Power Supplies
Rated power output or wattage
The most basic specification to understand is the power supplies rated wattage, and how much you will need for your system. We sell a large range of power supplies from around 450W, great for a basic home/office PC, right up to monster units over 1000W to cater for extreme systems and overclockers. Typically, a lower wattage power supply will have a corresponding price, but the features, efficiency and quality often mean you will see a lower wattage high quality power supply cost more than a higher wattage cheaper model.
Once you have figured out what parts you have, or will be buying for your PC, you can estimate the power consumption via many online calculators or basing off reviews of your intended graphics card as this is typically the most power hungry part in your system. We have found Guru3D graphics card reviews to offer a good realistic baseline for the minimum PSU you should consider with each card, and many cards even advise this in the specs table.
An important thing to remember when selecting wattage, is that most power supplies operate at the highest efficiency when not under peak load. As such, it is worth adding a little extra headroom for this reason if your budget allows, as well as allowing for future builds as power supplies can often be used across many systems. Power supplies are well known to be an overlooked part by many PC enthusiasts, but it is as close to a 'buy once, buy well' situation in a PC as you will get - so we highly recommend doing your research, or reaching out to our friendly sales team for advice.
Efficiency and 80 Plus ratings
It's not all about raw power! Efficiency is another factor to consider when buying your power supply. You will usually see an 80 Plus rating attached to a power supply which refers to how efficiently a power supply can convert AC power to DC power, which can essentially mean you use less power at the wall for powering the same system as the conversion is more efficient. While this alone cannot be relied on, this can often be a result of higher quality components, and as such you will often find a more efficient power supply is also a higher quality product overall.
Thankfully, comparing efficiency is quite simple due to the 80 Plus rating system. 80 Plus have come up with a handy scale for you to judge your PSU’s efficiency. This ranges from basic 80 Plus to Bronze, Gold, Platinum, and ultimately Titanium. What do these ratings mean? Well, in essence with the standard 80 Plus rating you can expect your PSU to operate at 80% efficiency, going all the way up to 94% with a Titanium rated PSU.
Not only does efficiency mean your PSU is wasting less power, but it can also help with durability since typically waste energy is dissipated as heat, so an efficient PSU will run cooler and use it's fan less.
Form factor and dimensions
Most systems will be using, and compatible with the ATX form factor (generally 150x86x140mm). Many larger or high efficiency power supplies will have a higher length, but the interface with the PC chassis will remain. Look for the standard mounting dimensions of 150x86mm, and the next quoted measurement will refer to the depth or length the power supply will protrude inside your system. Many cases will specify a support PSU length, so this is the figure you will want to allow for. SFX power supplies are much smaller, and designed for ITX systems. These will often include shorter cables designed for a smaller system to reduce clutter. Be sure to check which kind of power supply your case is designed for, and purchase accordingly!
Fully modular, semi-modular or standard?
You might also consider picking up a modular PSU. Though more expensive than fixed cable PSUs, you have the freedom to only connect the power cables you need for your system, and reduce the amount of cables you have cable manage for optimal airflow. You only need to connect whatever components you have currently installed, and you can store your cables away should you add new hardware in the future. Semi-modular power supplies are a good balance of the same functionality but with slightly less added costs. In most cases these will only include the critical ATX 24pin power and 8-pin CPU power connector(s) which almost every system will need - and leave the rest modular. A standard fixed cable power supply is basically as you would expect - all the cables are attached, so anything you don't use, you'll just need to tuck away (at least we hope you'll tuck them away!).
Aesthetic features and upgrades
Like most modern PC hardware, how the PSU looks within your case is an increasingly important aspect. Although the majority of PSUs are still made assuming you will mount them under a PSU shroud, you might consider investing in some premium sleeved cables to connect your PSU to your components. Often these cables come in eye-catching colours and have a premium finish. Though a fine detail, they can really enhance the overall look of your build.
These days, however, some PSUs are made to be shown off. You'll even find some models integrating RGB illumination as well as OLED screens, giving you live updates on system info such as temperatures and power draw. Pay attention if your case has a PSU shroud, or if the fan
