A power supply is an often misunderstood — and underappreciated — PC component. Many customers purchase a PC power supply solely based on overall wattage, believing that higher is always better.
Others pay little attention to the power supply unit (PSU) they choose and accept whatever atrocity came with their computer. However, given how critical a decent power supply is to a system’s stability and long-term dependability, it’s a shame that PSUs are overlooked in favor of flashier components like graphics cards and SSDs.
It doesn’t help that the power supply market is flooded with items from shady producers that employ subpar components and exaggerate the hardware’s capabilities, especially now that cryptocurrency values are skyrocketing, creating a tremendous demand for graphics cards and power supplies.
Choosing a power supply:
To begin, always choose a power supply from a reliable brand and read customer reviews before purchasing. Avoid low-cost, generic power sources, which are often subpar. Look for recognized brands with excellent warranties and customer service. Manufacturers such as Corsair, Seasonic, EVGA, and Antec are known for creating a high-quality power supply, yet even they may have a few duds amid all the studs. Complete your homework!
Larger, heavier units are preferred over small, light units. Higher-quality power supplies almost always include larger and better capacitors, chokes, and other internal components, as well as larger heatsinks for improved heat dissipation, all of which add weight. Larger cooling fans, which circulate more air while producing less noise, are preferred.
Manufacturers commonly list the output of their power supply in watts. A higher-wattage power supply can deliver more power. Power output ratings for a desktop power supply range from 200 to 1800 watts (for ultra-high-end, enthusiast-class products).
Higher wattage ratings would be beyond the capacity of a standard 15-ampere electrical outlet. The number that matters here is the one that represents sustained or continuous power, not the one that represents peak power. The most power supply can only function at full capacity for a short time.
An efficient PSU is a better PSU:
The efficiency rating of a power supply is crucial because higher-efficiency systems have better components, waste less power, and produce less heat, all of which lead to reduced fan noise. A power supply with an efficiency rating of 80% supplies your system with 80% of its rated watts as power while losing the remaining 20% as heat.
Look for devices that have received the “80 Plus” certification. Though the certification procedure isn’t very rigorous, 80 Plus-certified devices are guaranteed to be at least 80% efficient, with levels for even more efficient units such as 80 Plus Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium certifications. However, power supplies with higher certification ratings tend to be highly expensive.
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