Gold certified power supply: Computer parts, laptops, electronics, and more

PC power supply ratings: 80 Plus Platinum vs Gold vs Bronze vs White

Listen to advice from some corners of the internet, and it can sound like not buying the most efficient power supply possible will cause your PC to blow up. That’s simply not true, and you can spend money needlessly going that route.

Efficiency ratings for power supplies certainly lend themselves to that misperception, because the differences between 80 Plus (also known as 80 Plus White), 80 Plus Bronze, 80 Plus Silver, 80 Plus Gold, 80 Plus Platinum, and 80 Plus Titanium power supplies aren’t exactly immediately clear. But dig into how the system works, and you’ll see that you may get by just fine with an 80 Plus White power supply—or perhaps need a Platinum-rated one over a Bronze-rated one.

Efficiency ratings explained

A power supply’s efficiency rating tells you how much energy makes the conversion from AC power (what it draws from the wall) to DC power (what your PC’s components run off of). The rest is lost as heat. Power supplies rated as 80 Plus will have a 80-percent power to 20-percent heat ratio at 20-percent, 50-percent, and 100-percent load. As you get into the precious metal designations, the efficiency rises, capping out at 94-percent under 50-percent load for a Titanium-rated model. The efficiencies for power supplies rated at 80 Plus Bronze and above vary based on the amount of load.

The more efficient a power supply is, the less power it uses and the less heat it generates—which means a lower electricity bill and a quieter PSU. The components tend to be better too, which means you should be able to use it for longer. Manufacturer warranties usually reflect this: A Bronze-rated power supply might get a 3- to 5-year warranty, while a Platinum-rated model will be backed for 10 years.

These days, the most power supplies from well-known, reliable manufacturers have an 80 Plus or above certification, but it is possible to find other PSUs that fall below that. Those cheap power supplies that get included as part of a bundle with ultra-cheap cases? Not 80 Plus-rated.

CLEAResult.com

The actual percentage of efficiency for the U.S. and other countries with electrical grids that run on similar voltage. (You can see the full chart on CLEAResult’s site.) The minimum efficiency to meet ATX specifications is 60-percent at 50-percent load—much lower than where the 80 Plus standard begins.

How to choose an efficiency rating for a power supply

Three main considerations help determine what efficiency rating will work best for your PC build:

Local electricity rates
Ambient temperatures
Budget

Most average PC users who live in a temperate climate with low pricing for electricity will do fine with a standard 80 Plus or 80 Plus Bronze power supply. As you can see in the table above, the efficiencies don’t dramatically jump as you move to a higher rating.

What actually matters more is the quality of the specific model you’re considering. We recommend verifying how efficient a power supply actually is on the website of the group that issues 80 Plus certification, as well as considering the parts that go into it and who manufactures it—which isn’t always the same as who puts their company logo on it. (Our guide on how to choose a power supply can help walk you more fully through the process of vetting one before buying.) You can encounter situations where a Bronze-rated power supply can outperform a Gold-rated rival, for example.

EVGA

Typically as you go up in wattage, power supply efficiency ratings rise as well. But efficiency ratings don’t always tell the whole story about a specific model’s performance, so be sure to read reviews to get the full picture.

If you live someplace where electricity is more expensive, then the cost savings of a more efficient power supply can be worth the higher initial price. A higher-rated PSU can also make sense if you live somewhere that gets very hot for long periods, as ultra-warm ambient temperatures can reduce a power supply’s efficiency. Less heat from your power supply means less noise from its fan and less work on your part to keep your PC cool overall, too.

By the way, when calculating a power supply’s expected electricity cost, don’t forget that the wattage listed on a power supply is the maximum potential amount of DC power. You need the amount of AC power (what you draw at the wall) for an accurate estimate, which requires a little math. For example, an 80 Plus White 500W power supply at 50-percent load would work out to 250W DC power, or 312.5W AC power. You’ll use that latter number (312.5) when tabulating your electricity consumption.

In general, the higher you climb in wattage, so too does the efficiency rating. Your decisions will typically fall between just two to three options, which will make the selection process easier. Don’t feel obligated to spend more than you need—budget still matters. Buy a power supply with an efficiency that fits your situation, not the demands of other people who believe you must always maximize on specs.

Power Supply Ratings Fully Explained (2022 Guide)

Jacob Tuwiner

Power supplies are often misunderstood and overlooked.

Noob builders choose their power supply based upon wattage only, simply assuming that higher numbers are inherently better.

Some prebuilts give no attention to their PSU choice at all and live with whatever came with their device.

Although it’s easy to focus on the sexy components like your CPU and GPU, it’s also important to consider how crucial the quality of a power supply is to your system’s long-term stability.

If you’re new to the DIY computer-space trying to figure out what power supply to use in your next build, you may not think to look for the Power Supply Efficiency Rating when choosing a PSU.

How Does a Power Supply Work?

When your system is powered on and actively using electricity, the PSU is converting the DC (Direct Current) power that your house uses to deliver power all over the building to AC (Alternating Current) power that your components can then make use of.

The catch, though, is that your PSU will typically be taking more than it really needs. This is where efficiency rating comes in. The amount of energy drawn is still based on what your components need to run. However, this doesn’t mean your 650W power supply with be drawing 650W from the wall constantly.

For example, your components could tell the PSU they need, say, 150W of power, and you have a power supply with an 80% efficiency rating, your PSU might draw around 190-200W from the wall. You can just scale it with the efficiency percentages to find out how much yours really would draw.

In short, a power supply with a lower rating might be cheaper but will waste a lot more power. So you’ve really just got to way out the benefits of going up or down in efficiency based on how you plan to use your computer.

Looking at the efficiency rating can also give you a pretty good idea of how your PSU will perform since higher-efficiency units tend to have higher quality components, consume less power, and produce less heat, which can, in turn, contribute to lower noise levels and lead to a much higher lifespan for your power supply.

What are Power Supply Ratings?

All power supplies are ranked through the 80 PLUS voluntary certificate program. PSUs are rated on their percentage efficiency past 80% power efficiency in relation to 3 workload percentages (or 4, in the case of Titanium rated PSUs).

Here are all of the power supply ratings:

80 Plus
80 Plus Bronze
80 Plus Silver
80 Plus Gold
80 Plus Platinum
80 Plus Titanium
80 Plus

Starting at the bottom fo the barrel, the generic 80 Plus rating is given to power supplies that’re rated at 80% efficiency at all 3 workloads. These power supplies can usually be found very cheap but won’t be providing the greatest longevity promises.

80 Plus Bronze

Bronze-rated power supplies, however, despite being the second-lowest rating are some of (if not the) most popular power supplies for consumers. Well, 80 Plus Bronze power supplies are rated for at least 82% efficiency at 20% load, 85% efficiency at 50% load, and 82% efficiency at 100% load.

The secret the Bronze-rated’s success is the general reliability of them, paired alongside with their low cost when compared to Gold-rated power supplies. Though, how does the Silver-rated fare?

80 Plus Silver

Oddly enough, Silver-rated power supplies aren’t really popular, nor really on the radar at all.

There’s no simple answer we can give, but the gist of it is that Silver-rated power supplies cost a similar amount to manufacture as Gold-rated ones with a lower profit yield. Hence, the lack of them on the market.

PSUs with the Silver rating are rated for 85% efficiency at 20% load, 88% efficiency at 50% load, and 85% efficiency at 100% load.

80 Plus Gold

Most mid-range to high-range systems today will be sporting an 80 Plus Gold rated power supply due to their amazing reliability and relatively low cost. These PSUs might even be more popular than Bronze-rated ones!

Gold-rated is also the level at which manufacturers start using the Fully-Modular classification for PSUs, allowing for a higher level of customizability and utility in the ways you use your power supply. Fully-Modular PSUs also make cable management way easier. However, you don’t need a modular power supply.

80 Plus Gold power supplies are rated for 87% efficiency at both 20% and 100% load, similar to the Bronze and Silver, and 90% efficiency at 50% load.

80 Plus Platinum

Now we’re getting up to the high-end ratings, starting with the amazing feat of engineering that is 80 Plus Platinum.

When looking for your next power supply, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be needing a Platinum-rated PSU anytime soon. Unless you really think those power savings will be worth it.

Platinum and Titanium-rated power supplies are usually reserved for the server space since their efficiency and redundancy are basically unmatched but at a great cost, with Platinum-rated power supplies regularly reaching over $200USD.

Platinum-rated power supplies are rated for 90% efficiency at 20% load, 92% efficiency at 50% load, and oddly enough 89% at 100% load for whatever reason.

80 Plus Titanium

Sitting atop the very peak of this powerful mountain is the king of all power supplies; the 80 Plus Titanium.

Now in most cases, a Titanium-rated power supply is completely unnecessary and utterly overkill, but hey it’s got unparalleled efficiency if that tickles your fancy.

Titanium-rated PSUs are built with the highest-end components, and hell are they built to last, with some Titanium-rated power supplies coming with 8-10 year warranties; you can tell the manufacturers are confident in their product. Though, expect to pay well over $500USD for one.

Titanium-rated power supplies are rated for 90% efficiency at as low as 10% load, 92% efficiency at 20% load, 94% efficiency at 50% load, and 90% efficiency at 100% load.

I wonder if we’ll ever go higher than that?

Well, now you know what those little 80+ stickers on your power supply really mean, and if you’d like to check out a couple of our picks for great power supplies we urge you to check out this article.

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TOP 15 best living blocks for PC — Rating 2022 to the year.

Blog Brain

On the rich blocks of life, indicate the nominal tension, the prote won’t always show tension, as you can see on the 12 V line.

To spare you an hour, we have selected in our rating the 15 best housing blocks in three price segments, from budget to top solutions.

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~11000

Model	Price in Brain for Serpen 2022, UAH
Budget living blocks
VINGA 400W OEM (PSU-400-12 BLACK)	649
VINGA 500W OEM (VPS-500-120)	1036
AEROCOOL 500W VX PLUS 500 nine0033	1199
CHIEFTEC 500W (GPC-500S)	1389
GAMEMAX 600W (GE-600)	1529
Living blocks of the middle price category
1STPLAYER 550W (PS-550AR)	~2500
ANTEC 600W NE600G ZEN EC (0-761345-11682-4)	2522
VINGA 650W (VPS-650G)	2999
SEASONIC 650W S12III-650 BRONZE (SSR-650GB3)	3078
SILVER STONE 750W STRIDER GOLD (SST-ST75F-GS)	4059
Top class living units
nine0017 XILENCE 850W PERFORMANCE X	4949
COOLERMASTER 850W V850 SFX GOLD	~7400
CHIEFTEC 1000W PROTON (BDF-1000C)	6599
Super Flower Leadex III 850W 80 Plus Gold	~7200
THERMALTAKE 1200W TOUGHPOWER GF1
Pouches

In the price range from 600 to 1600 UAH, it’s easy to get a block of living without any compromises. Low factors, tightness, modularity, defense systems, certification, brand are added to the price of BZ. We selected the models from those:

The presence of a certificate of compliance with the KKD standard for such a budget will be a welcome bonus.

VINGA 400W OEM (PSU-400-12 BLACK)

Nominal power supply of the 12V power supply unit is 240W, which does not match the declared 400W power supply. However, I will add a low price, the wines are carefully selected and quite quiet for a 120 mm cooler. The PFC module is passive* (a reasonable option for such a budget), there is no cable for the live video card.

* Passive module PFC with additional choke for group stabilization of input voltage. The efficiency of voltage stabilization for such solutions is much lower than for active PFC modules. nine0245

In the case of a bag, Denmark, the PSU can be recommended for any selection from a built-in video card and a 4-6 core processor.

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Plusy

Minusi

Passive PFC module

Actual stiffness 1.5 times less than declared

Cheap

VINGA 500W OEM (VPS-500-120)

VINGA VPS-500-120 is based on ATX standard 480W power supply via 12V line.

OCP – strum rewrap at the skin canal

SCP — short

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OVP — type of overvoltage

Voltage stabilization is behind the passive PFC module. The fan size is similar to the front model.

The editorial office considers BZ data to be optimal for choosing a PC with a spivstavnoy zagalnoy potuzhnistyu. A 6 pin cable is provided for the video card.

Plusy

Minusi

One of the most affordable living units with real heat 480 W

Nemaj

Silent fan

Aerocool 500W VX Plus 500

budget blocks of the Aerocool Live without the Hyodnoye Certificate Vidpovynosti, Prota VX PLUS 500 to finish precisely Viddovida, by the declaration of the vobiniki by the vibrant. According to the line 12 V, it looks like 456 watts. In addition, the BZh with the active PFC* module (group stabilization), which is the best in our rating, will be installed on the input capacitor. nine0003

*Active module PFC with a microcircuit that stabilizes the voltage on the input line (group stabilization) or on the skin line of life is OKremo (split stabilization).

Chinese element base, Japanese capacitor input. On the board, when sorting out, it is clear to finish a rich free job — it’s more like talking about those who vikoristovu її і in more expensive solutions. Cooling block 7-blade 120-mm cooler on forged bearings. A 6+2 pin cable is provided to connect the video card. nine0003

Plusy

Minusi

Active PFC module

Medium hardness component base

6+2 pin video card cable

24 months warranty

CHIEFTEC 500W (GPC-500S)

Chieftec BZ to bring a wide range of models, popular on the Ukrainian market, to a wide range of models and high quality vikonannya. Zokrema, BZh i-Arena GPC-500S nod to the original layout of the head microcircuit. Together with a well-implemented refrigeration system, it guarantees a wine-stable robot. For BZ with group voltage stabilization (if stabilization works for all life lines at the same time) in a new arc of low inspiration for this parameter. With an average fan speed of 120 mm, the cooler is practically noiseless. nine0003

Mayzhe 500 W standard living unit.

Plusy

Minusi

Active group stabilization (PFC) with low pressure relief

Short cables

Mayzhe noiseless with a load less than 50%

GAMEMAX 600W (GE-600)

GameMax GE-600 is also the most beautiful of all budget models. It has a new receiving design, a solidly padded case and all cables in a yakous polymer braid.

Standard set of roses, nothing special. Korean CWT capacitors (medium-capacity) should be installed at the entrance. Zagalom more zruchny budget BZh for a system with a total total power of up to 480-500 watts. With only one small amount of money, you can pay for the noise of the fan in some parties. nine0003

Plusy

Minusi

Certificate 80 plus

Other copies may be noisy under pressure

Receiving design, foldable and braided cables

Korean input capacitors

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Living blocks of the middle price range are available from 1800 to 4000 thousand hryvnias, with a difference in the price of growth and stability of the robot. In this segment, before the blocks of life, we had the following numbers:

Applicable for 80 Plus Bronze certification. Or rather Gold. The higher the class certificate (and KKD block of life), then the greater the savings of electricity will be at a long distance. The average term of life of a yakіsny BP has 5-7 years; nine0003

the severity of the declared tension is not less than 90-95%;

yakіsna elemental base;

according to the possibility of different stabilization of the voltage.

1STPLAYER 550W (PS-550AR)

Based on our rating model with 80 GoldPlus certification under the 1stPlayer brand. I’ll add a chip to support a special silent mode. On the case there is an additional red button, when pressed, the transition to the quiet mode is activated (cooling from the radiator with the switched off fan). This mode can come in handy in scenarios that do not convey a high priority, for example, a robot in a browser, office tasks, reviewing a video. nine0003

Here we have an active PFC module (group stabilization), it is equal to the nominal intensity of the declared tension at 12 V lines. Usі components of Taiwanese virobnitstvom medium density.

Zagalom tse miraculous life block for medium pressure PC.

Plusy

Minusi

Special «silent» mode

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No flow rate adjustments

Yakisna circuitry

High work stability at low heat

ANTEC 600W NE600G ZEN EC (0-761345-11682-4)

The kit also has 6+2 pin cables. nine0003

Capacitors in Japan and Taiwan, as a matter of fact, to achieve a quiet fan and a 24-month warranty — a unit of life without obvious shortfalls for its wattage.

Plusy

Minusi

4 cables for 6+2 pins for video card

Nemaj

View 600 W on line 12 V

Gold certificate

VINGA 650W (VPS-650G)

VINGA VPS-650G Gold Efficiency Certification — a modular unit with a rich «stuffing». There is also a quiet 120 mm fan on the FDB bearing (hydraulic), modular cables (which I seriously ask you to save space in the case), the circuit has Japanese capacitors and DC-DC conversions. In addition, there is not a group, but a separate stabilization of the voltage for the skin okremo line of life. nine0003

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Plusy

Minusi

Separate stabilization, active module PFC

Round cables

DC-DC converters, Japanese capacitors. Gold certificate

Modular cables

SEASONIC 650W S12III-650 BRONZE (SSR-650GB3)

In addition, the electronics of the brand are actively beaten by other manufacturers, such as Be Quiet, XFX and Antec. TEAPO capacitors, which are featured in the model, are manufactured in Taiwan by Seasonic’s subsidiary.

The living unit can have an efficiency certificate 80 PLUS BRONZE, no cables (some of them are flat, for ease of installation) and equipped with an active PFC module from group stabilization. nine0003

BZ has a remarkably quiet fan powered by the Seasonic Smart and Silent Fan Control (S2FC) utility to help reduce noise and optimize power consumption.

Miraculous block of life with a guarantee of 5 years of life in the midst of your tightness.

Plusy

Minusi

Responsiveness of reported tension — 648 W on the line 12 V

Muffled clatter at start-up time and the block may be run down — however, a design feature

Yakіsnі accessories

Guarantee 5 years

SILVER STONE 750W STRIDER GOLD (SST-ST75F-GS)

SilverStone Strider Gold S is one of the worst blocks in our mid-budget rating. Here Japanese Racoon capacitors, Sanken PWM controllers and High Power platform are victorious. nine0003

Addition of insurance for the industrial work of important minds, with which the fans work more quietly for 70% of the profit. The system of filtering the voltage of the building is designed to ensure that the statements of the flow rate are ± 3% of all channels of the okremo. Here, all possible systems are implemented, including overheating.

Plusy

Minusi

nine0017 New modularity. Flat and soft soft cables

Competitors with such a quality of storage and components — 5 years of warranty, there is only r_k

A wide range of input voltages, which is in the realities of Ukrainian electrical networks

є significant advance

Japanese Japanese accessories

Attachments in this part of the rating are insured for the support of the top and top gaming and professional selections from the latest processors and video cards. So, choosing the BZ for this segment, we gave respect to the choice of the schemes of the yakіsnih components of the Japanese Chi-Korean brewing. nine0003

XILENCE 850W PERFORMANCE X

The Xilence Performance X series of lifeblocks is a prime example of what you can get from mid-range components and can be taken to top-end performance. Razdіlnu stabilіztsіyu zabezpečuє LLC-pertvoryuvach, zavdyakom vіdkhilennya vіdhilennya narug not exceed 1%. Energospozhivannya BZh vіdpovidaє certificate 80 Plus Gold for merezh 230 Art.

The block is partially modular, all cables are braided, the fan works quietly, a rich set of connectors. nine0003

Plusy

Minusi

Support all kinds of defense and separate stabilization of life with low incomes (1%)

Guaranteed only one rіk

Quiet fan with hydrodynamic bearing

Middle level accessories

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Partial modularity

COOLERMASTER 850W V850 SFX GOLD

SFX standard living units are available for PC selection in Mini ATX type cases. For which form factor, 850 W is the actual limit for the end of 2021. That is why the COOLERMASTER V850 SFX GOLD is one of the few top solutions that is suitable for compact collections with a tight “stuffing”.

CoolerMaster’s low-end, low-cost living units of this level are equipped with even lower components. Here we have Racoon capacitors and On SemiConductor mosfeti, as well as separate stabilization for all lines on Japanese microcircuits. nine0003

Plusy

Minusi

Highly modular, which is important for compact solutions

For efficiency, the BZ is supplied with the ATX standard, but the natural exchange of the form factor

Yakisna component base

Noisy (92 mm fan) – compact size

Stable output voltage, low ripple and noise

Chieftec 1000W Proton (BDF-1000c)

Chieftec Proton BDF-1000c representation of module blocks of the Zelennya of the Tax TO 140 mm fan.

Significance of the differential stabilization of the voltage in the BZ has a low pulsation rate. As soon as you turn it up by 50-40% in case of maximum pressure, the fan becomes practically noiseless. Here є mayzhe all systems zahistu (short flicker, overheating, breakdown). Replaced cables are flat, in a soft braid, which makes laying easier. nine0003

Plusy

Minusi

7% margin for pressure, which exceeds the declared parameters

Fan forged bearing for this price segment

Differential voltage stabilization

Yakisna Japanese circuitry

Super Flower Leadex III 850W 80 Plus Gold

Living blocks under the Super Flower brand have always been called «rational minimalism». Series Leadex 3rd revision is a representative of this concept. Tse povnistyu modular BZ іz gold certificate, scho maximally conform to the declared parameters. Attachment is selected on Japanese capacitors and mosfets. At the block of life, a separate stabilization of the voltage for all lines was implemented. nine0003

The 140mm fan has three modes of operation, two of which provide low noise levels. For all that, there’s nothing to say: it’s a day-to-day undertaking of an overworld design. The folding block is solid, without backlash and creaking. Nadіyne solution for hard-wired computer.

Plusy

Minusi

Japanese condensers, upgraded folding platform with high pressure level

Ushogo two live cables for GPU

Differential voltage stabilization

Working cables with round set

Modular flat cables

THERMALTAKE 1200W TOUGHPOWER GF1

Thermaltake living units have always been respected by their own elite. Navіt in the budget segment of the company vikoristuє yakіsnі components. And in such top solutions like Toughpower Grand 1200W, of course, everything is on the highest level. nine0003

Here is a cicabial design, neatly folded, top-of-the-range components and modern circuitry. Povna modularity, moreover, flat cables in the arc of a distant polymer braid, they are easy to lay. Razdіlna stabilizatsija naprugi in the range of 1% and high stability in the robot.

Plusy

Minusi

Fully modular, flat cable with polymer braid

For significant pressures, make noise

High storage capacity, only Japanese components

High price

24 months warranty

Try to focus not only on the parameters of the life block, but also on the results of testing in real minds by technical experts, so you know about all the specific operational nuances of the model.