Energy hunger: TOP 5 computer power supplies

Deepcool Explorer DE430 is the cheapest power supply of those that it makes sense to buy at all. Everything that is cheaper is produced by companies with a dubious reputation and its internal design does not inspire confidence. Unlike the Chinese know-how, which deceptively promises high power at a penny price, it is honestly written on the Explorer DE430 tag that 430 watts is the peak power that the PSU is able to output only for a short time.

Under long-term load, only 300 watts of power is guaranteed, of which 250 watts is supplied via a +12 V line. It is through it that the processor and the graphics card are powered, that is, the most energy-hungry components of the PC. Even such a seemingly small amount of power is completely enough for stable power supply of a medium-level gaming PC, say, with a 65-watt Core i5-7400 processor and a 120-watt GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card.

At the same time, the Deepcool Explorer DE430 has a quiet fan in a simple PC, which is very rare in the lower price segment. But with the increase in energy consumption, for example in games, the buzzing increases noticeably. And all because the Explorer DE430 does not even have an initial 80 PLUS energy efficiency certificate, that is, its efficiency is less than 80 percent. However, for a PSU of such low power and such a low cost, this is excusable.

For a modern low-cost and even mid-price gaming PC, theoretically, a power supply with an honest 350-400 watts is sufficient, of which at least 300 watts should be issued along the +12V line (see the article"How to choose a power supply for a computer?"). But so that the circuitry does not wear out too quickly, it is better not to load the PSU to full and take a model with a reserve of 500 watts. And if you also want the BP fan to rotate quietly, then the first candidate for purchase is Chieftec Eco GPE–500S.

In idle mode, the 12-centimeter Chieftec Eco GPE-500S fan rotates very quietly (650 rpm). The noise of the motor is not audible, but a slight whistle of air passing through the openings of the ventilation grate in the form of honeycombs is discernible (not the best solution for blowing, as it is quickly clogged with dust). However, there are no absolutely silent PSUs in this price category – this is already a privilege of the older segment models.

On the +12V line, the Chieftec Eco GPE-500S outputs as much as 450 of the total 500 watts, but at the same time it is equipped with only one 8-pin power connector for the graphics card (models up to 175 watts are supported). Fortunately, with the help of a special adapter (purchased separately), an additional 6-pin connector can be made from two Molex and in this way power a graphics card with an energy consumption of up to 250 watts. The Eco GPE-500S has not been officially certified for energy efficiency, but according to the manufacturer's statements, which is confirmed by tests on reputable hardcore sites, its efficiency is a solid 85 percent (comparable to the 80 PLUS Bronze certificate). Conclusion: the power of the Chieftec Eco GPE-500S is enough for a gaming PC with one, even a flagship graphics card, with the exception of the outdated energy-hungry Radeon R9 390, 390X, Fury and Fury X.

Zalman ZM500-TX is the most complete power supply in the price category up to $50. It attracts attention by its appearance alone. His fan is not only that it has a diameter larger than that of "classmates" (14 cm), it also glows blue. If you install the PSU from above, it will illuminate the motherboard and PROCESSOR cooler (see the article "Silence and overclocking: the top five processor coolers"). If from below, it will shine into the floor a la tuned sports car from Need for Speed.

The power of the main line +12V in the ZM500-TX is 480 out of a total of 500 watts, which is an excellent indicator. At the same time, the PSU is able to withstand short-term overloads up to 600 watts. The efficiency is 80 percent, for which the ZM500-TX was deservedly awarded the 80 PLUS certificate. The processor power cable has a record length of 63 cm, while all cables except 20+4-pin are made in the form of thin "noodles". Both contribute to a neat hidden laying of wires.

Unfortunately, the perfect Zalman ZM500-TX at a cost of only $50 cannot be. As its electronic basis, a ready-made solution of a little-known company Hui Cheng is used, the durability of which remains a mystery for the time being. In general, the circuitry seems to be quite good, but in some places there are obvious savings. For example, there is no varistor at the power input, which should protect against voltage surges of the household electrical network. But even despite this, the ZM500-TX remains a good PSU and we can recommend it for assembling a gaming PC even with the most voracious graphics card, for example GeForce GTX 1080 Ti.

Modern computers are pushing games to buy a single, but powerful graphics card (see the article "Review of GeForce GTX 1050, 1050 Ti, 1060, 1070 and 1080 graphics cards"). Bundles of several video cards give a relatively small increase in frame rate, and some games are not supported at all. At the same time, another wave of popularity of cryptocurrency mining (this time not Bitcoin, but Ethereum) has revived the former interest in bundles of four AMD CrossFireX video cards (NVIDIA solutions are poorly suited for mining). And they require a really powerful power supply, such as the Aerocool VX-800.

The VX series of power supplies is the youngest in the Aerocool model range. The appearance of these PSUs is extremely simple: there is not even a fabric braid of a 20+4-pin cable, which is why individual wiring is easily confused. They also saved money on the fan, it's too noisy. But the circuitry is sound – the time-tested Andyson brand.

But the VX-800 still has the main thing: a 744 W +12V line and four 8-pin connectors for video cards. This is just enough to power a computer with fourRadeon RX 470 or 570, namely these two video cards are now most often used for mining. As a result, Aerocool VX-800 turned out to be a very narrow-purpose solution. For a gaming PC, it is better to look for a less powerful, but quieter and more energy-efficient model.

German be quiet power supply! Straight Power 10 CM with a capacity of 600 watts is an example of a premium model that costs not much, not little, $ 120. We consider it impractical to buy even more expensive BP, because the creation has be quiet! there is absolutely everything you can wish for.

As an electronic basis, Straight Power 10 CM 600W uses a Gold solution (we are talking about an energy efficiency certificate) from FSP, the second best PSU manufacturer in the world. In the first placeSeasonic, but its products are, in our opinion, unreasonably expensive. The fan of its own unique design be quiet! – with six windings of an electric motor (solutions have three or four windings cheaper), which allows it to rotate at a record low speed of 250 rpm. Simply put, the propeller is not that quiet, but almost completely silent.

In addition, be quiet! Straight Power 10 CM 600W is also modular, that is, extra cables can be easily disconnected (for example, half of the four connectors for video cards), so as not to lie idle inside the PC case. As a result, given the numerous advantages and the absence of obvious disadvantages, we boldly recommend this PSU to computer enthusiasts in general and lovers of modding (PC decoration) in particular.