- 9.40/10 1. Premium pick: Corsair AX1600i
- 9.60/10 2. Editors choice: EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3
- 9.40/10 3. Best value: EVGA 600 BR
- 9.60/10 4. Corsair RM850x
- 9.40/10 5. Cooler Master MasterWatt 750
- 9.20/10 6. FSP Dagger Pro 550W
- 9.40/10 7. Seasonic PRIME TX-1000
- 9.20/10 8. XPG CORE Reactor
- 9.40/10 9. Seasonic FOCUS GX-750
To ensure your PC runs efficiently and reliably, you'll need to source a decent power supply unit (PSU). The PSU not only provides power to your PC but can be a literal lifesaver to other components in your PC if something goes wrong.
For PC builders, a PSU should be easy to work with and come equipped with the right features for the job at hand. Whether you're looking for a fully modular design or a PSU on a tight budget, the market is diverse and caters to a wide range of machines.
Here are the best PSUs for PC builders.
The Corsair AX1600i offers top performance using innovative features that forge the way for future PSU technology. With a Titanium efficiency rating, this PSU can run silently and at full power at just 48 degrees Celsius.
PC builders won't struggle with this PSU due to its fully modular design. The Corsair AX1600i offers near-perfect load regulation, long hold-up time, and ripple suppression, which is so far unparalleled.
The high-performance of this PSU, coupled with its forward-thinking design, comes at a high financial cost. However, when you consider the technology and features packed inside this beautifully designed PSU, outputting a whopping 1600W, it's hard not to be tempted by it.
- 100 percent 105 degrees Celsius Japanese capacitors
- Customizable color magnets
- Zero RPM fan mode
- Brand: Corsair
- Ouput: 1600W
- Modular Cabling: Fully Modular
- +12V Rails: Multi
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: Yes
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Titanium
- Silent operation
- Magnetic side covers
- Large design not well-suited for smaller builds
The EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3 comes from a well-made line of power supplies that boast efficiency, affordability, and performance. This small PSU comes equipped with an 80 Plus Gold rating and fully modular design to make building a PC a breeze.
The seven-year warranty is available on 550 and 650 models, which is reassuring for reliability. During low to medium loads, you can run the EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3 in complete silence.
For the price, the EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3 is hard to beat in a battle between performance and features. However, it's worth keeping an eye on the 650W model, which is often around the same price as the EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3, offering an additional 100W.
- Hydraulic dynamic bearing fan
- 150mm long
- Seven-year warranty
- Brand: EVGA
- Ouput: 550W
- Modular Cabling: Fully Modular
- +12V Rails: Single
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: Yes
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Gold
- Eco mode for silent operation
- High-quality build
- Reliable brand
- The 650W model is often the same price
The EVGA 600 BR is a good quality and reliable power supply that you can afford on a budget. If you want to rein in your PC build's costs so you can put the extra dollars into a higher-end graphics card or other components, this PSU is a great option.
Budget PSUs aren't necessarily lower quality. However, they do need to hold back in places like features to account for affordability. The EVGA 600 BR isn't modular like other PSUs, and it has a Bronze 80 Plus rating, but it is pretty powerful for the price.
If you want a reliable power supply unit that will fit nicely into a range of PC cases, the EVGA 600 BR is reasonably easy to work with and runs quietly despite its low cost.
- Fits most mATX, ATX, EATX, HPTX, and XLATX cases
- 120mm long life sleever bearing fan
- Hardware protection
- Brand: EVGA
- Ouput: 600W
- Modular Cabling: No
- +12V Rails: Single
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: Yes
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Bronze
- Quiet operation
- Black-sleeved cables look stylish and tidy
- Very affordable
- Not very energy efficient
The Corsair RM850x features 850W of continuous power, providing enough juice for a high-end gaming PC. Corsair's RM-series PSUs are well-known for their reliability, with the Corsair RM850x being no different. It comes with a generous 10-year warranty.
The quiet fan is perfect for building a silent PC, which is impressive given it's packed into a small 160mm-long unit. This makes it easier to fit your PSU into a wide variety of PC cases. Coupled with the modular cables, PC builders are unlikely to encounter any issues, optimizing cable management.
The Corsair RM850x comes with 80 Plus Gold certification, so it's incredibly efficient even at higher loads. Corsair has outdone itself with this PSU, reassuring users of its outstanding performance and reliability.
- Virtually silent operation
- Fully modular cables
- Compact size (160mm long)
- Brand: Corsair
- Ouput: 850W
- Modular Cabling: Fully Modular
- +12V Rails: No
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: Yes
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Gold
- Reliable PSU
- Quiet fan
- 10-year warranty
- Some users report that the cables are initially stiff
The Cooler Master MasterWatt 750 is the perfect solution for PC builders who are on a tighter budget. This PSU offers the right balance between affordability and performance without being branded as cheap.
If you're after a reliable choice with a five-year warranty, the Cooler Master MasterWatt 750 ticks the right boxes. The PSU includes a dustproof level of IP6X and a fan output of 0dB under 15 percent load, which will make it almost silent for standard productivity uses.
The semi-modular cables make the Cooler Master MasterWatt 750 easy to work with. It has a compact design, so it will fit nicely into a range of cases and includes thicker PCIe cables to support newer graphics cards.
- Semi-fanless up to 15 percent load
- Dustproof level IP6X
- Conductive PCIe cables
- Brand: Cooler Master
- Ouput: 750W
- Modular Cabling: Semi-Modular
- +12V Rails: Single
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: Yes
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Bronze
- Affordable
- Compact design
- 80 Plus Bronze efficiency
The FSP Dagger Pro 550W is a small yet powerful PSU made for mini-ITX and Micro ATX builds. If your mini-ITX case doesn't include a built-in power supply, this is an affordable alternative with a substantial 10-year warranty.
With a fully modular design, the FSP Dagger Pro 550W makes it incredibly easy to work with and create compact PC builds. The PSU is fanless under 20 percent load, coupled with a high-efficiency 80 Plus Gold rating.
If you want to keep your PC's temperature down under a smaller build, the FSP Dagger Pro 550W boasts features that will help you do this.
Although you might not know the brand, the company produces PSUs for SilverStone and Thermaltake, so it has experience in this area.
- Compatible with mini-ITX and Micro ATX
- Flat ribbon cables
- Silent up to 20 percent load
- Brand: FSP
- Ouput: 550W
- Modular Cabling: Fully Modular
- +12V Rails: Single
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: Yes
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Gold
- High-quality capacitors
- Fully modular
- Great for compact builds
- Not a well known brand
The Seasonic PRIME TX-1000 is a complete powerhouse, making the perfect addition to a high-end PC build. With the highest-achievable 80 Plus Titanium certification, this PSU operates efficiently at high and low loads.
If you're making use of this PSU's SLI/Crossfire compatibility, running multiple GPUs, you'll see the full benefits of a 1000W power supply. In most cases, this will be more than enough for any high-end machine.
In the box, you'll find a whole host of useful accessories as well as fully modular cables to make building your PC a breeze. Although the Seasonic PRIME TX-1000 is expensive, you get a lot for your money, including a 12-year warranty.
- 135mm fluid dynamic bearing fan
- Customizable cooling
- 12-year warranty
- Brand: Seasonic
- Ouput: 1000W
- Modular Cabling: Fully Modular
- +12V Rails: Single
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: Yes
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Titanium
- Extremely quiet
- 80 Plus Titanium certification
- Premium quality materials
- Expensive
The XPG CORE Reactor is an affordable yet powerful 650W PSU that's fully modular. If you don't want to spend too much on your power supply, but you want to power high-end components, this unit is a solid choice.
The overall build quality of the XPG CORE Reactor is very high, able to run at full power at 50 degrees Celsius. The relaxed fan profile offers silent operation and boasts an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating.
PC builders will find two EPS connectors---essential for high-end mainboards. However, they are on the same cable, which could prove a little frustrating. Overall though, for the price, this is an excellent PSU.
- Operates at 50 degrees Celsius
- 11.2dB at 20 percent load
- Alternative sleep mode
- Brand: XPG
- Ouput: 650W
- Modular Cabling: Fully Modular
- +12V Rails: Single
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: No
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Gold
- High-performance
- Silent operation
- 10-year warranty
- 3.3V transient response could be better
The Seasonic FOCUS GX-750 is a budget-friendly PSU that will give you 750W of power in a compact package. Despite being very affordable, this power supply comes with an 80 Plus Gold rating and offers a fully modular design.
One of the critical priorities for PC builders is effective cable management. The Seasonic FOCUS GX-750 helps clean cable management, making it easier to install inside the case and continue your build.
If you want to run dual video cards but are on a budget, the Seasonic FOCUS GX-750 keeps cost downs while performing well. The unit has three fan controls with an option for silent operation.
However, the overall package offered by this PSU is a little lackluster, especially compared to the competition at the same price.
- 140mm compact fan
- Fan control
- Silent operation
- Brand: Seasonic
- Ouput: 750W
- Modular Cabling: Fully Modular
- +12V Rails: Single
- SLI/Crossfire Compatible: Yes
- 80 Plus Efficiency Rating: Gold
- Easy installation
- Five-year warranty
- Fully modular
- Better options available at a similar price
FAQ
Q: Is an 80 Plus PSU Good?
80 Plus ratings start from Bronze and make their way up to Titanium. The higher the rating, the more efficient the PSU is. The more efficient a PSU, the better it is for the environment and the less it will cost to run. If you can, try to choose at least a Gold-rated 80 Plus PSU.
Q: Which PSU Brand Is Best?
There are plenty of powerful and reliable power supply brands available. Each offers something slightly different, so it's difficult to declare one as the best over another. For example, EVGA manufactures PSUs that provide a balance between affordability and performance. On the other hand, Corsair is well-known for reliability, and Seasonic is the recipient of many global awards.
Q: Are PSUs Repairable?
If you don't have the technical knowledge or skill to repair a PSU, it's recommended not to attempt to fix a broken or faulty one. PSUs don't tend to come with replacement parts, and they aren't readily available like other PC components. Most PSUs come with a warranty, so if your unit encounters any issues, contact the manufacturer rather than attempting to repair it yourself.
