Are you a tech geek? If you are, then you are likely to be interested in acquiring new hardware or creating a new system. If you do, then one of the first things that you will pay attention to, is the graphics card, processor or hard drive. All these components play a major role in performance. However, one major component that most people tend to overlook is power supply. Here are some tips that you should follow to get the best quality of PSU for your PC:-
PSUs are not only about Watts
PSU manufacturers rate their units in watts. There are two main issues related to it. First and foremost, apart from reporters there is no one who can check the facts offered by power supply manufacturers. The latter normally don’t make their products available for review. So, a manufacturer with questionable reputation can label a power supply with whatever they feel.
Secondly, power supply delivers in a complex manner. They come with numerous rails, and each one carries a specific amount of current which is measured in amps. Different devices draw power from different rails. Drawing more power from a rail can cause instability in your system. There might even be power supply failure. There is only one rail that you will need to pay specific attention to-12v rail. It will deliver power for your video card. The video card consumes the greatest amount of power in a PC. So, you will require around 30 amps on 12v rail for a single video card in your PC.
Certifications Matter
Once you start browsing for a power supply, you will come across certifications like 80 Plus. Certifications are based on efficiency. The main job of a power supply is taken current from your power outlet and convert into usable power for your PC. A little amount is wasted as heat during this process. A power supply that comes with 80 Plus certification has a minimum efficiency of 80%.
You can come across even better certifications in the market such as 80 Plus Bronze, Silver, etc. A power supply with greater efficiency will utilize less power at any given load. But it won’t help a great deal in lowering your electricity bills.
Quality is the major reason you should be interested in certifications. A high level of efficiency can be ensured through the use of good quality components. If you compare two similar supplies in the same price range, then their certification would be the same.
Prepare the Connection
Power supplies connect with different components within a system using particular connectors. Each of these is designed for a different sort of component. For instance, SATA connectors are compatible with SATA drive while PCle connectors are suitable for video cards. Video cards require specific attention. The ones that can render decent gaming experience normally require at least one 6-pin PCle connector. The biggest ones require one-6 pin or one 8-pin or two 8-pin connectors.