This monthly guide to buying a PC power supply will not be divided by price ranges but by categories, based on the final use. In each category we will show you the best PC power supplies to buy according to your budget
We want to clarify the most controversial issue in the PC world when it comes to buying hardware: thepower pack, also called PSU (from the English acronym Power Supply Unit).
First some fundamental notion for the choice and then off with the list of best PC power supplies available on the market.
What is the power supply for and why not save on its purchase
Often overshadowed by the whole configuration, the power supply is the most important component of the PC. In fact, it has the fundamental task of correctly supplying energy to all the various components present within our system.
Its breakage or malfunction can cause problems for the rest of the components. A real shame to throw away $ 1000 worth of PC hardware for buying a $ 20 Chinese PSU, right?
Furthermore, the power supply is the only source of power consumption of the PC, the more efficient the chosen power supply will be and the less power the system will consume. Here lies the real savings!
How do you measure the efficiency of a power supply?
The efficiency of a power supply, measured as a percentage, is simply the ratio between the amount of energy absorbed by the socket and the amount of energy that is used by the components inside the PC.
A 500W power supply with an efficiency of 80% does not mean that it will have 400W (80% of 500W) but, rather, that it will first draw 625W from the socket (500W divided by 80% efficiency ) and then disbursed 500W. During this process, a good 125W (the difference between 625W and 500W) will be transformed into heat and, consequently, lost.
Efficiency is therefore a factor of some weight when choosing a good power supply. An inexpensive power supply will surely make you consume more than an efficient power supply, so the money saved in purchasing the inexpensive power supply will soon be spent with the higher power consumption of the whole system.
Energy Star 5.0 e standard 80 Plus
One of the most important indicators of a power supply's efficiency is compliance with guidelines Energy Star 5.0 and the standard 80 Plus. In the table you can see which efficiency levels the various certifications correspond to.
| Standard PLUS | Efficiency at 20% load | Efficiency at 50% load | Efficiency at 100% load |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 PLUS | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| 80 PLUS Bronze | 82% | 85% | 82% |
| 80 PLUS Silver | 85% | 88% | 85% |
| 80 PLUS Gold | 87% | 90% | 87% |
| 80 PLUS Platinum | 90% | 92% | 89% |
Modular and non-modular power supply
On the market it is possible to find modular or non-modular PC power supplies (in ATX format). But what does modular or non-modular mean?
A modular power supply is a type of PC power supply to which you can connect only the cables you really need. Thus reducing the number and size of cables used, with a consequent advantage in terms of air circulation and aesthetics.
A non-modular power supply is the classic PC power supply where all the necessary cables have already been attached to the power supply itself. This can be a serious problem, especially for smaller homes.
Observation: if you want to aim for savings, the only option is to prefer a non-modular power supply. But buy, in any case, a product of decent quality.
The list of the best PC power supplies to buy
No news this month. Same choices and stationary prices compared to the previous month.
Let's see together which solution to choose and what minimum budget to propose. Pay attention to the offers: sometimes power supplies with higher wattage are paradoxically found at a lower price.
Best non-modular PC power supplies
A non-modular power supply is the classic PC power supply where all the necessary cables have already been attached to the power supply itself. This can be a serious problem, especially for smaller homes. We only recommend them up to 750w. Keep in mind that the recommended models do not offer two eps, for this reason stick to non-modular PSUs only for low or mid-range solutions that do not require the two eps.
- Best 430W-500W PC Power Supplies: Suitable for low-end PCs without a discrete GPU
Corsair VS450 450W Power Supply, Active PFC, 80 PLUS Certified, 150mm x 86mm x 125mm, Black Corsair VS450 has been a power supply on the market for many years now. Yet in its price range it offers decent reliability and more than enough wattage for PCs without a dedicated video card. Very suitable if the maximum load of your configuration is about 50% (220w) of the maximum wattage: you have a better efficiency. Buy on Amazon 
EVGA 500 W1, 80+ WHITE 500W, Power Supply 100-W1-0500-K2 The EVGA 500 W1 is a great low-end product suitable for all configurations without a video card. Its yield and efficiency are excellent, the quality of the internal components is very good. Thanks to its 500W it is able to handle even the most expensive APUs and consistent workloads on systems with multiple hard drives. The maximum efficiency occurs at about 250W of power. 53,07 EUR Buy on Amazon- Best 650W PC power supplies: suitable for PCs with a discrete GPU that is also very performing
XFX P1-650S-NLB9 Core Ed PSU, 650W, Nero XFX 650w Core Edition is an excellent product that arises in a not too high price range while still guaranteeing the possibility of using even very high-performance GPUs. Its efficiency remains good from 50% up to 80% of the maximum load. Buy on AmazonBest modular PC power supplies
A modular power supply is a type of PC power supply to which you can connect only the cables you really need. Thus reducing the number and size of cables used, with a consequent advantage in terms of air circulation and aesthetics.
- Best PC 750W power supplies: suitable for PCs on which you intend to do OC
EVGA 750 GQ, 80+ GOLD 750W, Semi Modular, EVGA ECO Mode, 210-GQ-0750-V2 Power Supply The EVGA 750 GQ with 80+ Gold certificate is a great modular power supply. It lends itself well to many situations of use and offers very high efficiency while perfectly respecting the certification it boasts. 112,00 EUR Buy on Amazon 
Corsair RM750x PC Power Supply, Fully Modular, Form Factor ATX, 80 Plus Gold, 750 Watt, EU, RMX Series, 16 x 15 x 8,6 cm, Black The Corsair RM750x is a good mid-range solution. It offers performance that is sometimes better than the HX series at a much more affordable price. 133,98 EUR Buy on Amazon
