Dedicate a bit of effort finding the best PC power supply for that computer or gaming PC you’re building. While they may not be as sexy as the best graphics cards or the best processors, PSUs, like motherboards, are even more vital to your setup. That’s because, without the right amount of power they provide, those sexier components won’t function properly.
In fact, if you have the wrong or an unreliable PSU, your computer might lose power efficiency – or worse, turn into a flaming inferno. Having one of the best pc power supply will save you from having to replace your internal components because they finally got fried from intermittent crashes or even the PSU itself after it started emitting smoke. And, if you’re fond of RGB lighting, you’ll need one with enough juice for the whole neighborhood.
Luckily, you don’t have to shell out a bit of money to get the best PSU. There are quite a few options on hand for the budget-minded. Take a look list of the best PC power supply, complete with our price comparison tool so you can get the best price available.
Best PSU at a glance:
- Corsair RM750x
- EVGA 500 B1
- be quiet! Straight Power 10
- Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 1050W Platinum
- Silverstone SFX Series SST-SX550
- Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 ARGB 1200W
- XPG Core Reactor 750W
- Thermaltake Smart RGB 700W
- Corsair AX1500i
- NZXT E650
The Corsair RM750x scores the top spot on this list for one simple reason: it’s the most well-rounded power supply you can buy today. On top of a 10 year warranty and an 80 Gold Plus efficiency rating, the Corsair has a fully modular cable system. This means you only need to install the cables you need – you can say goodbye to the mess of cables and shoddy airflow that non-modular PSUs endure.
If you’re on the market for an affordable power supply that doesn’t cut too many corners, there aren’t a lot of options right now. So, an economical power supply like the EVGA 500 B1 may be right up your alley. For less than the price of a new game, you’ll get a full 500 watts of power transmitted through several SATA cables and two PCIe cables. This is hands down one of the best power supplies because it covers the bare essentials and nothing more, which is exactly what a budget PC component needs to do. The three year warranty is a nice touch, as well.
- This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair RM750x
Even the best PSUs seem to have extremely loud fans, and unlike case fans, it’s not exactly easy to replace them. Luckily, the Straight Power 10 line-up runs nice and quiet. Options range from 400w to 700w, and they’re SLI and Crossfire certified. They’re also modular, meaning you only need to use the cables that are necessary for your build.
Thanks to the advanced and reliable platform it uses, the Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 1050W Platinum delivers high overall performance. It also boasts five vivid RGB lighting modes – controllable via a button in the back, a built-in memory function and a Smart Zero Fan that’s ultra quiet.
The best PC power supplies unfortunately tend to be giant hunks of metal that don’t fit into smaller PC cases. However, the Silverstone SFX SST SX550 is a compact power supply that fits in plenty of cases. It’s half the size of most of the other PSUs on this list, allowing for more room for better airflow. This makes it an easy pick for anyone building a mini ITX or micro ATX build, and you can even slide it into a mid- or full-tower, if you feel like it. It’s easy to see why the Silverstone SFX is one of the best PC power supplies.
The Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 ARGB 1200W is braun and beauty rolled in one, delivers high performance with RGB lighting features. If you’ve got a high-powered mirrored setup, this one’s the best PC power supply for you. Better yet, it’s fully modular and built like a tank so it’ll last you a long time. All these high-end features come at premium price, but if you happen to have extra cash lying around, it’s completely worth it.
The XPG Core Reactor 750 may have some pretty tough competition out there, like the Corsair RM750x, for example. It’s high price tag doesn’t help. However, it’s a mighty PSU with higher quality parts and high performance. In addition, it’s also one of the very few power supplies that’s fully-compatible with the new ATX specifications. And, it’s pretty compact, ideal for more compact computer setup.
In 2020, if your PC isn’t strapped to the nines with RGB lighting, you’re not trying hard enough. Enter the Thermaltake Smart RGB 700W – not only does it have beautiful, addressable RGB lighting, but it also features a reliable 80 Plus efficiency rating and enough power to support even the best gaming PCs. Yeah, it’s not modular, but at less than a hundred bucks, we’re willing to look the other way – especially with that sick lighting.
If you’re a serious builder that plans on building an absolute behemoth of a rig, with multiple graphics cards, cooling systems on top of some healthy overclocking, the Corsair AX1500i is the best PC power supply for you. It has the highest possible 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating, and is fully modular, so you only need to add the cables your build actually requires.
If you’re really trying to maximise the visual appeal of your build, a modular power supply is almost essential – you can avoid all of those messy looking wires cluttering up your case. The NZXT E650 takes things a step further. Not only is it a fully modular power supply, meaning you only need to connect the wires you actually need, but it’s also extremely attractive itself, begging to be shown off in your case. This is all topped off with an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating and a 10-year warranty – not only will it look good, but it’ll deliver power efficiently and last forever while it does it.
Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article