It has long been untrue to say that the deterioration of the power supply of a personal computer occurs very quickly and therefore they need to be replaced every 2-3 years. At the same time, it is also said about the occurrence of breakdowns in other components, if this is not done.

It is possible and was true for unnamed Chinese power supplies of low quality, however, modern branded models have a factory warranty for 5-7 years. That is, they practically eat, they will surely honestly serve up to ten years. Experts recommend spending one time on purchasing a solid power supply, which is quite capable of easily surviving up to 3 significant PC upgrades.

First of all, you need to clearly define for yourself such a factor as the shape that the power supply should have. This must be done so that it can be easily placed in the free space of the PC case. In this case, there should be no difficulty when connecting it to the motherboard connectors.

Form factors - relevant today

The most common form for a PSU is ATX. Its rather large dimensions are explained by high power indicators, which can range from 310.0 W to 1.50 kW.

The less bulky SFX and TFX power supplies range from 200.0 watts to 510.0 watts, respectively. The appearance of the SFX model is similar to ATX, but in smaller dimensions. TFX has been given an oblong shape. This shape and design of the mount allows them to be used for very thin office clients, home media centers, network storages, as well as Steam Machine game consoles.

External power supplies have a certain similarity with those used in laptops, except for the adapter-splitter and some other components of the PC that comes with the package and is used to power the motherboard. The maximum power indicator is 100.0 watts. With their help, the smallest PCs are powered, and there is not enough free space in the case for installing an internal power supply unit.

Line power and nominal power

Be sure to remember that for two power supply models, which, according to the documentation, have an identical rated power level, for example, 500.0 W, the actual output power can fluctuate from 310.0 W to 610.0. This happens for several reasons.

First, elementary deception can take place. When manufacturers of a power supply unit of dubious quality stick to a model that has a real power of no more than 300 W, a tag with the characteristics of a 500 W model. At the same time, companies that value their name, as a rule, on the contrary underestimate the indicator of the declared capacity relative to the real one. In this case, if there is a guarantee for the uninterrupted delivery of a power supply unit, at peak loads, up to 500.0 W, at least 600.0 W is actually issued, although there is a significant increase in wear and tear.

Secondly, the value of the optimal power supply unit is summed up from all power lines with various voltages:

3.3 V - this line, one might say, has ceased to be used in ultra-modern personal computers

5.0V - This power is supplied to keep disk drives and slow-speed fans running, and its load cannot exceed 100.0W.

12.0 V is the hottest power line. It powers the processor and video card, or even several video cards. It is practiced to use both a combined line of this power supply, and divided into several sub-lines. The ratio between the nominal power indicator and the data of this line for each of the power supply models can have significant differences. It is considered acceptable when the coefficient is 0.8. At the same time, the presence of a power of 500.0 W at the input implies the presence of a power of 400.0 W along the +12.0 V line. And having a coefficient of 0.9 is just perfect.

80 PLUS Certification

An equally important characteristic of a power supply unit is efficiency. They display the percentage of electricity consumption for the direct operation of the PC, and not for the accompanying heat generation. To simplify the designation of efficiency, PSUs have developed the 80 PLUS certification. According to it, a power supply that has an efficiency of at least 82% in the presence of a full load, if it is powered from 220.0 V, is awarded an 80 PLUS certificate.

• 85.0% Bronze is added instead of PLUS.
• 87.0% - Silver.
• 89.0% - Gold.
• 90.0% - Platinum.
• 94.0% - Titanium, approved recently.

The presence of the 80 PLUS certificate allows you to almost certainly distinguish a low-quality PSU from a high-quality one. After all, those who produce such products, trying to save on almost everything, clearly do not want to spend a lot of money to obtain an official certificate. However, it cannot be categorically asserted that the absence of the 80 PLUS certificate necessarily indicates the low quality of the power supply unit. There are, for example, power supplies such as Chieftec or Aerocool VX that have quite acceptable reliability, but are not able to reach the specified level of efficiency.

Cooling system

Even the most energy efficient Titanium certified PSUs generate significant amounts of heat. It without fail must somehow and somewhere disappear. PSUs whose cooling is provided exclusively by passive cooling are quite rare. Due to their very high price and power value - not exceeding 500.0 watts. More often you can find a power supply unit that turns off the fan during idle time, however, their price is quite high.

Most often on the market you can find power supplies that have active cooling, which is automatically controlled by the speed of the impeller. This setting is influenced by the load and temperature. The size of the fan can vary from 80 mm to 150 mm. A device with a larger blade size creates less noise. If a hydrodynamic bearing is installed on the fan, then it will run quietly longer than the one where the sleeve bearing is used.

Connectors and cables

In direct dependence on the way in which the wires are fastened, the power supply unit is divided into 3 types:

• Non-modular, to which the cables are tightly soldered.
• Semi-modular - their main cables are fixed, and additional cables can be disconnected.
• Modular - with all wires detachable.

For installation work, of course, it is more convenient to use modular or, in extreme cases, semi-modular. However, their placement in some compact computer cases is simply not possible due to the limited internal space. And then you have to use non-modular ones, because the absence of ports for connecting wires makes them somewhat smaller than modular ones.

The required cables include a 20 + 4-pin, which powers the motherboard, and a 4-pin, which is used to power the compressor. If you are using AMD FX-8000 and Intel LGA2011 processors, you must use a more powerful power cable. Without a doubt, you must have at least one SATA connector to power the hard drive as well as the solid state drive.

The cables used to power video cards with 6 or 6 + 2-pin connectors come in a separate bundle. No power cable required for entry-level graphics cards. To power the mid-level cards, either one 6-pin or 6 + 2 is required. Several of these connectors are used for flagship cards.

Who actually makes the power supplies?

The counters and shop windows are literally littered with power supplies from various brands. However, most of them do not develop or produce anything except the designer of the case. So for the construction of the popular Aerocool power supplies, HEC and Andyson solutions are used. And at the heart of Chieftec, which the domestic buyer knows so well, is the CWT and Sirtec circuitry. And this practice is generally accepted and there is nothing to be ashamed of. You just need to understand that PSUs of different brands may have the same filling, and the price will differ significantly.

Beginners DIYers, assembling their first computer, do not attach much importance to the choice of the power supply. Everyone is busy with more important issues: finding a video card, expanding the RAM and selecting the most capacious hard drive. At best, someone will take an interest in the power of the PSU without delving into other nuances. But in vain. After all, it is on this node that the stable operation of the entire computer and the safety of its "internal organs" depend.

The best manufacturers of power supplies for a computer - which company to choose

It is stupid to save on computer components, and power supplies are no exception. It is better to immediately take hardware from a well-known company, even if its price is higher than NoName-analogues.

Excellent power supplies for computers are produced by Asian firms:

• Aero Cool;
• DeepCool;
• FSP Group;
• Thermaltake;
• Zalman.

You can evaluate their most interesting developments by reading our recent article on the best power supplies. Perhaps, among the models considered in it, there is a power supply unit that is ideal for your computer. If not, the advice of our experts will help you choose exactly the power supply you need.

The principle of operation and the device of the power supply

The computer power supply unit is connected to all components of the system unit using wires connected through special connectors. He himself is powered from an ordinary household outlet.

The current from the network goes to the input circuits of the unit, and then several conversion stages pass:

1. Lowering the voltage;

2. Alignment;

3. Stabilization.

Through the output circuits, the converted current flows to all working elements of the system unit, and each receives the required voltage within 3.3-12 V.

At the input of the power supply unit, EMI filters must be installed to suppress electromagnetic interference, a short-circuit fuse and a varistor that protects the electronics from voltage surges.

In addition, the PSU is designed with a cooling fan as it generates a lot of heat under heavy load.

Types of power supplies

Budget PSUs

Cheap power supplies, as a rule, have a low power - from 300-500 to 750 watts. They are equipped with a compact or medium-sized fan with a diameter of 80-120 mm and have 4 to 15 different connectors. Such models weigh no more than 2 kg.

Despite the low-power PSUs budget, they have all the necessary protections: overvoltage, overload and short circuit. The current strength in such devices reaches 35 A, the permissible input load is 240 V.

• There are all basic levels of protection;
• Automatic activation of the cooling system;
• Simple and reliable passive power correction system;
• Many come with detachable cables;
• Low cost.

• Due to small coolers they cool for a long time, and when overloaded they make a lot of noise;
• Unreliable fastening of wires - when disassembling the system unit, they always strive to jump out;
• Flimsy body made of sheet steel with a thickness of only 0.5 mm.

Expensive models

Powerful units from a kilowatt and above are equipped with large fans with a diameter of about 135-140 mm. The architecture of advanced models provides 24 connectors, which allows you to connect to them any built-in and additional components of the system unit.

Such power supplies have all the basic protections, and besides, they can easily withstand an increase in input voltage up to 300 V, which indicates their exceptional reliability. The weight of expensive blocks does not exceed 1.8 kg, the current strength reaches 65 A.

• Protected better than budget PSUs;
• A large number of different connectors for connection;
• They work quite quietly, since it is almost impossible to load them at full capacity;
• Have fast and efficient cooling;
• All cables are detachable;
• Reliable and durable body with a thickness of 0.8-1 mm.

• High price;
• There are many fakes on the market.

Options for choosing a power supply for a computer

Form Factor

Despite the importance of the technical characteristics, the selection of the power supply should start with its form factor, because it should clearly fit into the case of your system unit.

Today there are 4 main types of computer power supplies:

1. ATX - the most common variant with body dimensions (WxHxD) 150x86x140 mm.

2. SFX is a mini-version of the ATX standard for compact system units. Dimensions 125x63.5 (80.5) x100 mm.

3. ТFX - is more often used in office machines and indicates the size of the BP case 85x65x175 mm. Differs in a symmetrical design, which simplifies its installation in the system unit.

4. EPS - "extended" ATX version with 8-pin connector and depth increased to 180-230 mm. It is used in computers that are equipped with especially powerful and power hungry processors.

Power

The power of a computer power supply is the main criterion for its selection. It should be sufficient for your PC, otherwise you will experience unstable system operation, sudden reboots, freezes and other troubles.

Chasing excess power is also not worth it - why pay extra for a monster whose potential will remain undiscovered? The only exception is when you plan to upgrade your car in the future.

When selecting the power of a power supply unit, it is necessary to take into account the total load of all devices connected to it.

This set, as well as the characteristics of individual nodes, may differ in different computers:

1. Most processors require between 100 and 220 watts of power to operate;

2. Discrete video cards "eat" from 90 to 340 W;

3. Motherboard and hard together consume about 50-125 W of power (solid-state SSD will "save" only 7-12 W, so you shouldn't go into details here);

4. The RAM bar needs only 5-7 W;

5. DVD drive draws at least 35-50 W;

6. Another 6 W will be needed to run the fan.

After calculations, the resulting total load must be increased by 10-20% in order to obtain the optimal power reserve of the power supply.

If you don't want to do arithmetic, you can use special online calculators or just take standard recommendations for computers for various purposes as a basis:

1. For machines that solve ordinary office tasks, a 300-450 W power supply is enough for your head.

2. For a home PC with multimedia and "light" toys, a 500W power supply is suitable.

3. For gaming computers, the lower power supply bar is set at 700-800 watts.

Cooling

All power supplies heat up during operation. This is not scary if you do not allow them to overheat - now it can already lead to serious damage. To cool the power supply unit, fans are built into the case.

Of course, their size is determined by the manufacturer, but you need to know what to expect from the chosen cooler:

1.80 mm - noisy, not very efficient and suitable only for low-power power supplies.

2. 120 mm - considered the best option for a medium-power PSU.

3.15-140 mm - provide effective cooling of even very powerful units, work quieter than others, but in case of breakdown it will be difficult to replace them.

The cooling speed of the power supply depends not only on the diameter of the built-in fan, but also on the number of its revolutions per minute. Good coolers deliver from 1000 to 3000 rpm, and the more powerful the PSU, the higher this figure should be.

An excellent choice is a unit in which the fan stops working if the load does not exceed 30% of the nominal. In this case, you will spend most of your time in blissful silence.

Efficiency

The efficiency for a computer power supply shows how much energy the device spends on its work, and how much it sends to other consumers. For old models, produced 10 years ago, this characteristic did not exceed 70-75%. That is, a quarter of all the power supplied to it was spent by the power supply unit itself, giving only what was left to the needs of the computer.

In modern devices, developers were able to bring the efficiency up to 85-95%. Of course, on one personal device, the difference of 10-15% is hardly noticeable, but in terms of a year of work, and with a kilowatt of power, the savings are impressive. In addition, the lower heating of the energy-efficient PSU allows you to reduce the load on the fan, so the computer becomes quieter.

Depending on the efficiency indicator, the blocks are divided into 5 classes:

1.80 Plus (80%) - standard;

2. Bronze (82%);

3. Silver (85%);

5. Platinum (95%).

Connectors and wires

Often, people who assemble a computer on their own are faced with the problem of mismatching connectors (and sometimes the lack of some necessary connectors).

Before buying a PSU, make sure that all the pins you need are here:

1. Connector 20 + 4 - for connecting the motherboard;

2. 4-pin for the central processor (or 8 pin if you are building a super-performance PC);

3. 6-pin connector for a video card up to 2 GB and an 8-pin connector for a more powerful device;

4. Various connectors for connecting to interfaces of reading devices: hard drive, optical drive, card reader, etc.

As for the wires, here you need to pay attention to their length (40-45 cm is usually enough) and the type of connection. Cables can be tightly soldered in the power supply or partially led out of the case to be thrown to the main nodes: motherboard, video card and processor.

The best option is considered to be a power supply unit to which all wires are connected through external connectors. In this case, you can use only those that are necessary for the operation of your computer, and simply remove the rest of the cables.

Which power supply to choose

1. If you are building a simple computer for office tasks, there is no point in chasing a high power supply unit. A model up to 450 W with a small fan with a diameter of 80-100 mm and an efficiency of at least 80-85% is quite enough.

2. In a "family" computer, which is used mostly for watching movies, listening to music and not too resource-intensive toys, it is better to put a power supply unit with a capacity of 450-600 watts. With such parameters, the optimal diameter of the cooler will be in the range of 100-120 mm, and there will be less noise from it. The efficiency must be at least 85-90%, that is, meet the 80 Plus Silver or Gold standard. Home machines often run day in and day out, so the energy savings will be noticeable.

3. If you need a high-quality power supply for a gaming computer, you will have to fork out for a top-end device with a capacity of 800-1000 W and above. Such a monster will require a rather big 135-140 mm fan with maximum rotation speed and extremely high efficiency (85-95%).

How much does the power supply cost

1. Low-power PSUs up to 300 W can be purchased at prices ranging from 600 to 3400 rubles - depending on the form factor (standard ATX is cheaper).

2. Models with power up to 500 W go from 500 to 9000 rubles.

3. A power supply designed for loads of 500-700 W will cost 1-23 thousand rubles.

4. Kilowattnik will pull from 4 to 32 thousand.

5. The cost of a power supply unit with a capacity of 1 to 2 kW starts from 6000 and reaches 57-68 thousand rubles.

If you notice an error, select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter

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6 best power supplies

All things around us are made up of separate parts. Accordingly, this or that device or object can be disassembled into its component parts. But let's think that an ordinary person can buy in parts in order to then assemble something whole? A smartphone or an audio system is unlikely, but enthusiasts collect personal computers all the time. The result is slightly cheaper than pre-assembled factory assemblies. And nobody canceled the pleasure of the process.

Of course, a motherboard, a powerful processor and video card, a large amount of RAM are important, but without proper power, even the coolest components will not be of any use. And the elements are supplied with energy by a small box, which is sometimes given very little attention - this is a power supply unit. We will try to correct such a serious omission in our traditional ranking. But before we get to it, let's look at a couple of very important points.

Top Power Supply Manufacturers

In recent years, the market for stationary PCs and components for them is gradually losing momentum, but this does not reduce the number of manufacturers. At the same time, do not forget that some cunning companies simply stick their logo on finished products. Trusting such, of course, is not worth it. Fortunately, the power supply industry is quite conservative and there are a number of companies that you can unconditionally trust - these are Antec, be quiet !, ENERMAX and SeaSonic. Also, major players in the component market deserve your attention, such as Corsair, FSP, ZALMAN, DeepCool, AeroCool, Chieftec, etc., which produce slightly cheaper options.

9 best memory modules

Let's start with the most popular and common power supplies. 500W is optimal for most home systems. To make it clearer, let's build a fictional system with an Intel Core i5 7500, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, a pair of DDR4 modules, one HDD and three coolers for cooling. All this beauty is capable of pulling out most of modern games at high or even ultra graphics settings in FullHD, while the consumption is about 350 W at the peak! The power supplies from this section do not have any certificates, and therefore the efficiency will be considered no higher than 80%. But even in this situation, we still have a reserve of about 50 watts for a future upgrade, which means that for the next couple of years we will not have to think about power. And this at a cost of about 2,000 rubles!

At first glance, the PSU from GIGABYTE inspires confidence. Solid black matte body, the hole for the wires is limited by a plastic ring, which prevents chafing. The wires, of course, are not braided, but in this price category you shouldn't expect anything else. You can also praise the power supply for the thin wire grill that covers the cooler - due to this, the purge is excellent, and getting to the fan for cleaning is as easy as shelling pears. Everything is fine, but there is one huge snag - in fact, the PSU produces a maximum of 350 W, which is indicated not only by the small text on the sticker, but also by real measurements.

Advantages:

• Nice design
• Easy access to the fan for cleaning
• Lowest cost

Disadvantages:

• The real power does not correspond to the declared

AeroCool is an excellent manufacturer of cooling systems, but their power supply is also very good. The power, according to users, is in line with the declared, the build quality is good, but there are several serious drawbacks. Firstly, the high level of noise, which cannot be overcome without serious interference in the insides. Secondly, there is only a 6-pin connector for a video card. Fortunately, the cost of the model is the lowest in our rating, and therefore, if silence is not important to you, you can safely buy.

Advantages:

• Relatively high efficiency
• Good appearance
• Large ventilation openings
• Produces up to 38A at 12V1

Disadvantages:

• Noisy
• No 6 + 2-PIN connector

What should be the power of the power supply? This question, unfortunately, is not asked by all people who assemble a PC on their own. It often happens that in the pursuit of savings, buyers leave their old, low-power PSUs, because of which the newly assembled computer may either not start or turn off under high load - for example, in a dynamic scene in a video game. The second extreme is too much power. Of course, there will be no harm from a 1.5 kW power supply, but your wallet will obviously lose more weight than necessary.

So it turns out that you can't do without mathematics here. So, the CPU consumes from 35 to 160 W, depending on the model, the video card - 75 W for PCIe, 75 W for 6-PIN, 150 W for 8-PIN (if there are several connectors on the card, we summarize), the motherboard - 35-65 W, each RAM module averages 5 W, HDD - 15 W maximum. The rest of the "little things", like coolers, PCI-X devices, etc. consumes less than 5 watts, and therefore can be ignored. Detailed information on consumption can be found in the technical characteristics of a particular part, but it will be much easier to use a power supply calculator. Fortunately, such services are available both on specialized sites and on the pages of manufacturers.

Finally, the leader of our rating is the power supply from FSP. The appearance is as simple as possible - an ordinary gray box without any frills. The wires are again without braid, and the slot for them in the case is not protected by any overlays. The fan is still the same, but due to the use of a stamped grille, the airflow deteriorates slightly and an unpleasant, but not critical noise appears. But the efficiency is the highest in the class - about 82%, which completely covers the disadvantages.

Advantages:

• High real power
• 5 connectors 4-PIN IDE
• There are 6 + 2-pin PCI-E

The second and final category of our rating will include not the most top-end, but very good power supplies. The presence of the 80 Plus Gold certificate provides an efficiency level of at least 92%, while the "platinum" models give out about 94% of the nominal. The difference in performance is minimal, but the cost may differ 2 times. So it turns out that it is better to give preference to the models that we have selected for you. In addition, PSUs in this category have a nominal power of 650 W, which is quite enough for the most powerful systems, including gaming assemblies with two video cards.

Unlocks a PSU rating that is suitable for people willing to sacrifice convenience in exchange for high performance at a low cost. The efficiency of the power supply fully complies with the class, all the necessary levels of protection are present. But with the comfort of use, everything is not so smooth. First of all, the buyer will be faced with very rigid wires, which simply cannot be neatly laid inside the case. The second problem is the pronounced squeak during operation, which sounds even louder than the fans.

Advantages:

• Excellent performance for minimal money

Disadvantages:

• Rigid wires
• Noise during operation

Finding fault with anything in this power supply is difficult. Judging by the measurements, the efficiency fully complies with the 80 Plus Gold certificate. There are also all the necessary protection systems: overvoltage, overload, short circuit. But all this is familiar to this category. But the completely modular system with flat and very flexible cables is good news. Due to their sufficient length and high flexibility, they can be easily hidden in special niches. The package bundle is also pleasing - a cloth bag, detailed instructions, a full set of cables and a dozen plastic ties for fastening.

Advantages:

• High efficiency and availability of all necessary protection systems
• Best amperage on all lines
• Fully modular design with soft wires
• Using Japanese capacitors and 5-year warranty
• Low noise level

Thermaltake knows gamers need power and beauty. The leader of our rating meets both requirements. The efficiency indicator is simply excellent - below 90% it decreases only at a load of 1/10 of the maximum, while in all other cases it is at the level of 91-93%. At the same time, the system cannot be called noisy - at a load of up to 60%, the fan speed is below 600 rpm, making it almost impossible to hear it in the case.

Somewhat less useful, but therefore no less interesting, features include RGB backlighting and proprietary software. There are programs for PCs and for smartphones on Android and iOS. It's better not to even remember about the latter, because the quality of performance is simply awful, but the desktop application is quite efficient and useful. With it, you can change the color and brightness of the backlight, see the temperature of the power supply unit, amperage and voltage in the selected sections, efficiency and power. It is also possible to set the cost of 1 kWh in dollars and see in real time how much money your PC is spending.

Advantages:

• High efficiency
• 4 connectors 6 + 2-PIN PCI-E, 8x 4-PIN IDE and 8 SATA
• There is RGB backlighting
• Useful PC application
• Very nice and complete package

Attention! The above information is for informational purposes only and is not a purchase guide. For any advice, you should contact the specialists!

markakachestva.ru

The power supply, which acts as a stabilizer, is more important to the computer than the processor. If the power supply unit breaks down, there is a risk of failure of the video card, which means irrecoverable loss of valuable data. Therefore, immediately choose the best one from those presented in our rating of power supply manufacturers.

The winner of the rating of manufacturers of power supplies. It produces expensive models, but they are practically silent (they emit only a quiet whistle) and are suitable for all modern motherboards. The company was the first, back in 2005, to put on sale a certified power supply unit.

Cooling systems at SeaSonic are fanless, with all modern protective equipment. Many models are 80 Plus Gold certified. The wires can be detached.

A company from Taiwan, relatively young (since 1999), but skilled in the production of power supplies. Thermaltake focuses on premium cooling systems and cases, so these products are not cheap.

In order to accelerate to maximum values, you cannot imagine better than this power supply unit. Their blocks are most often modular, with the ability to detach excess wires. They make many powerful production models that can handle up to 3 graphics cards. Energy efficiency certification is one of the best - 80 Plus Gold.

At the same time, Thermaltake has a low noise level (the fan does not work when the computer is idle) and there is practically no heating.

The optimal PSU option in terms of price-quality ratio. The company is famous for cooling computer equipment (processor coolers), cases, and there are both gaming versions (up to 3 video cards) and budget office models.

Therefore, the AeroCool PSUs practically do not make any noise, only under very heavy loads. And then, the video adapter is more likely to make noise. They only heat up at maximum loads - the production system does not allow for any flaws.

A Chinese company with 20 years of experience in production, which has focused on power supplies. Therefore, if there is no desire to overpay for the advertised brand, then you can purchase Deepcool.

Manufactures a dedicated line for gamers - 80 Plus Platinum certified, high efficiency and very powerful.

It practically does not produce other components, completely focusing on power supplies, which are quite expensive. As a result, the company is one of the 5 best manufacturers in the world, with high productivity and low noise level (no more than 21GB). Stable operation for 5 years is guaranteed. And budget models have a short wire and few connectors.

But despite the high production rates, these PSUs are noisy under load. And the budget models have a short wire and few connectors.

The best option in terms of price-quality ratio. Another young company, only South Korean, known for its processor coolers. The main emphasis is placed on quietness, which is partly achieved by a good quality case.

Most PSUs are 80 Plus Gold or Platinum certified, which will operate with minimal dips and ripple-free voltage under increased loads.

One of the largest electronics manufacturers focusing on industrial, which for 4 decades has been producing products under the motto "energy efficient, clean and innovative solutions for the future."

Delta supplies its power supplies for Dell, HP, IBM.

All of them are of good quality, but there are also fakes, with markings that do not correspond to reality.

A Taiwanese company, the main products of which are extremely budgetary, but at the same time with modern bells and whistles (backlighting). The warranty is 36 to 57 months. They can be connected to all motherboards, and of the features, flat modular cables can be noted. But the fans do not make any noise at all.

The disadvantage is that the wires are not detachable on all models, and not all have the 80 Plus certificate.

The company sells products for overclocking gamers. But she does not release it, but orders from partners (there are as many as 3 of them).

Their distinctive feature is densely braided cables. A very small percentage of defects, but the most common complaint is the high noise level in some models, although other buyers say the opposite.

Half of the PSUs do not have a safety certificate at all, and the other - with 80 PLUS Bronze (middle class) standards.

A little later, the company became famous for the scandal with misleading labeling (the number 430 in the name of the power supply unit, but in fact with a capacity of 350 watts).

The most key phrase in this article will be:

"Don't skimp on the power supply!"

When buying components and assembling a system from scratch, you should not classify the power supply as secondary things.

After all, it is he who will provide power to your processors, video cards, motherboards and hard drives.

Let's start in order about what is worth paying the most attention to.

Manufacturers.

This factor is often one of the most important. A manufacturer who values ​​his reputation will definitely not release "sparklers with strings." Therefore, first of all, we select a trusted manufacturer.

Now that power supplies are not just AC-to-DC converters. Manufacturers endow them with things like protection from short circuit, overvoltage and undervoltage, overcurrent, undervoltage of output channels, overheating, unexpected impulses. This is especially useful in post-Soviet countries, where to put it mildly - "electricity, not very high quality." Also, PSUs are supplied quiet fans , modular wiring system and many other convenient things, very necessary and useful.

A vigorous average in quality is the company Chieftec , together with Thermaltake (those PSUs that are not lower than the Toughpower series). Also to the middle peasants in quality, you can safely refer to power supplies from Enhance, Hiper and Antec... Power supplies are located separately above them in ascending order. Cooler master , FSP,,,,. In any case, having bought one of the listed power supplies, you can be more confident about the quality of the element base inside.

On the site realhardtechx.com you can see real power supply manufacturers ( OEM). After all, more 80% "Manufacturers" of power supplies, just order them from others 20% , and they themselves develop only the design and stick stickers.

What firms can be attributed to unreliable? Espada, Gembird,PowerMan, FOX(in most cases) and the list goes on.

How not to fall for the bait of scammers? You just need to be careful look at the price tag.

If you are offered a power supply unit with a power 600W, at a price for which competitors offer 450W model then in 90% cases - you are offered a low-quality product (sparklers). The starting point in the price, it is best to take the average from companies such as FSP and Chieftec.

* The data is taken in total according to the data of the service centers, problems with users and using the preparation of power supplies.

The required power of the power supply.

All kinds of calculators to choose from BP, on the websites of manufacturers, usually overestimate the necessary power that the system really needs.

However, it is best to take BP with a margin.

Lack of power , best case scenario may contribute to the appearance of graphic artifacts from a lack of power to the video card, sudden shutdown of the computer, overheating of components and "unlike anything" computer operation.

Also, if the power supply is constantly working on the limit, it wears out much faster. The capacitance of the capacitors decreases, the electrolyte dries up due to a constantly high temperature, the fan fails due to constantly high speed, general wear of all filtering components occurs, due to the higher temperature and high load on them.

In the worst case, a replacement awaits you burnt out power supply unit , along with a burned-out motherboard, video card and (God forbid). So, " Don't skimp on the power supply". Remember this phrase in order to avoid problems.

Stock in 150-250 w, at least somehow protect your power supply from premature failure, as well as save the budget for a new power supply, with a future upgrade. Plus, it will pretty much reduce the noise from the PSU fan. Also, do not forget that over time, the power supply loses power. This is due to the wear of the components, mainly.

Find out on average, which exactly power the power supply you just need:

We add up:

NS processor.

You need to find out on the website of the processor manufacturer or on the seller's website about its maximum heat release (in watts). This will be (literally) its power consumption.

.

Visually determine how many pins are inserted into the video card.

None less 75W, one 6-pin before 150W, two 6-pin before 225W, 8-pin + 6-pin- before 300W.

It should also be noted that when choosing a power supply unit for a powerful system, you should pay attention to the fact that the power supply unit has enough connectors to power the video cards, as well as that the current strength meets the requirements. Often, video cards require software 25A per channel, keep this in mind. Of course, nothing terrible will happen if there is a shortage, but the wires can noticeably warm up, and the components of the power supply will wear out a lot.

When adding up the consumption of the processor and the video card, we get the number to which we add the mat. fee (no more 30W), (not more 20W), cd -rom + (no more 50W), - periphery ( <30W ).

This adds up to the approximate number of watts your system needs. It remains to add spare 150-250W power and we get the required power required by the PSU.

* The data was taken taking into account the fact that the system will have no more than 4 memory strips, no more than 2 CD -drives, 4 hard drives, and 3 pci -devices without additional nutrition

Silence of work.

The quiet power supply is undoubtedly a huge plus.

Vertical fan power supplies are a thing of the past, leaving room for power supplies with a horizontal fan. O Larger diameter and lower rpms (although there are quiet individuals from Antec, with two vertically arranged fans), which creates much less noise from the fan bearing, and less noise of air friction against the blades, due to a decrease in its rotation speed.

H Some companies have gone further, creating even quieter PSUs that are almost impossible to hear; they work at such low speeds. All thanks to the high Efficiency, which significantly reduces the emission of energy in the form of heat. And also thanks to fans based on a smooth speed control system, using pulse width modulation(). This allows, depending on the temperature and load, to smoothly control the fan speed.

I'd like to note power supplies, such a well-known company in the world of power supplies as, with its series 87+

The fan can run at a speed 330 rpm at low load.

In addition, and are considered one of the "not high-profile" PSU manufacturers. Unfortunately, budget power supplies are often deprived of such privileges as quiet operation.

Power output on line 12W.

NS Almost all components of a modern computer are powered by a 12 volt line. And the need for lines 3.3V and 5V not that big. but Chinese manufacturers proudly named NoName think differently. Instead of giving b O more power on a 12 volt line, they give half along the lines 3.3V and 5V... This significantly reduces the cost of production due to load balancing (twin stabilization) between the lines, however, it is fraught with the fact that with an increased load on the line 12V- all lines start " fall through" in suspense. This is fraught with arbitrary shutdowns of the computer (if there is protection), or this power supply will simply burn out. Most often, components directly connected to the power supply unit burn - video cards, motherboards, hard drives.

First, you need to make sure that the unit is certified according to the version standard. 2.1 and higher. This almost automatically saves you from a wrongly designed power supply. From this version of the standard, all units are equipped with a minimum two 12V with output power above 14A.

It is worth looking at label, in the column 12V- total load power.

If this figure is on 150W and is more different from the total declared power, then such a power supply is definitely not worth purchasing. The highest quality power supplies, the return on the line 12V reaches to 99 % (!). It so happens that the sticker does not say anything about the maximum load power along the line 12V... This means that the manufacturer is hiding the true characteristics, and you should also refuse to purchase this power supply.

T What kind of power supplies are installed and case manufacturers which comes with a power supply. However, if the manufacturer of the case is a fairly well-known manufacturer of power supplies, this may mean a higher quality of the complete power supply unit.

But still, very valuable wish at the time of buying cases with power supply, there will be a replacement for a better one. Or you can save money and immediately purchase a case without a power supply unit, of which there are more and more now. The price for the power supply is not taken into account in them ( ~ 500-800r).

In the future, this may save you nerves, time and money.

To know how much power is given by the power supply along the line 12V, can be on the manufacturer's website or on the website of the store where you want to buy the power supply, in the product description. The more this value tends to the total power of the power supply, the better the power supply unit and the better its element base.

Minor factors and amenities.

Many, in addition to a cleaned workplace, want to see cleaned wires inside the system unit that do not stick out from all places. For this was invented modular wiring system.

Those wires that are not used are simply unfastened and do not dangle anywhere in the system unit. Plus, modular wires always go braided... This does not allow them to get disheveled and damaged, they can be laid as you want. In addition to aesthetic, it also has practical benefits in the form reduction of zones with stagnant warm air, thanks to the free space in the system unit.

It is also worth paying attention to wire length... Quite often, the length of the main power wires for the motherboard is not enough (24 + 4). Especially if on your motherboard the power connector is located not at the edge, but in the center, or you have a spacious case in which the motherboard is located above the power supply.

A few words about efficiency, power corrector, operating ranges.

High - very important for those who do not want to pay extra money for heated air.

That is - the higher the efficiency, the less energy is lost, and the less the power supply generates heat -> less noise -> longer service life.

With powerful hardware, there will also be tangible savings on electricity bills.

Active power factor correction() - more effective than passive.

Myths about efficiency and PFC in power supplies.

There is myth, what PFC how does that affect Efficiency- so this is really a myth. PFC and Efficiency are connected only indirectly and have almost no influence on each other. Purpose PFC - it is the unloading of the supply network from reactive power.

Another stupid myth, but no less relevant - " if the unit is 400W, then it consumes 400W constantly". The power supply consumes from the network only what is needed by the components in the computer + efficiency costs. Let's say the efficiency of the power supply 80% , then for bestowal 100W he will take more from them 20W(100-80 = 20). The total is 120W... For filing 400W, would need 480W from the outlet.

Conclusion.

We have analyzed all the criteria on the basis of which it is not difficult to choose a high-quality power supply that meets its characteristics, which will keep the power of all your components at the proper level.

1. Let's pay attention to the experience of the manufacturer.

2. Determine the required power.

3. Let's define the noise characteristics.

4. Check the output on the 12V line

5. Learn about PFC, efficiency, wire length

And we will repeat the most important advice:

Do not save on the power supply unit and do not buy a power supply unit "for delivery".

Happy choice!

Let's start with the obvious - with power... Remember that the purchased power supply must have at least 25% of the power reserve of the peak in the assembled system (it is not difficult to calculate it - there are many online calculators on the Internet). Taking into account the future upgrade, it is worthwhile to lay up to 50% of the stock - this will not only allow in the future to seriously increase energy consumption, but also reduce the load on the power supply unit, ensuring it works in the most optimal part of the efficiency curve.

The efficiency of switching power supplies is nonlinear - at low load and at maximum it is lower than at average (in the region of 50-60%). However, the most important to us is efficiency at maximum load, especially when it comes to systems with high power consumption. If you are assembling a simple PC with a 250 watt power supply, then its efficiency will not be of decisive importance - even a cheap "Chinese" will warm up insignificantly. But at powers of 500 W, a difference of several percent in efficiency will already give a serious difference in heating, and this directly affects not only the noise of the power supply, but also its resource, especially when the radiators and the fan impeller have time to collect dust.

We recommend considering only power supplies for purchase. with 80 Plus certification, indicating that the efficiency of the power supply is higher than 80% (this not only promises low heating, but also directly indicates the quality of the components). There are several certification options, we will give them in order of increasing efficiency: Bronze-> Silver-> Gold-> Platinum-> Titanium. And, if at powers within 500 W the 80 Plus Bronze unit will be a perfectly balanced choice, then in the kilowatt region it is already worth looking at "platinum", or even "titanium".

In the list of characteristics, it is imperative to pay attention to one more point. This is about PFC stock- physically, the work of this system is to minimize the phase shift, which is inevitable in AC networks due to the presence of high-capacity capacitors at the input of the power supply. If a power supply without PFC has a power factor of about 70%, then active PFCs are able to bring it to almost an ideal unit - and with a load of kilowatts, this provides no less than 300 watts of power consumption savings. But do not forget that not every PFC circuit is capable of "making friends" with uninterruptible power supplies - since the voltage waveform in cheap UPSs is far from an ideal sine wave, the PFC literally "goes crazy" refusing to work.