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If you are building a gaming PC, then you might have come across different power supply efficiency ratings. The top of all, are the Gold and Platinum rated power supply units. So, picking between a Gold vs Platinum efficiency rating can pop up confusion in your mind if you have never been so far in building a PC.
Here in this guide, we’ll make things simpler for you in understanding which category is meant for you. But before we unveil the main difference between Gold and Platinum power supply units, let’s first learn about the power supply rating system.
The PC Power Supply Rating
The efficiency rating of a power supply indicates how much energy is converted from AC to DC. So the power supply units that are rated as 80 plus have the capability to convert 80% alternative current (AC) into direct current (DC) and the rest of 20% is emitted as heat. So, I hope this would be clear to you at this point.
At 20%, 50%, and 100% capacity, power supplies classified as 80 Plus get an 80% power to 20% heat ratio.
In general, the more efficiency a power supply has, the less power it uses. The 80% efficiency rating of the power supply is further divided into different categories listed below.
- Bronze
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum
- Titanium
The efficiency or you can say the quality of a power supply is divided into all of the above five categories. Bronze is the lowest efficiency standard, whereas Titanium is the highest standard present in the market.
As we move up from the Bronze to Titanium category, the efficiency rating of a power supply increases as well.
What is 80 PLUS Certification? And Why Is It Necessary?
The 80 Plus PC power supply rating system is used to assess the dependability and efficiency of a computer’s power supply. It’s a structure instated over 10 years ago to define the many types of PSUs properly.
Image Source: PC Perspective
The far more powerful a power source is, the reduced energy it consumes and much less energy it produces, resulting in reduced electricity costs and a healthier environment more productive a battery pack is, the minimum energy it consumes and far less waste it produces, resulting in a reduced electric bill and a quieter power supply.
The components are also generally superior, but you really should be able to leverage them for longer. This is frequently reflected in the manufacturer’s warranty: A Bronze-rated power supply may come with a 3- to 5-years guarantee, but a Platinum-rated unit would have at least a 10-years guarantee.
Also Read About: What Wattage PSU You Need For Gaming PC
Why should you buy a Certified PSU?
The higher-powered, more costly PSUs feature more bells and whistles and have a higher great value for money. Moreover, 80 Plus is a non-profit certification scheme that began in 2004 to promote energy efficiency in computer power supply units (PSUs).
If you have a reduced computer, you should purchase an elevated lower-power PSU with 80 Plus Gold or Platinum certification, which means it has an effectiveness rating of at least 88-90% at 20% load.
Products with an energy efficiency of further than 80% at 20%, 50%, and 100% of the rated load and a voltage level of 0.9 or better at 100% load are eligible for certification.
80 Plus Gold vs Platinum Power Supply
Let’s start with the Gold rating on a power supply. The components used in Gold rating PSU are of high quality. In the previous categories, Bronze and Silver, the quality of components was low-quality. So, there’s much-advanced technology used in Gold rated PSUs for the longevity of the power unit.
Practically, there isn’t much of a difference between an 80 Plus Gold and Platinum-rated power supply. The only difference that you’ll find out is the quality of components that may end up saving you a few more bucks. Let’s start with an example to help you understand this in a better way.
Most Reliable 750W 80 Plus Gold Power Supply from EVGA
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For example, you have a computer that draws 300W of power, 10 hours a day (3KWh a day). Now if you have a Gold Rated PSU, add 10% into this equation and it becomes 3.3 KWh a day. However, if you go with a Platinum Rated PSU, then this would only add another 8% to your total power draw, leaving you with 3.24 KWh a day.
Summing up for a whole year, this would be 1204 KWh for Gold Rated Power Supply whereas 1183 KWh for Platinum Rated Power Supply. So, in the end, you would save a few more bucks on your energy bill if you go with a Platinum Rated PSU.
So, if you are living in an area where electricity costs are higher, then going with Platinum 80 Plus PSU will surely save you a bit of money on your electricity bills.
Another thing is the type of components used in Gold and Platinum rated power supplies. To be honest, the Platinum units are better than the Gold units as they are equipped with much better capacitors and circuits.
But even if you go with a Gold-rated PSU, you aren’t exposing your build to any power risks. Both of these categories, Gold and Platinum come with several years of warranty to ensure maximum safety for your PC.
Image Source: CleaResult.com (Table showing efficiency rating of Gold vs Platinum Power Supply at different workload
Which One You Should Choose, Gold or Platinum?
If you intend the use your PC for several hours every day, then going with a Platinum-rated power supply would be an ideal choice. Not only this will help you save a few bucks on your bills, but it will also make your PC power-proof for a few more years.
Moreover, the price difference between a Gold vs Platinum-rated PSU isn’t much. So, it’s better to go with Platinum units if you have a little more cash to throw on the table.
Platinum 750W Power Supply from EVGA
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Also, choosing a high-rated power supply would be essential if you are living in a hot area.
As we know that when a power supply converts the current from AC to DC, it produces more heat.
So picking a Gold or Platinum rated power supply would definitely reduce the extra amount of heat produced during the conversion process. Also, the PSUs with a higher efficiency category produce less noise.
Choose a power supply with an efficiency rating that fits your need.
Popular Gold-Certified 80 Plus PSUs
- Corsair RM650x 80+ Gold Certified
- EVGA SuperNOVA 120-GP-0650-X1, 650 G+, 80 Plus Gold
- Montech Gamma II Series 750 Watt 80+ Gold
- Thermaltake Toughpower 1200W 80+ Gold
- GAMEMAX 1050W Power Supply, Fully Modular, 80+ Gold
Popular Platinum-Certified 80 Plus PSUs
- Corsair HX Series, HX1200, 1200 Watt Platinum Rated
- Phanteks (PH-P1200PS) 80+ Platinum
- EVGA Supernova 1200 P2 80+ Platinum
- Seasonic FOCUS Plus 850 Platinum SSR-850PX 850W 80+ Platinum
- Seasonic FOCUS Plus 750 Platinum SSR-750PX 750W