11 best power supplies

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The functionality and performance of the rest of the computer components depends on the quality of the power supply. Therefore, it is very important that this device is of high quality – moreover, reliable and giving out stable electrical parameters. We've compiled a list of 11 of the best PSUs that are suitable for both office and gaming computers.

Rating of the best power supplies for a computer

Best low cost power supplies under 500W

Deepcool DN500 500W

Rating: 4.8

Why first place: Reliable and stable power supply at a very attractive price.

Deepcool DN500 500W provides a reliable and stable power supply. It is certified to the 80 Plus standard, which means the device will deliver at least 80% power at any given time and under any load. In addition, it has three built-in protection systems – from short circuit, overvoltage on lines and overload.

The unit is equipped with one 24-pin power connector for the motherboard, two 4-pin connectors for the processor (4 + 4 configuration), one 6 + 2-pin for a PCIe video card, five 15-pin SATA connectors, three IDE and even one 4-pin to connect a floppy drive.

The unit is equipped with an active power gain correction system. A single 120mm fan is used for cooling. The device is executed in the ATX form factor and has the ATX12V 2.3 standard.

Advantages

• Long cables;

• Inexpensive;

• A large number of required connectors;

disadvantages

• Noises under high load, noticeable choke noise;

• Power is enough only for an office computer;

• Cables are not detached, you have to collect them in rings or hide them;

Chieftec GPE-500S 500W

Rating: 4.7

Why second place: Fewer connectors than the leader of the rating. But there is a certificate 80 Plus Bronze!

The Chieftec GPE-500S 500W is part of the proprietary Eco series, which is designed for maximum environmental friendliness. In this case, this means that power losses are minimal. And this is confirmed by the 80 Plus Bronze certificate – the power supply has passed tests that have confirmed that its performance never drops below 80% of nominal.

The unit is equipped with the minimum required set of connectors. A 24-pin connector is used to power the motherboard, which is complemented by a 4-pin connector for the processor. There are also 6-pin PCIe graphics cards, four 15-pin SATA and two 4-pin IDEs. There are no more connectors.

The power supply is equipped with protection systems against overvoltage, power and short circuit. The device is executed in the ATX form factor and has the ATX12V 2.3 standard. The power gain correction system is active.

Advantages

• Works quietly even under load;

• Reliable assembly and construction;

• Good cooling system, does not overheat;

disadvantages

• Frankly cheap IDE plugs that sit right on the wires;

• Small, non-critical drawdowns on the 5 V line;

• Short cable for 4-pin processor connector;

FSP Group ATX-500PNR 500W

Rating: 4.6

Why Third Place: Cheap and full of connectors, but no 80 Plus certification, and an older standard than previous models in the rankings.

FSP Group ATX-500PNR 500W is a budget solution for office computers. Unlike previous models, it did not pass the 80 Plus certification, but the manufacturer promises stable operation and compliance with real power ratings. But the main advantage of the device is the variety of connectors and compatibility with old computers.

In particular, the aging 20 + 4 pin connector is used to power the motherboard. The current is supplied to the processor through a standard 4-pin in the amount of 1 piece. There is also one 6 + 2-pin for PCIe graphics card, two 15-pin for SATA, five 4-pin for IDE, and even one 4-pin for a floppy drive.

The power supply is equipped with two protection systems – overvoltage (overvoltage on the lines) and short circuit. It is carried out in the ATX form factor according to the ATX12V 2.2 standard. For cooling, one 120mm cooler is used.

Advantages

• Suitable for older computers;

• Able to 'pull' even resource-intensive components like the NVIDIA GeForce 1080 Ti video card with minimal processor load;

• Minimum noise level;

disadvantages

• Few connectors, you will have to buy adapters;

• Power sags along the 12 V line – often up to 400 W.

• Noticeable heating under high load;

AeroCool Kcas 500W

Rating: 4.5

Why fourth place: The most expensive power supply in this segment of the rating. But the manufacturer guarantees a noise level of 30 dB.

The AeroCool Kcas 500W is one of the richest power supplies on the list. In addition, the device is certified to the 80 Plus Bronze standard, which guarantees high and consistent performance. And the manufacturer guarantees that even under load, the noise level from the power supply does not rise above 30 dB.

A 20 + 4 pin connector is used to power the motherboard, which is compatible with new and old computers. For the processor – 4 + 4 pin. In addition, the power supply is equipped with two 6 + 2 pin connectors for powering PCIe devices, seven (this is not a typo) 15-pin SATA connectors, four MOLEX and one 4-pin Floppy.

The model is equipped with three protection systems – short circuit, overload and overvoltage. The device is executed in the ATX form factor and the ATX12V 2.3 standard. Equipped with an active power correction system. A 120mm fan is used for cooling.

Advantages

• Very quiet;

• The cables are additionally braided;

• High performance;

disadvantages

• The number of wires and connectors may seem overwhelming;

• At high load, there is a noticeable choke noise;

• The braid on some wires does not reach the end of the cable;

Best PSUs up to 750W

Sea Sonic Electronics Prime 600 Titanium Fanless

Rating: 4.9

Why First Place: Completely silent (fanless cooling), 80 Plus Titanium certification and fully modular design with detachable cables.

Sea Sonic Electronics Prime 600 Titanium Fanless is the ideal solution for those who love neat custom builds of the system. It offers fanless cooling, stable 600 watts of power, and fully detachable cables. Plus, this PSU is 80 Plus Titanium Certified to ensure stable operation and high performance.

The device comes with cables that are equipped with a 20 + 4-pin connector for powering the motherboard, two 4 + 4-pin connectors for the processor, four 6 + 2-pin connectors for PCIe video cards, six 15-pin SATA connectors and five 4 -pin IDE (MOLEX). There was even room for one 4-pin Floppy!

The power supply is protected against overvoltage, overload and short circuit. It is carried out in the ATX form factor. For cooling, you can use your own separate fan (not included), but you can also without it.

Advantages

• Maximum efficiency and excellent stability;

• Manufacturer's warranty 144 months;

• Rich set with clamps and Velcro for cable management;

disadvantages

• High cost;

• Non-flexing braiding of some cables (for example, to the motherboard);

• Unattractive design;

Corsair HX750i 750W

Rating: 4.8

Why Runner Up: Power is higher than the leader, but 80 Plus Platinum certification and a built-in fan that's not as quiet.

Corsair HX750i 750W is recommended for use in powerful computers and systems with sophisticated cable management. The device has a power of 750 watts and is certified to the 80 Plus Platinum standard. In addition, the PSU comes in a 'partially modular' configuration with fully detachable cables.

The bundled cables are equipped with one 20 + 4-pin connector for motherboard power, two 4 + 4-pin connectors for the processor, six (!) 6 + 2-pin connectors for a PCIe video card, twelve 15-pin SATA connectors, eight 4-pin IDE connectors MOLEX and two 4-pin Floppy.

The power supply is protected against overvoltage, short circuit and overload. It is carried out in the ATX form factor according to the ATX12V 2.4 / EPS12V standard. The power correction system is active. A single 140mm fan is used for cooling.

Advantages

• Semi-passive cooling (the fan turns on only under high load);

• The warranty for the power supply from the manufacturer is 10 years;

• Included – software for monitoring the status of the power supply;

disadvantages

• Rough, poorly bendable wires;

• No 3-pin connectors for fans and case LEDs;

• Single-colored wires, which complicates measurements (if they are ever needed);

Deepcool DQ750ST 750W

Rating: 4.8

Why third place: The cheapest power supply in the ranking, but without detachable cables.

Deepcool DQ750ST 750W is a power supply for high performance systems where cable management is not a big deal. It's just that this model, unlike the previous ones in the rating, has the wires rigidly fixed and cannot be detached. But the power supply is at least half the price of its predecessors – and is still certified according to the 80 Plus Gold standard, which guarantees high efficiency and stable operation. The power of the device is 750 W.

There are not many connectors, so it is recommended to stock up on adapters. In particular, the power supply is equipped with one 24-pin connector for the motherboard, one 4 + 4-pin for the processor, four 6 + 2-pins for a PCIe video card, five 15-pin SATA connectors and three 4-pin IDE (MOLEX) connectors.

The power supply is equipped with protection systems against short circuit, overvoltage and overload. It is carried out in the ATX form factor according to the ATX12V 2.3 standard. The power correction system is active.

Advantages

• Adequately working active power factor correction;

• Voltage stability, no drops;

• The efficiency is higher than the nominal – 90%;

disadvantages

• Cables are not detached;

• Perceptible heating at high load;

• Short PCIe wires;

The best power supplies up to 1000W

Thermaltake Toughpower DPS G RGB 1000W

Rating: 4.9

Why First Place: 80 Plus Titanium Certification, Detachable Cables, RGB Lighting.

The Thermaltake Toughpower DPS G RGB 1000W is a flagship power supply that delivers the highest 80 Plus Titanium certified performance. The power of the device is 1000 W. The power supply is suitable for cable management, as it is equipped with detachable cables. Plus, it's complemented by customizable RGB LED lighting!

The complete cables are equipped with many connectors. In particular, there is a 24-pin for the motherboard, one 8 pin and 4 + 4 pin for the processor, four 8 pin and 6 + 2 pin for a PCIe video card, twelve 15-pin SATA, eight 4-pin IDE MOLEX and even one 4-pin Floppy.

The power supply is protected against overvoltage, short circuit, overload. It is carried out in the ATX form factor according to the ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V standard. Supports active PFC. A 140mm fan is used for cooling.

Advantages

• Customizable LED lighting;

• Lots of connectors, you can do without adapters;

• Software for control and monitoring of operating parameters;

disadvantages

• High cost;

• Comparatively poor equipment;

• Rigid enough cable sheathing;

Corsair HX1000 1000W

Rating: 4.9

Why Second Place: 80 Plus Platinum certification and fewer connectors than the leader.

The Corsair HX1000 1000W is a powerful power supply for gaming computers. Like its predecessor, it is suitable for neat cable management, as it is equipped with detachable cables. The device has a power of 1000W, while the power supply is 80 Plus Platinum certified, which guarantees high performance and stability.

The supplied cables are sufficient to connect all the necessary peripheral equipment. So, there is one 20 + 4-pin power connector for the motherboard, two 4 + 4-pin for the processor, eight 6 + 2-pin for PCIe, sixteen 15-pin for SATA, eight 4-pin IDE MOLEX and even one 4 -pin Floppy.

The power supply is protected against overvoltage, overload and short circuit. It is carried out in the ATX form factor according to the ATX12V 2.4 / EPS12V standard. Cooled with one 135mm fan.

Advantages

• Stable work under high load;

• A huge number of cables included;

• Semi-passive cooling (fan off at low load);

disadvantages

• Small, non-critical voltage ripple on the 5W bus;

• Thick and bulky cables, especially suited to the motherboard.

Zalman ZM1000-ARX 1000W

Rating: 4.8

Why Third Place: 80 Plus Platinum certification, hybrid cooling, detachable cables, but noisier than other models in the ranking.

Zalman ZM1000-ARX 1000W is a good solution for workstations. With 1000W of power, it is 80 Plus Platinum certified to ensure stable operation and high performance even under heavy loads. In addition, it is suitable for cable management, as it is equipped with detachable wires.

The supplied cables are equipped with all necessary connectors. So, a 20 + 4-pin connector is used to power the motherboard, for the processor there are one 4 + 4 pin and one 8 pin, for video cards – six 6 + 2 pin PCIe. There are also twelve 15-pin SATA, eight 4-pin IDEs, and one 4-pin Floppy (for some reason).

The model is protected against overvoltage, overload and short circuit, equipped with an active PFC. It is carried out in the ATX form factor according to the ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V standard. It is cooled with a single 135mm fan.

Advantages

• Rich set with everything you need for cable management;

• High efficiency, 80 Plus Platinum certified;

• Rolling bearing fan;

disadvantages

• Drawdown on the channel +3.3 VDC;

• The specific work of the cooling system, which makes this unit unsuitable for home PCs;

• Relatively high noise level;

Thermaltake Toughpower DPS G RGB 850W

Rating: 4.8

Why the fourth place: Unit power – 850 watts. The rest of the characteristics are quite flagship.

Thermaltake Toughpower DPS G RGB 850W is the 'simplified version' of the power supply that tops the rating. It differs from the leader only in its lower power, which is 850 watts. Otherwise, the characteristics of these two devices are similar: 80 Plus Titanium certification, detachable wires for cable management, the presence of RGB LED backlighting in the cooling fan. The power supply also supports local and remote monitoring via bundled software.

The device is connected to the motherboard via a 24 pin connector, 4 + 4 pins are used to power the processor. There are also six 6 + 2 pins for PCIe graphics, twelve 15 pins SATA, eight 8 pin IDE and one 4 pin Floppy.

The model is protected against overvoltage, overload and short circuit. It is carried out in the ATX form factor according to the ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V standard. Equipped with active FPS. It is cooled with a single 135mm fan.

Advantages

• Quiet operation with semi-passive cooling;

• Local and remote monitoring, automatic shutdown;

• Lots of connectors;

disadvantages

• Rigid braiding of some cables;

• Comparatively poor equipment.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.