supply. Parts are neatly arranged to allow for good airflow and cooling.
The following table lists the DC voltage results at different loads for the Neo HE 430 PSU while operating on 115 VAC, 60 Hz.
The Neo HE 430 PSU produced very good voltage regulation on all of the outputs across a broad range of loads.
The overall efficiency of the Antec Neo HE 430 power supply was very good, and actually exceeded the new ATX design recommendation of 80% under a typical load, but didn’t quite meet Antec’s claim of 85% (when operating on 115 VAC).
Sound pressure level readings were taken 3′ in front of the PSU in an otherwise quiet room. The power supply was placed on a foam rubber mouse pad during testing. The ambient noise level was ~30 dBA.
Temperatures were very good, indicating that the above average efficiency was contributing to less heat production. At the same time the Neo HE 430 was quiet, especially under low to medium loads. At loads above 300W, the fan noise became noticeable but not loud.
Note: Some users found earlier Antec Neo HE power supplies were not compatible with certain motherboards (particularly the newer nForce4 boards). Antec claims this problem is rare but they have modified the Neo HE circuitry to eliminate any issues with the current shipping versions of the Neo HE units. I personally experienced this problem several months ago with a DFI nF4 motherboard and a Neo HE 500W power supply. I did not experience any problems with the new Antec Neo HE 430W model.
Overall the Antec Neo HE 430W power supply was very quiet and produced solid voltages with low AC ripple while operating above 80% efficiency under moderate to heavy loads. Universal line voltage input with active PFC is a plus and the Neo HE 430 comes with all modular peripheral power cables.
