When you're building one of the best gaming PCs, the first thing that you're thinking about is what graphics card or processor you're going to build your entire rig around. However, while they might not be as sexy, the best power supplies are extremely important to your gaming PC. Because while they might not be the driving factor behind a higher frame rate, these little bricks supply the power to everything else in your system.
TL;DR – These are the Best Power Supplies
- EVGA Supernova 1000 P3 – Best Power Supply
- Corsair CX-M Series CX650M – Best Budget Power Supply
- Cooler Master V 850 SFX – Best SFX Power Supply
- SilverStone Technology SX1000 Platinum – Best SFX-L Power Supply
- Corsair AXi Series AX1600i – Best High Capacity Power Supply
- be quiet! Dark Power 13 750W – Best Silent Power Supply
- Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum – Best RGB Power Supply
- Seasonic Prime Fanless PX-500 – Best Fanless Power Supply
All PSUs (power supply units) aren't created equal, however. There are actually a lot of power supplies out there that'll do more harm than good, either by delivering power inefficiently or by cutting corners and becoming fire hazards. As a general rule of thumb, you should keep an eye out for any power supply with an 80 Plus rating. These ratings are color coded: white, bronze, silver, gold, platinum and titanium – with 80 Plus Titanium power supplies being the most reliable.
There is some movement, lately, however that suggests power supplies might move away from 80 Plus for their ratings, with Corsair moving to the firm Cybernetics for its future power supply ratings. However, for the time being, most power supplies on the market will still be using 80 Plus for their ratings, and we'll be sure to update this article as more brands transition to Cybernetics in the future.
Contributions by Mark Knapp
1. EVGA Supernova 1000 P3
Best Power Supply
I've been using an EVGA Supernova 1000 for years now as my main power supply. Every graphics card, processor and SSD review I have done since 2019 has been run on this PSU, and it still hasn't shown any sign of slowing down, even with more power-hungry components like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super and AMD Ryzen 9 9950X. I would trust this power supply with my life.
But it's not just an extremely reliable component, but its also as efficient as they come. This power supply sports an 80 Plus Titanium rating, which is the highest efficiency rating a power supply can get. That means even when you're pushing this thing to its limit, you don't have to worry about the EVGA Supernova sucking more power from the wall than absolutely necessary.
The only thing that really holds the EVGA Supernova back is its plain black design. But let's be real: most modern PC cases shove the power supply way out of sight, so it's not like you're going to be looking at it after you're done building your PC. Plus, the modular cables have a nice webbed covering, making them look nice in pretty much any build.
2. Corsair CX-M Series CX650M
Best Budget Power Supply
If you’re building a PC with more modest needs, you can get away with a lower-wattage power supply like the Corsair CX-M Series CX650M. For under $80, you don’t get a fully modular PSU, but it’s semi-modular for a tidier build, better cable management, and more airflow. It’s even 80 Plus Bronze certified, delivering a guarantee of efficiency you shouldn’t go without.
The CX650M is relatively quiet and fairly compact—though not an SFX model—yet it still can pump out 650 watts. That amount of power should do for many mid-range builds—think an AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5 and something like an RTX 3060. However, you only get two PCIe connectors, and there's no 12+4 pin PCIe connector for the newest GPUs, but if that’s not an issue, this power supply offers some tremendous value.
3. Cooler Master V 850 SFX
Best SFX Power Supply
You don't have to settle for a low-power system just because you want to build in a mini ITX case. The Cooler Master V 850 SFX power supply has all the juice you need to run a beefy rig, but it comes squeezed into an SFX form factor to fit into your mini builds. You’ll enjoy up to 850W of power, while an 80 Plus Gold rating and the use of Japanese capacitors ensure excellent efficiency. There’s even an SFX-to-ATX bracket. So, you can use this PSU in builds of all sizes.
The Cooler Master V 850 SFX is a fully modular power supply, letting you swap out cables to help keep a tidy and more thermally sound case. If you’re looking for the latest and greatest connectors, this PSU doesn’t disappoint, thanks to ATX 3.0 support and a 90-degree 12+4pin (12VHPWR) PCIe 5.0 connector, which is perfect for powering RTX 40 graphics cards. You might be concerned about heat caused by running all your PC's internals. Luckily, a quiet fluid dynamic bearing fan and other heat dissipation tools are in place to keep things cool.
4. SilverStone Technology SX1000 Platinum
Best SFX-L Power Supply
When you’ve got a small build, you can sometimes be pretty limited with what parts you’re able to fit inside. But, if your case and build provide that little bit of extra space for a SFX-L power supply, the SilverStone SX1000 won't disappoint. It delivers up to 1,000W of power while maintaining the highest efficiency levels that earn it a 80 Plus Platinum certification. When you’re running at lower loads, you’ll also be able to enjoy silent operation with a dual ball bearing fan that runs at just 18dBA at the quietest and maxes out at only 38dBA, though the fan can go quieted still by remaining off when power loads are below 20% of max.
The SilverStone SX1000 Platinum is fully modular, so you can build using only the power cables you need. This will help you keep your small form factor build tidy for better airflow and aesthetics. That said, the power supply includes a bunch of cables in case your rig is going to be fully loaded.
5. Corsair AXi Series AX1600i
Best High Capacity Power Supply
Some of us are building gaming computers for mere mortals. We may use 65W CPUs and graphics cards that barely top out over 200 watts. But, if you're building a HEDT computer and need some serious wattage for everything from CPU overclocking, dual graphics cards, and a smattering of storage drives, powerful fans, and RGB lighting, then the Corsair AXi Series AX1600i is for you.
The name of this power supply is probably a good hint that this unit offers up 1,600 watts of power. You won't have to shy away from that dual-RTX 3090 setup with this power supply in your rig. The Corsair AXi Series AX1600i delivers power with 80 Plus Titanium efficiency and uses all Japanese capacitors alongside gallium nitride transistors. With Corsair Link software, you can also monitor performance and adjust settings.
6. be quiet! Dark Power 13 750W
Best Silent Power Supply
Fans are great for cooling, and you definitely don't want your power supply overheating, but sometimes you just wish those fans could take a chill pill and stop whirring away. In that case, the be quiet! Dark Power 13 750W power supply can keep your system juiced up without cranking out a ton of noise in the process thanks to a mesh front with funnel-shaped air inlets and be quiet!'s frameless Silent Wings fan.
The Dark Power 13 750W power supply should easily meet the power needs of most computers—with enthusiasts and HEDT PCs being an exception. Efficiency in the delivery of that power is key, so the 80 Plus Titanium rating is welcome. Adding to the greatness of this PSU is it’s fully modular, helping you handle your cable organization depending on the needs of your setup. This model even supports ATX 3.0 and PCIe 5.0, letting you use it with the latest GPUs.
7. Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum
Best RGB Power Supply
You don’t need to miss out on style just to get power. The Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum combines a capable power supply with some flashy RGB. This PSU keeps cool under load using a 135mm ARGB fan that not only moves a bunch of air quietly with its fluid dynamic fan bearing but also delivers tons of lighting. You get ARGB LEDs embedded around the fan, and it doesn’t stop there, a digital side panel can display fan speed, temperature, and power consumption. And, of course, Cooler Master gives you a ton of control over how you customize the lighting with their MasterPlus+ software.
Though the RGB lighting is fun, the Cooler Master XG850 Plus Platinum’s main focus is power. And you get 850W of it with an 80 PLUS Platinum Certification, ensuring efficiency, while the capacitors used in both the cables and platform are reliable and reduce ripple noise. This unit is also fully modular, so you can swap out longer or shorter cables and omit extraneous ones. After all, you want to reduce clutter to improve airflow, and that RGB lighting would be spoiled by a tangle of cables.
8. Seasonic Prime Fanless PX-500
Best Fanless Power Supply
You might question whether a passively cooled power supply will run smoothly, but the Seasonic Prime Fanless PX-500 is here to clear up any worries. This PSU has no fan, ensuring quiet operation while overheating is less of an issue thanks to its outstanding 80 Plus Platinum efficiency rating that allows it to deliver power without the need for active cooling. Furthering its ability to keep cool is its fully modular, well-ventilated design that allows for ample cable management and better airflow.
The Seasonic Prime Fanless PX-500 offers 500W of power, which doesn’t seem like much compared to the other PSUs on this list. However, since it’s so power efficient and comes with two EPS and two PCIe connectors, it shouldn’t have any issue running most modest to mid-range PC builds. An impressive 12-year warranty also ensures this somewhat pricey power supply is a solid investment.
What to look for in a Power Supply
It’s tempting to simply think “more is better” and go for the highest wattage number you can find. This would be a big mistake. A 1200-watt power supply is not necessarily higher quality than a 650-watt one, and definitely not the right choice for a system that won’t use nearly that much power.
The wattage rating on a PSU describes how much power it can supply, but there are plenty of caveats. Some PSUs may supply a lot of peak power in total, but not enough to the critical components. Or, as temperatures rise, power delivery may become unreliable. There are dozens of PSU calculators out there, and using one can be a good place to start. Many of them recommend way more PSU than you really need out of an abundance of caution. If you’re not going crazy with overclocking or multiple top-end graphics cards, you probably don’t need a big ‘ol 850-watt power supply.
Of course, the efficiency by which the PSU converts AC to DC is very important. You’ll typically see one of three different “80 Plus” ratings on power supplies: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. There are Platinum and Titanium ratings too, but they are more rare. To be 80 Plus certified, a PSU must deliver at least 80% efficiency at 20%, 50%, and 100% of the maximum rated load. The higher the rating, the further above 80% the PSU’s efficiency. A more efficient power supply will generate less heat and draw less power from the wall, so it’s often worth the extra expense.
Best Power Supply FAQs
How do I choose the correct power supply?
When you're shopping for a power supply, try to keep in mind what other components you're pairing with your power supply to begin with. For instance, if you're pairing the PSU with a GPU like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, you're going to want something north of 1000W. However, if you're building a mid-range build with an RTX 4060 or a Radeon RX 7600 XT, you're probably safe getting something with 650 – 850W. As for the efficiency rating, an 80 Plus Bronze should be what you're aiming for if you're on a budget, with 80 Plus Gold or Platinum PSUs being a solid guiding star.
Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra. She's been reviewing gaming PCs and PC components for nearly a decade.
