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Say Hello To One Of Your PC’s Most Important Components
 
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Power supplies don’t get much love from the average PC DIYer. Think about the first time you built a computer. You spent hours agonizing over your choices for most components, but you probably gave the power supply about as much thought as you did the floppy drive. It’s not hard to see why: The power supply plays a support role in your system. Whereas your CPU, memory, motherboard, and even your hard drive affect your system’s speed, the PSU simply provides the power those components need.

But you’re a power user now. You’ve assembled plenty of PCs since that first build, and the PSU you bought for your most recent system runs much more quietly, has higher-quality parts, and better expels heat. You’ve seen low-quality power supplies die suddenly, and you’ve noticed that other PC components sometimes have shorter life spans when powered by faulty power supplies. You find that you have a real interest in how PSUs work and what makes one better than the other, which means you’re at a whole new level of geekiness. Welcome.

Power supply quality is even more important these days than it was only a few years ago, thanks in large part to video cards. Nvidia’s SLI and ATI’s CrossFire dual-card setups boost power draw significantly, and individual video cards draw much more power nowadays as it is.

CPU recognizes the importance of power supplies, so we take them into account when we review systems from boutique PC builders. Even so, a PC review’s focus is on the computer’s overall quality and performance, so we spend little time on the PC’s individual components. Users who want to know more about these PSUs are left wanting more, and to that end we’ve put together a comprehensive look at power supplies.

Power supplies aren’t too exciting from the outside: They’re big, bulky boxes that eat up valuable chassis space. PSU cables, while necessary, cause plenty of headaches for system builders who strive to keep systems clutter-free. Some manufacturers spice up power supply aesthetics by adding LED fans and removable cables. Modders often replace metal PSU cases with clear acrylic covers. But in the end, it’s truly what’s inside the PSU that matters.

To kick things off, we take a close look at the power supply’s guts. The quality and size of certain components greatly affects the power supply’s overall quality—in fact, you can often spot a low-end PSU simply by checking its weight. Light PSUs generally have smaller heatsinks and other parts and, as a result, can’t handle high-stress, high-temperature situations as well as better-appointed units.

Wattage is a particularly tricky issue, as some manufacturers base the power supply’s wattage ratings on inordinately cool ambient test temperatures. In those cases, the ratings don’t reflect the wattage capabilities you’re likely to see when you pack the PSU into your system’s crowded, warm case. We delve into this problem and help you find units that live up to their labels.

Power supply rails are important but oft-overlooked features, so we discuss rails in-depth and explain how to figure out your system’s power supply needs. We also interview some of the top dogs at popular manufacturers, including Doug Dodson (PC Power & Cooling), Ryan Peterson (OCZ), and Joerg Theissen (Enermax).

Of course, this section wouldn’t be nearly as exciting without some serious PSU roundups. To that end, we put together two massive matches that pit the most popular PSU brands against each other in two categories: midrange, sub-$200 power supplies and heavy-duty, high-wattage units that will add some impressive numbers to your system’s overall price tag. We put each PSU through some grueling tests and made every attempt to create true-to-life test environments. We discuss the good and the bad about each power supply in detail.

And we have charts. Hoo boy, do we have charts. If you’ve ever been frustrated by reviews that don’t offer information about individual performance, you’re in for some good times. You’ll find all the information you need about each PSU’s rails, connectors, fans, and cable lengths, as well as our test results for power factor, case temperature, and maximum wattage.

If you’re geeking out at the thought of 19 PSU reviews, dig in and enjoy. Power supply nirvana awaits on the next page.  

by Joshua Gulick