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Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme vs Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W: Comparison
Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme vs Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W: the wattage difference
Start with wattage, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme 1000 W against Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W 650 W, 35% in favour of Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme. Warranty runs the same way, 10 years on the Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme versus 5 years on the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W, another win for Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme. Pcie 8-pin connectors runs the same way, 8 on the Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme versus 2 on the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W, another win for Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme.
Which should you buy, Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme or Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W?
The Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme is the one to take for anyone who wants fully modular cabling with native 12V-2x6 support and systems where a 10-year warranty and Gold-tier efficiency matter, though it is the wrong buy for builds needing more than 1000W of continuous headroom and buyers who need the smallest possible SFX/SFX-L footprint. It also earns its place with builders targeting an RTX 4080/4090 or RTX 5080/5090-class high-end gaming build. Buy the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W for budget RTX 4060 Ti/4070 builds wanting native ATX 3.0 and mainstream gaming PCs on a tight budget, though it is not the pick for anyone chasing Gold-or-better efficiency and high-wattage or multi-GPU builds.
Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme vs Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W price
The Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme asks 100% more, $150 against $74.99 for the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme and Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W differ on modularity?
Yes. Modularity reads Fully Modular on the Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme versus Non-Modular on the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W.
Is the Form Factor the same on the Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme and Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W?
It is. Both are listed at ATX, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Which is cheaper, Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme or Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W?
The Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme asks 100% more, $150 against $74.99 for the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Antec
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Thermaltake
Wattage
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 1000 WBest
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 650 W-35%
80 PLUS Rating
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Gold
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Bronze
Model Number
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- HCG1000 Extreme
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- PS-SPD-0650NNFABU-3
ATX Standard
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- ATX 2.x
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- ATX 3.1
Form Factor
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- ATX
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- ATX
Single +12V Rail
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Yes
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Yes
12V-2x6 Connectors
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 0
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 0
Hold-Up Time
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 18 ms
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 17 ms-6%
Zero-RPM Mode
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Yes
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Yes
Sleeved Cables
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- No
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- No
PCIe 8-pin Connectors
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 8
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 2-75%
Connector Count
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 1x 24-pin ATX, 2x EPS 4+4, 8x PCIe 6+2-pin, 12x SATA, 6x Molex, 1x FDD adapter
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 1x 24-pin ATX, 2x EPS 4+4, 2x PCIe 6+2-pin, 4x SATA, 4x Molex (all fixed)
Fan Size
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 135 mm
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 120 mm
Fan Model / Bearing
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Hong Hua HA13525H12F-Z, fluid dynamic bearing
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 120mm FDB (fluid dynamic bearing) fan with Smart Zero Fan
OEM / Platform
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Seasonic
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- CWT
EPS 8-pin Connectors
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 2
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 2
SATA Connectors
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 12
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 4
Molex Connectors
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 6
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 4
Cable Lengths
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- ATX 550mm, EPS 650mm, PCIe 550mm and 550+100mm, SATA 400+90+90+90mm, Molex 500+100+100+100mm
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 24-pin 500mm, EPS 500mm, PCIe 450mm, SATA 500mm
Length
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 160 mm
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 140 mm
Colour
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Black
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Black
Fan Bearing
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Fluid Dynamic
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Fluid Dynamic
Topology
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Full-Bridge LLC + DC-DC
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- DC-DC with active PFC
Modularity
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- Fully Modular
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Non-Modular
Protections
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- OCP, OVP, UVP, SCP, OPP, OTP, SIP, NLO
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- OCP, OVP, OPP, OTP, SCP, UVP
Price
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 149.99 USD
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 74.99 USD
Warranty
- Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
- 10 yearsBest
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 5 years-50%
Which one should you pick?
Choose Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme if you want the higher wattage (1000 W vs 650 W), the higher Hold-Up time (18 ms vs 17 ms) and the higher PCIe 8-pin connectors (8 vs 2).
Choose Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme | Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $149.99 View on Consumercarts listing | |
| Amazon | $74.99 View on Amazon |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
Antec HCG1000 Gold Extreme
8.3 / 10 Expert Rating
A solid 1000W Gold-rated ATX unit for an RTX 4080/4090 or RTX 5080/5090-class high-end gaming build, held back only by the usual mid-tier compromises on cabling and OEM sourcing.
Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
7.3 / 10 Expert Rating
One of the most affordable routes to a native 12V-2x6 connector, at the cost of Gold-tier efficiency and acoustics.