“The term ‘power supply anxiety’ is something many people may not have heard of. But in the DIY community, this phenomenon is quite severe.
Countless individuals make a huge fuss over this relatively minor component in DIY, to the point that when configuring a computer, they always feel that the quality of the configuration and the competence of the person are evident in the power supply. Some even insist on a gold-rated, fully modular, and all-Japanese-capacitor 650W power supply, even with a budget of 5000.
Power supply anxiety has been around for over a decade. Initially, our country had very lax regulations on power supply production, and some off-brand power supplies even contained cement blocks to increase their weight. Combined with the notoriety of Red Star bombs, the DIY community at the time emphasized that a power supply was only considered good if it offered one watt per yuan. In other words, a 650W power supply had to cost 650 yuan to be considered acceptable.
It has to be said that the power supply anxiety at that time was in line with the era’s context. Counterfeit products were rampant, and there was a lack of control in management, leading to higher power supply costs. Companies like Haiyun and Zhenhua were staunch advocates of the one-watt-per-yuan principle, and this remains true to this day.
But is it really necessary to spend so much on a power supply? Can you really not skimp on the PC power supply?
01
Is There a Significant Difference in PC Power Supply Components?
LLC Half-Bridge/Full-Bridge > Dual Transistor Forward > Single Transistor Forward, DC to DC > Dual Magnetic Amplification > Single Magnetic Amplification, Japanese Materials > Taiwanese Materials > Domestic Materials, Single 12V Output > Dual 12V Output
Those knowledgeable about this subject would certainly understand the information provided above. However, most people may not grasp the differences between these solutions and the potential consequences of choosing less optimal options.
Taking the first three solutions, LLC Half-Bridge/Full-Bridge, Dual Transistor Forward, and Single Transistor Forward, these are essentially power supply design schemes, and currently, these are the main three.
Without delving into the technical details of these schemes, let’s discuss their pros and cons.
Single Transistor Forward has only one advantage – it’s cost-effective. However, its major drawback is that it tends to use lower-quality MOSFETs, which can lead to reliability issues.
Dual Transistor Forward doesn’t have any significant drawbacks, but it may have a slightly higher power consumption. Additionally, its efficiency may not be as high, meaning it may not be as energy-efficient – a minor disadvantage.
LLC Half-Bridge/Full-Bridge is not cost-effective. Its main advantage lies in handling high power loads with high efficiency. In comparison to the Dual Transistor Forward solution, the most significant difference is the efficiency.
Assuming the dual-channel positive excitation conversion efficiency is 82%, LLC half-bridge/full-bridge can achieve 88% or even higher, except for the single magnetic positive excitation using low-quality MOS, all three solutions are feasible.
DC to DC > Dual Magnetic Amplification > Single Magnetic Amplification
These three are even better. Under the DC-DC structure, the voltage deviation and voltage regulation rate can perform very well. In other words, the power supply under the DC-DC structure, with a rated power of 600W, truly provides nearly 600W of output at 12V, with high conversion efficiency and rapid dynamic response, offering many advantages.
The dual magnetic amplification, despite its higher cost, is not as good as DC to DC.
Single magnetic amplification is mainly used in many low-end power supplies, and there is indeed a possibility of instability in this solution, especially when multiple mechanical hard drives and multiple 5V outputs are in use, and the voltage is unstable. In simpler terms, it is prone to burning SATA hard drives. However, if there aren’t many 5V and 3.3V devices and only 12V devices are used, everyone should opt for the 110W or 120W 500W/600W power supplies with this solution.
The DC-to-DC solution is already quite popular. This power supply solution does not require a magnetic amplifier, and the main transformer only needs to be responsible for +12V, with 5V and 3.3V obtained through 12V step-down, which increases stability and ensures that 12V is closer to the rated power consumption.
02
Japanese, Taiwan, and Domestic Capacitors: A Comparison
In the past decade, Japanese capacitors outperformed domestic capacitors in terms of lifespan, size, quality, and capacity. Taiwanese capacitors were somewhat in between, with many power supplies, in the past, relying on domestic and Taiwanese capacitors, while Japanese capacitors were less common.
However, over the years, in terms of capacity and quality, domestic capacitors have improved significantly. The primary difference lies in price, with Japanese capacitors being more expensive than Taiwanese ones, which, in turn, are costlier than domestic capacitors. Some people still hold onto the misconception that domestic capacitors are of poor quality, despite the improvements.
This is not accurate, as domestic capacitors are widely used in various industries and have proven their reliability. Even top-tier domestic capacitors are on par with second and third-tier Japanese capacitors. However, consumers often stick to Japanese or domestic brands, sometimes ignoring brands like NCC, Matsushita, Rubycon, and Sanyo, not to mention neglecting the capacitor’s capacity and specifications.
It’s important to note that, even among Japanese brands, there are differences in quality and cost. In general, Japanese capacitors have a higher production cost compared to Taiwanese and domestic counterparts, which may or may not translate into better performance but certainly comes at a premium.
In reality, over the years, at least for mid to low-end capacitors, both domestic and Taiwanese capacitors have improved and don’t exhibit the collective issues they used to. As for lifespan, only time will truly confirm their durability.
03
Single Rail vs. Dual Rail PC Power Supplies
In our computers, the two components with the highest power consumption are the CPU and the graphics card. Of the two, the graphics card tends to consume more power. Both of these components rely on the 12V output, meaning that the most critical aspect of the power supply is its ability to provide a stable and ample 12V output.
On the market, power supplies are generally categorized into two types: dual-rail 12V and single-rail 12V. For example, consider the XYZ power supply.
We can observe that assuming both power supplies have the same 12V output capacity, dual-rail power supplies evenly distribute the 12V power to the graphics card and the processor. In contrast, single-rail power supplies allocate the 12V power to the graphics card and processor as needed. Since, as mentioned earlier, graphics cards typically have much higher power consumption than processors, the common issue with dual-rail power supplies is that when the graphics card needs 20A, the processor gets the same 20A, resulting in wasted capacity. On the other hand, single-rail power supplies allow for a more efficient distribution, where the graphics card can utilize 25A while the processor takes 15A. Thus, single-rail power supplies are indeed a more reasonable choice.
04
Understanding Power Supply Ratings: Gold, Bronze, White, and Unbranded
In essence, this is a certification that serves as an indicator of efficiency. Gold-rated power supplies are more energy-efficient, while white-label or unbranded ones tend to consume more power.
In simpler terms, gold-rated power supplies have higher efficiency and are generally made with better materials. However, having a gold rating does not guarantee that a power supply is good, but a good power supply is more likely to have a gold rating.
Apart from the build quality, factors such as contract manufacturing, materials used, design schemes, cabling, active PFC (Power Factor Correction), and many other aspects are crucial. Even for professionals in this field, it’s challenging to explain every detail comprehensively. Power supply specifications are highly detailed, and it’s difficult to cover everything in a short explanation. DiskMFR is just a general overview.
05
Optimal PC Power Supply Configurations
When selecting power supplies for configurations like the i5 13400 with either the 4060, 4060ti, 4070, or 4070ti, the wattage can be a common consideration. Some users may opt for various power ratings like 550W, 650W, 750W, or 850W.
To break down the power consumption, the 4060 has a power draw of 115W, the 4060ti is at 165W, the 4070 requires 200W, and the 4070ti is the most power-hungry at 285W. Assuming the CPU consumes about 80W, even if you calculate the combined power consumption of the CPU and graphics card and divide it by 0.6 for safety, it won’t reach the peak ratings of the power supplies mentioned.
In these scenarios, someone might argue about the instantaneous power consumption of graphics cards. But have you ever heard of something called “power supply surplus power consumption”? When you have a power supply with at least 40% more power than your components’ requirements, considering instantaneous power consumption becomes unnecessary.
In reality, you would only need to think about instantaneous power consumption if your components’ combined power draw is close to the rated power of the PSU, such as having a CPU and GPU totaling around 300W with a 450W power supply. In this case, you could strain the power supply.
The point here is that, for most non-flagship GPUs and CPUs, a 750W power supply is generally overkill. Even a 4060 paired with an i5 won’t need more than 400W.
In essence, what’s mentioned here is a simplified categorization of power supply choices. It may not go into extensive detail, but the main message is that current power supply solutions are relatively mature. In the broader sense, the well-regarded power supplies typically feature LLC half-bridge/full-bridge topologies, DC-DC conversion, high-quality components, single 12V rail, and active PFC. These are indeed good in terms of efficiency, power conversion, and lifespan, but they tend to be more expensive.
High-end power supplies like those from well-known brands such as Seasonic, Corsair, ASUS ROG, and others are widely recognized for their quality and are the obvious choice for high-end computer configurations. They are more than capable of handling the power requirements of such systems.
However, for the average consumer, there’s no need to obsess over power supplies. Take the example of laptop adapters, which, in reality, serve as power supplies for laptops. Many laptops with a total power consumption of around 200W come with 230W adapters, and they don’t typically experience issues.
In the case of desktop computers, power consumption has significantly decreased, with some desktop GPUs like the 4060 having lower power draw than their mobile counterparts. So, apart from high-end graphics cards like the 4080, 4090, or 7900XT/XTX, which do require higher wattage power supplies, there’s no need for the average consumer to worry excessively about wattage for their GPUs.
Power supplies are not as prone to failure as commonly believed. Even with power supplies featuring all-domestic capacitors, dual rails, single-rail magnetic amplification, and dual positive excitation, the failure rate for power supplies is quite low. This is based on my experience in selling computers, having sold thousands of power supplies, and rarely encountering widespread failures.
Buying a power supply that ends up damaging your hardware is similar to winning a 500-dollar lottery. It’s not impossible, but it’s not a common occurrence. The probability of a power supply causing hardware damage is often lower than the chances of shorts due to dust and static electricity.
Of course, I’ve shared all this to help you make informed decisions. For example, if you’re considering a system with an Intel Core i5-13400F and an NVIDIA 4060 graphics card, with a budget of $200 for a power supply, I would recommend choosing the one with the best specifications, not just the highest wattage. The focus should be on quality and reliability. Upgrading your power supply only makes sense if you plan to upgrade your components significantly in the future. In general, as long as your power supply meets your system’s requirements, it’s usually sufficient, and there’s no need to overspend.
I hope this article provides some valuable insights, and I welcome any corrections or additional information from the community.
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