How to choose a power supply for a computer

A computer power supply unit is a device that is designed to convert an alternating current of a household network into a constant one with strictly set values ​​of voltage and power and its subsequent delivery to the functional elements of the system unit.

Content

1. How to choose a power supply for a computer: parameters that must be considered
2. How to choose power
3. Which company is better to buy a power supply for a gaming computer
4. The presence of the necessary connectors for the motherboard
5. The presence of the necessary connectors for peripherals
6. Extra options
7. Summary

How to choose a power supply for a computer: parameters that must be considered

When choosing a power supply, consider the following parameters:

1. Power (in watts);

2. The presence of the necessary connector for the motherboard (pin number);

3. The presence of the necessary connectors for peripheral equipment (MOLEX, SATA, 6-pin video and others).

However, the first parameter is fundamental - power. If it is not enough, some elements of the computer may stop working. In addition, their degree of wear will increase, and the power supply itself risks burning out, which will lead to system crashes in the system unit.

How to choose power supply unit

The power supply provides a current across several buses that differ in voltage. However, the most resource-intensive PC components are usually located on a 12-volt channel. It is on it that the power supply unit's power is measured - especially considering that due to numerous marketing techniques, its nominal value may be significantly higher than the actual one.

So, on top models of 600-watt (nominally) power supplies, the maximum power on a 12-volt bus is usually 540-560 W.

Considering that a video card and a motherboard with a processor are usually located on a 12-volt bus, you should choose a power supply unit using a fairly simple formula - the total power of these components should be multiplied by 1.2. The additional 20% is left “in reserve” - it will not hurt in any way, especially if any upgrade is planned in the near future.

But you should not overdo it with power, overpaying for unused watts. For example, the configuration of the Intel Core i7-6700K processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 video card can also work on a 450 W power supply. The main thing is that these nominal watts correspond to the actual ones.

Which company is better to choose a power supply for a gaming computer

As mentioned above, the labeling on the sticker may not have much in common with reality. However, some power supplies are tested by the user community, and their manufacturers are credible.

These manufacturers include:

1. SeaSonic;

2. ENERMAX;

3. Be Quiet !;

4. Antec;

5. Corsair;

6. Cooler Master;

7. GIGABYTE.

The rest should be wary.

However, there is indirect confirmation that the power supply will be of high quality (it will produce the appropriate nominal power, will provide a “smooth” conversion without current and voltage jumps, it will work for a long time) - 80 PLUS certification.

80 PLUS certification means that the power supply provides at least 80% efficiency with any load. It exists in five variations - Standard, Bronze, Sliver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium. It is clear that Standard is the easiest option, Titanium is the most advanced. But this is an indirect confirmation.

The 80 PLUS certificate itself shows exactly the energy efficiency of the power supply. However, to obtain this document, the manufacturer must take the finished device and all its test results to the special organization Ecova Plug Load Solutions, which will issue (or not issue) permission to use this mark. The presence of third-party control literally forces the manufacturer to increase the quality of its products.

It is worth remembering that there is only a certificate 80 PLUS. No 85 PLUS, etc. in nature not.

The presence of the necessary connectors for the motherboard

From the power supply to the motherboard fits two tires - one supplies with electricity the motherboard itself, the other - the processor. And on different configurations the number of contacts (pins) on these "wires" is different.

So, on modern computers, the motherboard requires power, which comes through a 24-pin bus. It can be labeled as 20 + 4 pin. But the old number of contacts on the motherboard power bus is 20.

The second bus feeds the processor. In most cases, it is 4-pin. However, on modern, powerful computers, an 8-pin processor power bus is used. It can be labeled as 8 pin or 4 + 4 pin.

Before buying a new power supply, you need to determine which connectors are on the motherboard - is it available or planned.

The presence of the necessary connectors for peripherals

Similarly, the definition of the necessary connectors for the motherboard is determined by the necessary connectors for peripheral equipment.

So, most modern video cards use a 6-pin connector. However, some, especially powerful models are powered by an 8-pin loop, which is designated as 8 pin or 6 + 2 pin.

A hard disk drive will require a SATA connector. To connect some types of peripheral equipment - MOLEX with 4-pin-pin.

Extra options

For a gaming computer, cooling is also important. And since the power supply cables interfere with the normal exhaust of air and can get into the rotating blades of the coolers, it is advisable to hide them somewhere.

A good solution would be detachable cables. Excellent - flat, detachable. They can be output between the substrate of the motherboard and the case, thereby hiding from the main space of the system unit.

Summary

Before buying a power supply, you need to determine its required capacity and find out which connectors are required. It is worth remembering that the actual power may be higher than nominal. And, since the power supply is the “heart” of the computer, you should not save on its purchase by choosing devices from unknown manufacturers with incomprehensible characteristics.

---

Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.