Power supplies are important components in all gaming systems – and gamers with high-powered CPUs and Graphics cards (complimented by an assortment of hard drives, case fans and neon lights) will have slightly different needs compared to the general PC user.
Gamers also want power supplies to be ‘future-proof’ – ensuring that come upgrade time you don’t run into any headaches regarding power output or compatibility.
With that in mind, let us consider a few important power supply features to keep in mind while shopping for a new PSU:
Power requirements
What are the power requirements for your system?
Without going into too much detail – it’s advisable to get a power supply strong enough to comfortably power your system. Obviously.
But on the flipside – unless you’re a power-user who needs a 1kw+ power supply, don’t waste money on one in order to future-proof your system.
Mid-range graphics cards and CPUs often stay within a certain power envelope; meaning that, even though you upgrade to a more powerful, faster graphics card or CPU, the power requirements of the actual components remain similar.
12v rails
The most important aspect of a power supply, right after the total power it is able to supply, is a strong 12v rail system.
The 12v power rails in a PSU supply come with an amp rating – graphics cards, in particular, need a high amp rating on the 12v rails to ensure stable consistent power.
Most low-end power supplies have either one or two low-amp 12v rails – which usually aren’t able to provide enough power and current to the graphics cards.
Higher-end models make use of multiple high-amp 12v rails that ensure power delivery is within the limits of the PSU.
Cable length
Another very important feature on power supplies is the length of the cables connecting the PSU to your components.
With modern gaming cases getting bigger and featuring elaborate cable management systems, some PSU cables are no longer long enough to reach all of the components.
As high powered as a PSU may be, it’s useless if it can’t connect to your system correctly.
Modular cable system
While not essential, a modular cable system makes life quite a bit easier when installing a new unit.
Having the ability to make use of only the cables you need in a system is great for those who want a neat-looking setup – as well as those who are limited in terms of space and aren’t able to cram the spare cabling into the system.
This being said, there are a few good deals on non-modular power supplies, and users on a budget can forego this.
Modular cabling is more of a convenience than a necessity.
Buying the right power supply for your system is important.
While they often cost a significant amount initially, if you get a PSU that can last three or four years without hassle, the component will pay for itself come time for the next upgrade.
PSUs – Important features gamers should know << Comments and views
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