Another significant advantage of this PSU is the compact footprint, which will make the installation process more manageable. The fully modular cables will also help in this too. Speaking of the cables, they don't have in-line capacitors, making cable rooting harder than it has to be. The only real drawback in this unit is the pair of EPS connectors hosted on the same cable. Usually, EPS connectors should be installed on dedicated cables for lower voltage drops and enhanced safety, but the platform didn't provide enough sockets for this.
The Corsair AXi was the first desktop PSU to use its cutting-edge power supply technology, but even several years after its initial release, few other PSUs utilize it.
Okay, those are the technical details, but what you really need to know is that this is about as efficient as power supplies get. The AXi is the worthy successor of the legendary AXi. Both units are made by Flextronics, using cutting-edge technology while offering the best performance that money can buy today, thanks to their digital platform. Besides being highly efficient, the AXi also offers outstanding load regulation, excellent transient response, long hold-up time, and excellent ripple suppression.
Despite its high capacity, it remains impressively quiet in operation, thanks to the relaxed fan profile and a high-quality FDB fan. You will pay a lot to get your hands on a Corsair AXi, but there is nothing else able to meet this PSU eye-to-eye when it comes to overall performance.
If PC building isn't part of your skillset, look at our guides for the best gaming PCs and best gaming laptops that can give you the most bang for your buck and save you a headache. More and more of the best power supply brands have expanded into the small form factor category recently, an area that has started to garner much greater interest from gamers too.
A few years ago, SFF PSUs were niche products, but the introduction of elegant small chassis, and the desire for smaller systems, have increased the competition in this category.
Fractal, meanwhile, had nothing to show in this category until it launched these SFX Gold units. That means they can have more relaxed fan speed profiles and be quieter than their standard SFX counterparts. On top of that, the larger PCBs allow for higher capacity units, too, up to W. The Ion SFX G advantages over its Corsair SFX adversary are the larger, mm fan because it follows the SFX-L format, along with the highly flexible modular cables, which indeed make a difference during the cable routing and installation processes.
Besides the experience and vast knowledge of electronics, the evaluation of power supplies also requires insanely expensive equipment , which not everyone can get their hands on.
On top of that, even if you have the proper equipment, you need to know how to operate it, and above all, you have to properly maintain it AKA calibrate it in frequent intervals to ensure that your results are correct. The recommendations that we list in this article are based on data that we gathered using the equipment shown below:. We use top-of-the-line equipment to test power supplies, including Chroma electronic loads, Keysight AC sources, N4L power meters, Keysight and Picoscope oscilloscopes for PSU timing, and ripple measurements, along with other specialized equipment.
When it comes to noise measurements, besides a highly accurate sound analyzer, we also have a hemi-anechoic chamber at our disposal, with a close to 6dBA noise floor. The noise measurement's set-up is depicted in the photos below.
You don't need a degree in rocket science to work out the wattage requirements for your system. The recommended system power requirement listed on the specs list for your current or future graphics card is a great place to start. Still, we recommend using an online power calculator to get the most accurate figure.
OuterVision's Power Supply Calculator is our go-to. If you have a full-size tower, you may want to check reviews and documentation to ensure that the cables are long enough to allow good cable management. Various form factors are available for power supplies, but most PC gamers will want the standard ATX power supply.
Overvoltage protection and short circuit protection can help to save your components in the case of a surge or accident. Perhaps you live in a dorm or your parent's house and don't pay the power bill. Or maybe you don't expect the computer to have heavy daily usage. In those cases, the lower upfront cost of a less efficient PSU may be the better choice. On the other hand, if you care more about the electric bill or the environment and plan to maintain a higher CPU usage, then a more efficient PSU may be better.
Don't go too far over W above your expected power needs. Rightsizing your power supply will keep electricity costs to a minimum, as higher wattage PSUs will consume some additional power, even when idle. Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Selecting a power supply is easy once you understand how much watts you need and the form factor.
The extra power efficiency is nice to have if you can afford the few extra dollars and modular vs non-modular power supplies is a preference decision. Power Efficiency Another factor in selecting a power supply is its efficiency rating. Modular vs Non-Modular Modular power supplies are a little more work than non modular power supplies.
Form Factor Always double check the form factor of the power supply you are buying. Visited 1 times, 1 visits today. Related Posts What to look for in a new gaming PC in ? PC Hardware. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Do not sell my personal information. Cookie Settings Accept. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.
Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.
Unfortunately, the manufacturers do not provide clear information on the actual GPU power consumption, and to make matters worse, you also have to consider possible power spikes that can reboot the system if the PSU isn't strong enough to handle them.
Even at default settings, some high-end CPUs can ask for W or more power. Yes, we're looking at you Mr. Core i9 K. If you combine this with a high-end GPU's power consumption, you will quickly figure that you need an W or even stronger PSU for a high-end gaming system. The PSU's dimensions play a role in your next system build. Thankfully, the prevalent desktop PSU form factors are restricted to the following. It has longer depth than SFX to allow for a stronger platform.
These indicate the PSU's efficiency, in other words, how much power the PSU draws from the socket to deliver power to your system.
0コメント