My long trusty Dell Dimension 9100 started overheating last week due to a power supply fan failure. This machine has been extremely faithful to me and for being a first generation dual core system, I can’t complain about my experiences with the box at all. I ordered a PC Power and Cooling unit to replace the stock Dell unit, as I’ve had great experiences with their products over the years, and they are known for their quality.

I ordered the Silencer 500 Dell unit, which claims to be compatible with my Dimension 9100. I installed the power supply earlier this evening and have to say that I am a bit disappointed in the claim that it is Dimension 9100 compatible. The problems:

• I had to remove metal from the frame of the case to make the power supply fit.
• The power supply is too small for the opening and I now have about a 1/4″ gap in the back of my machine
• The SATA power cables are too short to properly reach the location of the hard drives in the machine.

I have to say, based on my prior experiences and the overall reputation of PC Power and Cooling, I’m very disappointed in this new power supply unit. Does this have something to do with the purchase of the company by OCZ? This is the first time I’ve bought a PC Power product since they were acquired by OCZ and this somewhat leads me to wonder if that hasn’t caused a decrease in the quality of the PC Power and Cooling product.

This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen a company acquired by another company have their good name tarnished by the new owners. Geek Squad anyone?