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Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme vs Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W: Comparison
Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme vs Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W warranty compared
Warranty is where these two genuinely part company, Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme 10 years against Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W 5 years, a 50% lead for Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme. Add wattage to that, 850 W on the Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme versus 650 W on the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W, and the pattern holds. Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme also leads on pcie 8-pin connectors, 6 on the Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme versus 2 on the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W.
Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme vs Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W: which one fits your build
Buy the Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme for RTX 4080-class single-GPU builds and buyers wanting a 10-year warranty at 850W, though it is the wrong buy for Multi-GPU or extreme workstation loads and SFF builds needing SFX. The Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W suits 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. Our rating of the Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme (8.1/10): A well-priced step below the HCG1000 with the same ATX 3.0 platform and 10-year warranty, right for RTX 4080-class builds.
Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme vs Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W price
The Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme asks 60% more, $120 against $74.99 for the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W.
What Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme and Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, form factor, single +12v rail, 12v-2x6 connectors, zero-rpm mode and sleeved cables included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme and Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W differ on modularity?
Yes. Modularity reads Fully Modular on the Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme versus Non-Modular on the Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W.
Is the EPS 8-pin Connectors the same on the Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme and Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- Antec
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Thermaltake
Wattage
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 850 WBest
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 650 W-24%
80 PLUS Rating
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- Gold
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Bronze
Model Number
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- HCG850 Extreme
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- PS-SPD-0650NNFABU-3
ATX Standard
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- ATX 2.x
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- ATX 3.1
Form Factor
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- ATX
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- ATX
Single +12V Rail
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- Yes
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Yes
12V-2x6 Connectors
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 0
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 0
Zero-RPM Mode
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- Yes
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Yes
Sleeved Cables
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- No
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- No
PCIe 8-pin Connectors
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 6
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 2-67%
Connector Count
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 1x 24-pin ATX, 2x EPS 4+4, 6x PCIe 6+2-pin, 10x SATA, 6x Molex, 1x FDD
- 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 HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 135 mm
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 120 mm
Fan Model / Bearing
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 135mm fluid dynamic bearing
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 120mm FDB (fluid dynamic bearing) fan with Smart Zero Fan
EPS 8-pin Connectors
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 2
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 2
SATA Connectors
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 10
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 4
Molex Connectors
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 6
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 4
Cable Lengths
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 24-pin 600mm, EPS 650mm, PCIe 600mm, SATA 600-750mm
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 24-pin 500mm, EPS 500mm, PCIe 450mm, SATA 500mm
Length
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 160 mm
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 140 mm
Colour
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- Black
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Black
Fan Bearing
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- Fluid Dynamic
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Fluid Dynamic
Topology
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- Full-Bridge LLC + DC-DC
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- DC-DC with active PFC
Modularity
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- Fully Modular
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- Non-Modular
Protections
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- OCP, OVP, UVP, SCP, OPP, OTP, SIP, NLO
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- OCP, OVP, OPP, OTP, SCP, UVP
Price
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 119.99 USD
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 74.99 USD
Warranty
- Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme
- 10 yearsBest
- Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W
- 5 years-50%
Which one should you pick?
Choose Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme if you want the higher wattage (850 W vs 650 W), the higher PCIe 8-pin connectors (6 vs 2) and the higher warranty (10 years vs 5 years).
Choose Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | Antec HCG850 Gold Extreme | Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $119.99 View on 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 HCG850 Gold Extreme
8.1 / 10 Expert Rating
A well-priced step below the HCG1000 with the same ATX 3.0 platform and 10-year warranty, right for RTX 4080-class builds.
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.