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Factors to Consider Before Buying Best Budget Power Supply

A power supply (PSU) is one of the most mysterious parts of your computer and it may be a challenge to choose the right one. To a lot of people, it doesn’t even seem too important and they tend to think that they can save some money on it; nothing could be further from the truth. A power supply is like a heart for your computer – seems pretty vital, right? With a low-quality power supply, you risk your computer not running or suffering serious damages in the long-time run. You may check BestBudget.com for the most recent reviews of various devices, but you still need to know your needs. So what should you take into consideration while choosing a power supply?

 Power Supply

 

The correct wattage

Every device needs something different and you have to know how much it should be in your case, as too much power supply may hurt your budget just like too little power supply may hurt your computer. So how can you figure it out to make sure you’re looking for the right amount? Luckily, you don’t have to do it yourself – there are plenty of tools available online that can do it for you. You will have to provide it with all necessary information and the calculator will tell you the estimated amount of wattage you will need. If you have the budget, it won’t hurt to buy something a little bit stronger.

 

The quality

It’s important to remember that high wattage doesn’t always mean high quality. For example, there are manufacturers who list their PSUs at high wattage ratings when in reality, these power supplies cannot deliver this exact amount over a longer period of time. A lot of people buy PSUs only because they have a high wattage rating, thinking it will meet all their needs, especially that they are extremely cheap in comparison to proper power supplies. So you’d rather not buy from no-name PSU manufacturers – do some research and choose one of the well-known producers (e.g. Cooler Master, Seasonic, EVGA, Corsair, etc.)

Make sure that the strength advertised next to the power supply means Continous Wattage, not Peek Wattage, as the latter will be much weaker (it’s the maximum power that can be delivered, but probably for a short time).

 

The efficiency

 

If you want to save money on energy bills and be a good friend to our Mother Nature, you will want to find the most efficient power supply possible. Long story short, your PSU takes AC power from the outlet and it converts it to DC which supplies all other parts with the necessary power. Normally, some energy is lost during the whole process, so, while considering the efficiency of your PSU, you should look for one that looses the least power (the higher efficiency percentage the better).

There is something called The 80 Plus rating system which is assigned to PSUs with their efficiency at 80% or higher, but there are also different levels of 80 Plus rating: regular 80 Plus, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium (ordered here from worst to best).

 

The size

 

While these factors may not be the most important, the weight and size of your power supply should also be taken into consideration. There’s no standard size for these units so if you don’t think about it, you may have a problem to put it in your computer system; however, bigger PSUs are generally better and more reliable. You will also need the cooling fan to keep it working; the bigger, the better, but make sure that you don’t mind the noise.

 

Aesthetics

There’s nothing bizarre in the fact that you care about the looks of your computer, especially if you’re building it yourself. Unluckily, power supplies don’t offer too much choice, but they do offer some, especially when it comes to cabling and sleeving – you can choose different types and colors to make the whole thing look neatly.

Just remember to never put looks before quality, efficiency or wattage.

What you don’t have to think about?

It can all be confusing, so it may be better to take something off your plate. There are some factors and proprieties that you don’t have to think about while choosing your power supply if you don’t know much about PSUs. 

 

  • Rails – there are single- or multi-rail PSUs, and both have their benefits and flaws. If you don’t live in a place where power fluctuations are a norm, then you can go for single-rail power supply without thinking twice.
  • AT vs. ATX – all you need to do is check your motherboard’s details to know whether it’s an AT- or ATX-type. The latter is much more probable.
  • Voltage stability – if you choose the wattage, efficiency and quality properly, stability won’t be an issue.

 

Don’t make the decision lightly

When you don’t have too much knowledge on the topic, it’s always a good idea to get the opinions of the experts’. So before you decide on anything, go online and read some reviews on various power supplies to be absolutely sure that it will be money well-spent.

Heather Jones
Heather Jones
Hello! I'm Heather Jones, a dedicated writer and expert in the fields of DIY projects, home improvement, and emergency preparedness. With over 15 years of hands-on experience, I'm committed to sharing practical tips and tricks to help you make the most out of your home and life.

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