Choosing the best PC Power Supply depends a lot on the needs of your system. The only purpose of the Power Supply is to supply direct current to all the components inside a PC case.
In this article we will talk about the most common formats of computer Power Supply, namely ATX Power Supply.
What is a PC ATX source?
The role of PC Power Supply is to take alternating current from the socket, in this case 220v from the sockets in our homes, and to transform this current into direct current (the necessary power supply for each component of the PC). Current is transmitted through the connectors for each component in the computer. The Power Supply have several separate voltage lines, 12v, 5v, 3.3v, 1v etc.
At a Glance:
What connectors have the best pc Power Supply?
The minimum of connectors to a normal source contains:
- a 20 + 4 pin cable
- main board power connector
- at least 1 processor power connector that can be 4-pin or 4 + 4-pin for top processors
- 1 cable containing from two to 4 molex plugs
- 1 cable with two to four power sockets for hdd / ssd etc
- 1 power cord for 6-pin or 6 + 2-pin video cards (available from higher-performance Power Supply)
These are the minimum cables for each source, for sure for high-end Power Supply you will find several sata connection cables and video card power supply.
Types of PC Computer Power Supply
There are 3 types of pc Power Supply:
Normal Power Supply (contain all cables connected inside the Power Supply)
Modular Power Supply (contain all detachable connection cables)
semi-modular Power Supply (contain the 4 + 4 pin processor power cable and the 20 + 4 mains cable of the motherboard ready connected inside the source), and the rest of the connectors are detachable.
Depending on the needs, each person can choose as much as their budget allows. Modular Power Supply are more expensive than normal ones.
Stability of source voltages
In order to find the best PC Power Supply, you need to look for a brand known for the quality of the components inside the Power Supply. Voltage stability is crucial to the reliability of your entire PC system. A source that delivers stable voltages without large voltage fluctuations will protect our components for longer periods of use. There are voltage monitoring software to constantly check how current is delivered for each part of the PC. The most common software is AIDA64.
PC source protections
Most Power Supply offer overvoltage / undervoltage and short circuit protection. High-end Power Supply offer more and more protections that protect the components of the PC from major fluctuations of the received / sent current (OVP, UVP, SCP, OPP, OTP).
Certifications for the best PC Power Supply
We have several types of certifications for pc Power Supply:
- 80% + standard Power Supply
- bronze certification
- silver certification
- gold certification
- platinum certification
Each source has a certification of at least 80%. This means that it provides voltages in normal parameters at a consumption of up to 80% of the total displayed power of the source. E.g :
A source of 500w, the manufacturer is required by law to provide stable voltages at a consumption of at least 80% of the total displayed power of 500w in this case. So, the system will receive stable current if it consumes up to 400w, it does not mean that you will not be able to install components that consume more than 400w, but the manufacturer does not guarantee that those voltages will remain stable if the system consumes more than 400w.
For each type of certification, the stability of the Power Supply increases the percentage of stability from the total displayed by the manufacturer. For example, for platinum certification, the Power Supply are stable at a consumption of 94-96% of the total power displayed.
Here is a stability table for each certification based on PC consumption:
PC source voltage table
| Types of 80 Plus sources | 115 V internal non-redundant | 230 V internal redundant | 230 V EU non-redundant internal | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage for consumption | 10% | 20% | 50% | 100% | 10% | 20% | 50% | 100% | 10% | 20% | 50% | 100% |
| 80 Plus | 80% | 80% | 80% | 82% | 85% | 82% | ||||||
| 80 Plus Bronze | 82% | 85% | 82% | 81% | 85% | 81% | 85% | 88% | 85% | |||
| 80 Plus Silver | 85% | 88% | 85% | 85% | 89% | 85% | 87% | 90% | 87% | |||
| 80 Plus Gold | 87% | 90% | 87% | 88% | 92% | 88% | 90% | 92% | 89% | |||
| 80 Plus Platinum | 90% | 92% | 89% | 90% | 94% | 91% | 92% | 94% | 90% | |||
| 80 Plus Titanium | 90% | 92% | 94% | 90% | 90% | 94% | 96% | 91% | 90% | 94% | 96% 96% | 94% |
Most of the Power Supply we use are non-redundant. Redundant ones are used on servers. Notice that with lower power consumption of PC components, voltages are becoming more and more inefficient. That is why it is important that the source is configured very well according to each system. I have noticed many very bad configurations, with systems that consume a maximum of 350w and with 850w Power Supply, that system will lose the efficiency of the source, either in the form of energy loss that releases additional heat in the housings, or in the form of voltage instability.
Recommendation the Best PC Power Supply 2022
| Award | Design | Retailer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fully Modular Power Supply | Best Pick  | Check Price | |
| Power Supply 80 Plus | Staff Pick  | Check Price | |
| Modular Cable Management | Budget Pick  | Check Price | |
| Corsair RMX Series |  | Check Price | |
| Perfect Power Supply for Gaming |  | Check Price | |
| Bronze EVO Edition |  | Check Price | |
| Fully Modular Power Supply |  | Check Price |
Corsair RMX Series
Best PickSpecifications:
Brand Corsair
Compatible Devices Personal Computer
Output Wattage 550 Watts
Wattage 550 watts
Cooling Method Air
Item Dimensions LxWxH 6.3 x 5.91 x 3.39 inches
Item Weight 3.36 Pounds
Power Supply Design Full Modular
Maximum Input Voltage 240 Volts
Minimum Input Voltage 110 Volts
I recently bought it for the PC in the bedroom where I play another game, I hope I have time to review it. Excellence for gaming if you want and silence when you’re not playing. It is one of the best Power Supply in this price segment. It still works after 3 years of operation in semi-server mode.
Pros
- Quiet
- Reliability
- Modulation
Cons
- It’s not too cheap
Segotep 850W
Staff PickSpecifications:
Brand Segotep
Compatible Devices Personal Computer
Output Wattage 850
Form Factor ATX12V
Wattage 850 watts
Cooling Method Air
Item Dimensions LxWxH 7.09 x 5.91 x 3.35 inches
Power Supply Design Full Modular
Fan Size 140 Millimeters
Here is a source model, this time a cheap source for 2020. It is ideal for entry-level systems, even for mid-range gaming. It is very good and quiet, one of the best Power Supply, especially if it is on offer in 2020.
Pros
- Silent up to 2 years
- Reliability
- Stable voltages
Cons
- It’s not too cheap
ThermalTake Smart SE
Budget PickSpecifications:
Brand Thermaltake
Output Wattage 630
Wattage 630 watts
Item Dimensions LxWxH 6.3 x 5.91 x 3.39 inches
Item Weight 1.17 Kilograms
A source capable of carrying a decent gaming system, it can be used for systems with top video cards, for advanced gamers. It is for mid-range gaming systems even towards the high-end.
This, unlike the one previously recommended, is not fully modular, but semi-modular. One of the best Power Supply that I have recommended in most articles or configurations of pc gaming.
Pros
- Quiet
- Reliability
- Semi-modular
Cons
- He doesn’t know how to cut vegetables like a knife
Corsair High-End
Specifications:
Series RMx
Brand Corsair
Compatible Devices Personal Computer
Output Wattage 850
Wattage 850 watts
Item Dimensions LxWxH 6.3 x 5.91 x 3.39 inches
Item Weight 3.66 Pounds
Power Supply Design Full Modular
A more than capable source, a source for top gaming PC even for enthusiasts who play at 4k resolution or for those who have 2 video cards connected in SLI or crossfirex, I also recommend it for workstation.
Each computer has its own particularities and the source will be chosen according to the assigned parts and peripherals.
I hope I have covered all the details of what a source means and I hope I have been understood. But I’m waiting for you with a comment in case you didn’t understand something.
Pros
- Quiet
- Reliability
- Modulation
Cons
- Not cheap
Seasonic FOCUS GX-650
Specifications:
Gold Certification
Hybrid Silent Fan
Fanless Mode
A more than decent source!
Judging strictly by the price / performance ratio, I can say that now, at the time of writing this article, it is a best-buy.
Given that it is a full modular source with a fanless + Gold certification feature, it is more than I would have hoped for before writing this article.
2022 is also a year of crisis and IT components have considerable price increases, but we are lucky because not all categories of components have suffered price increases, and here, in this case, this source is quite cheap.
Its voltages are stable even at consumptions of over 90%. At low consumption we can set the source to turn off the fan to attenuate the noise produced by it.
Pros
- Quiet
- Full modular
- Has 4 + 4 processor power
Cons
- Nothing
Seasonic M12II
Specifications:
Modulation
Bronze certification
Ideal for mid level gaming
A stable voltage source can support a mid-level gaming computer, an rtx 2060 video card or even an rtx 2070 mini. It has bronze certification, which means that it can guarantee from 82% to 85% of the voltages promised in this case, so a minimum of 442W are provided at standard parameters and voltages. It does not mean that it will not be able to supply 500W, but only that the parameters are not guaranteed after that 85% threshold. I have often recommended it for quiet systems, because it is a source that does not make noise even at maximum load.
Pros
- Quiet
- Stable voltages
- Best performance
Cons
- Nothing
DeepCool DQ850
Specifications:
Protections: OVP / UVP / SCP / OPP
Series DQ850-M-V2L
Brand DEEP COOL
Compatible Devices Personal Computer
Output Wattage 850
Ideal for entry level gaming
A stable voltage source can support an entry-level gaming computer, an rtx 3060 video card or even an rtx 2070 mini can support it. It does not have certification, this does not mean that it cannot guarantee from 85% consumption the necessary voltages in this case, so a minimum of 442W are ensured at the standard parameters and voltages. It does not mean that it will not be able to supply 500W, but only that the parameters are not guaranteed after that 85% threshold.
I have often recommended it for quiet systems, because it is a source that does not make noise even at maximum load.
A source that I also recommend for cheap PC gaming systems.
Pros
- Quiet
- Stable
- Pretty cheap in terms of performance
Cons
- Nothing
Frequently Asked Questions
When do we change a pc source?
Power Supply out of the stable voltage parameters must be changed when they exceed 10% of the voltage stability. Many change them even if they exceed the parameters by 5%.
E.g:
If on the 12 volt line we see voltages of plus or minus 10% then it is necessary to orient yourself towards changing the source. That is, if instead of 12v we will see over 13.2v or less than 10.8v, then it is appropriate to focus on another source. Or, as a precaution, you can change them if they deviate from the parameters by 5%. The same is true for the rest of the 5v, 3.3v, 1v, etc. lines. Take a computer and calculate how much they came out of the standard parameters. You can read these voltages either from uefi / bios or in software like AIDA64, but the safest way is with the multimeter.
How much does my PC consume?
Each component of the PC has a maximum consumption in load, each manufacturer is obliged to display that consumption in the technical book of the product. So, you can calculate the total load of the components and you will know which source to buy. Do not forget! Also consider the peripherals that you will connect to the PC, either through the USB ports or through any type of PC connection port.
But for the most part, I will list the average consumption of the components of a PC:
· An hdd has an average consumption of 20-30w in load
· An ssd consumes about 3-10w
· The i3 processor consumes about 40-50w in load
· A gtx 1060 video card has a maximum power consumption of 100w
· Peripherals do not consume much but it is good to put about 30w to make sure that the system supports several peripherals simultaneously
· Motherboard (sound / fans / various ports etc) about 50w maximum for an average system.
· RAM, the lower the latency, the lower the power consumption, but on average about 15w consumes a normal load on the load.
It is difficult to calculate precisely for each system, but on average these are about the consumption of a decent system. A 450w-500w source should be sufficient for a gtx 1060 video card system.
