Antec's 1000W High Current Gamer Extreme power supply is a feast for the eyes. Its gold and glossy finish are unlike anything we've seen before. Under the hood, Antec utilizes a Seasonic Focus Plus Gold platform, so we already know that this PSU serves up high performance and long-term reliability. We hoped that an Extreme descriptor would indicate Seasonic's higher-end Prime platform. But we're also glad to see such a capable model selling for $150, and a Prime-based version would have cost a lot more.

As it stands, the HCG1000 Extreme is about $10 cheaper than Seasonic's own Focus Plus Gold (SSR-1000FX). It sports a much more attractive exterior, a larger 135mm fan, and more connectors. Inside, the two PSUs are identical, and their warranties are the same. So, if you have to pick between them, Antec's offering is the obvious choice. Corsair's RM1000x and EVGA's SuperNOVA 1000 G3 are interesting alternatives with similar capacities and 80 PLUS Gold efficiency certifications. Both are more expensive, though.