The power supply is a component of fundamental importance in every PC and is often unfairly ignored. Usually, you buy a power supply, when it must be replaced because it is faulty/malfunctioning or when a new PC has to be assembled.
In both cases, it is very important to correctly estimate how much energy our system needs (Watts) in order to avoid undersizing the power supply, this can cause not only damage to the power supply (which always works at the limit of the load it can supply), but also to the components connected to it, as it does not provide correct voltages.
Here we had listed out the best pc power supplies that are given below,
Buying Guide to Select the Best Pc Power Supplies
When purchasing a PC power supply, it is essential to consider several issues that can help choose the most suitable one. This way, you will ensure that it can cover the needs of the device’s components. So, in this section, we will try to solve all your doubts.
What Exactly Are Pc Power Supplies?
The power supplies have the task of transforming the alternating current of the electrical network into direct current, that is, that used by the various components of the computer.
So, the power supplies take an alternating current of 115/230 V and transform it into low voltage direct current, which they distribute through various outputs. Therefore, if the processor is the brain of a computer, the power supply can be considered its heart.
How Does a Pc Power Supply Work?
Current power supplies work by converting all alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) of +12 V. Then, other converters transform part of this DC from +12 V to DC from +5 V or +3.3 V to depending on your needs. This system is much more efficient and safe than direct conversion from AC to different DC voltages.
Subsequently, a series of inductors and capacitors has the task of filtering the electrical noise that can damage the different components of the device. Also, the power supply must make a voltage adjustment to respond to changes in load (consumption) to which it is subjected.
What Are the Reasons for Buying a Pc Power Supply?
The reasons for purchasing a PC power supply range from replacing the device’s power supply because it has become damaged to wanting to mount a new PC component by component. Another possible reason may be the desire to update the device with fresh ingredients and therefore need a more powerful or better quality power supply.
What Are the Advantages of Choosing the Most Suitable Pc Power Supply?
Choosing a suitable power supply has several advantages in operating the device. The most important are the following:
- It helps protect the useful life of other components, reducing wear and tear and protecting them from sudden increases or drops in voltage.
- It allows you to make the most of the performance of the various components of the device.
- Prevent spontaneous system reboots.
- It works much quieter.
- It allows to reduce energy consumption and, therefore, the electricity bill.
What Consequences Can the Wrong Choice of A Pc Power Supply Have?
Poor choice of a power supply can lead to undesirable effects on the performance of the device. Power outages, reboots, or unexpected and spontaneous shutdowns may therefore occur. It can also result in a drop in device performance or excessive noise when using cumbersome applications, programs, or games.
How Many Years of Warranty Do Pc Power Supplies Offer?
In general, in the European Union, the minimum warranty for electronic devices and components is two years. However, many power supply manufacturers offer much more extended warranties, ranging from three years up to ten or more.
Things to Look Before Purchase
Now is the time to choose a power supply for your PC; it is essential to take some purchase criteria into account. To simplify the selection process, we have selected the most important ones. We did it to offer you a complete guide to aim for the best possible value for money.
- Feeder format
- Power
- Power distribution
- Certification
- Voltage protection
- Cabling systems
- Cooling system
Feeder Format
The most common form of PC power supplies is ATX, which is usually used in most towers and middle towers. Typically, they have a height and width of 150 mm and 86 mm, respectively, with a length ranging from 140 mm to 220 mm. However, for small houses, the most common format is SFX.
Power
The power of a PC power supply, measured in watts, is one of its main characteristics and, therefore, one of the essential purchase criteria to consider. You have to choose a power supply that covers the needs of the whole device. To get an idea, an office device can require a power of 400 W.
For a multimedia computer, however, you will need about 600 W; for a workstation, 750 W; for a gaming computer, at a minimum, 900 W, even if this value could be decidedly higher, depending on its configuration. In general, the components that consume more energy and require more power are the graphics card, the processor, and the hard disk.
Power Distribution
In addition to the total power that the power supply can provide, you must also take into account the distribution of this power for each of the rails of different voltage: +3.3 V, +5 V, and +12 V, for example. Consequently, it is essential to know the amperage of each of these rails. In particular, the one you need to focus most on is the +12 V one.
This is the rail used by graphics cards since they are the component that involves higher energy consumption. Logically, the more power the graphics card requires, the higher the amperage needed. In this regard, the formula that binds these three variables is as follows:
Certification
Perhaps even more important than the power that the power supply is capable of ensuring is the quality of the electrical flow it provides, as well as the optimization of the conversion of alternating current into direct current. To measure the energy efficiency of this conversion, 80 Plus certification is used.
Power supplies with 80 Plus certification ensure, at a minimum, to convert 80% of the electricity they consume. Furthermore, depending on whether the conversion is of worse or better quality, the certification is classified into the following categories: Standard, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium.
Voltage Protection
Some PC power supplies have a series of filters that have the task of absorbing and reducing fluctuations in the electrical flow. In this way, they protect the various components of the device from possible current peaks. These filters are called PFC ( Power Factor Correction, from the English abbreviation) and can be active or passive.
In general, active filters are much more efficient and, therefore, more recommended. Usually, if the power supply has active filters, the manufacturer highlights it in advertising the product. If not, it means that the power supply is only equipped with passive filters.
Cabling Systems
We can distinguish mainly three ways of managing the wiring of a PC power supply:
- Modular System: With this system, no cables come out of the back of the power supply. In their place, there are connectors to which you can connect the wires you need. Of course, the wires are included with the power supply.
- Semi-Modular System: Presents the fixed cables considered indispensable, while connectors replace the others.
- Fixed Cabling System: All cables are attached, therefore aesthetically, it is the least social system. However, fixed wiring power supplies are cheaper.
Cooling System
The most common power supply cooling systems are based on an internal fan. It is essential that this fan is of good quality and as quiet as possible, especially if it is to operate continuously. Some high-end power supplies also integrate a fan on and off the system.
This system turns the fan on or off, depending on the temperature. On the other hand, some power supplies use passive cooling systems based on large aluminum radiators, through which the different internal components of the power supply are cooled.
