The power supply, much more than just power for your PC

Thus, in the past we said that the ideal was to have a source that was capable of providing around 25% more power than the maximum consumption of the equipment, but today that is no longer valid and, as we said, it is worth spend a little more and have a higher power source for the sake of a future hardware upgrade, as it seems that the consumption of hardware devices (especially CPU and GPU) is skyrocketing.

On the other hand, it is also very important to take into account the certificate of efficiency that carries the power supply; this has always been important, but with higher power sources it is even more important because it implies greater energy savings. As you already know by now, to “measure” how efficient a source is, the 80 Plus certification is usually used, whose categories are from best to worst: Titanium, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and White. In this regard, 80 Plus Gold and above is often considered ideal (you won’t see a font considered high-end with less than that).

Finally, among the basic characteristics of the source we also have the choice of the manufacturer, which has practically the same importance as the previous two. A reputable manufacturer is backed by many years of experience, but also by many, many users who have bought and tried their products and back up the claim that the manufacturer is “good”.

In the field of power supplies we have many manufacturers that they consider themselves that way, and that after buying any of their products we can be sure that we are acquiring a quality source. In this regard, we are going to give you an indication: if a manufacturer offers a 5, 7 or even 10 year guarantee on its power supply, it is that it is VERY sure of its good quality (because otherwise it would not risk giving it more of the 2 years required by law). And when it comes to a power supply, which is often one of the components most prone to failure, having a long Warranty period it is always calm.

Advanced features are what make the difference

Having clear the parameters of power, efficiency certification and manufacturer, we must move on to the slightly more advanced characteristics of the power supplies and that, for many users, can sometimes go unnoticed and, however, are the ones that can end up marking the difference between a source that simply provides power to your PC, or a power source that you can trust and that meets all your needs.

protection systems

Power supply protection systems are of crucial importance; Before we have told you that the power supply tends to be one of the PC components that breaks down the most, and this is usually because the power supply can have fluctuations, voltage surges, short circuits, etc., but for that is precisely the protection systems. Therefore, it is important to know them and make sure that the fountain you are going to buy has them:

• OCP, OVP and UVP: They are protection systems against problems in the electrical network. OCP means «Over Current Protection», and it is surely the most important since it protects the system against variations in current intensity. OVP means «Over Voltage Protection», and it is the protection that will safeguard our hardware in the event of surges in the voltage of the electrical network. Equally important is UVP, which stands for “Under Voltage Protection”, and which, like the OVP system, protects the system against voltage variations in the network, but in this case when dips occur.
• SCP: The fourth essential protection measure in the power supply is short-circuit protection. A short circuit is a fault or breakdown, which can occur both at the level of the electrical network and of the device itself, in which the current passes from the phase directly to the neutral or ground, or in other words, that the electricity passes through where it does not should happen. This protection detects these problems and will directly shut down the system to protect the integrity of the components.
• OTP and OPP: Finally, the other two essential security measures in the power supply are OTP (Over Temperature Protection) and OPP (Over Power Protection), the latter also called OLP (Over Load Protection). As their names indicate, the first protects the system against temperature rises, while the second protects the equipment against possible overloads, either due to the power line or due to excess consumption.

Only fonts that have all these protection systems can be considered safe, so make sure that the font you are going to buy has them all.

One rail or multiple rails

Many times we have talked about whether it is better to have a source with a single and powerful +12V rail or whether it is better to have several rails, both to distribute the load and to have additional protection measures. Regarding this, we refer to the answer that the renowned manufacturer be quiet! gave us about it, and it is that for them having several +12V rails is better for the simple fact that they have integrated individual protection for each one of them and, in addition, it gives greater stability to the system by not having to load everything on a single rail.

This is a bit “for color tastes”, but the fact is that with the powers that we handle today and with the intensity of current that modern top-of-the-range graphics require, it is no longer so necessary to have a single rail and It is almost better to have several rails for more protection and stability.

Modular power supply and flat or sleeved cables

If you are one of those who thought that a power supply is nothing more than a device that serves to distribute electricity from the plug to your PC, then surely you will not even consider buying a modular supply or not, or that it has the cables blueprints. However, it is an aspect that provides a lot of added value for several reasons.

To begin with, the fact that the source is modular will allow you to connect to it only the cables and connectors that you need, so that all of them will be channeled to where they should go and will not be left in the middle in any way. In addition, having a modular source makes it much easier to assemble the equipment for this very reason.

As for the cables, let them be blueprints not only does it also make it easier to mount and route these through the box to plug them where they need to go, but they also promote better system cooling by having less of an impediment to airflow. As you can see, there are all advantages to having a modular power supply, and without a doubt our recommendation is that you don’t even consider buying a power supply that is not modular or, at least, semi-modular (this type of power supply has the cables Fixed ATX and EPS (both are required for the PC to work, so you’ll have to use them anyway) but the rest are modular and therefore optional).

Finally, to highlight a variant that is usually associated with modding, the cables sleeved. These cables are individually meshed with nylon thread, which can be of different colors to give the interior of the equipment a different aesthetic, of course more orderly and with a greater sense of quality. This, again, depends on taste.

The power supply fan

As a general rule, a PC has quite a few fans inside, as they are the ones that create the internal airflow that allows fresh air to enter, cooling the components, and extract hot air outside so that it does not accumulate inside. Many users opt for quiet fans in their PC to make it as quiet as possible, but they often forget that the power supply usually also has a fan and that is sometimes one of the main noise makers, so making sure you that the power supply fan is quiet is also an important point to note.

A good example can be found in the be quiet! Dark Power Series power supplies, power supplies that incorporate the award-winning Silent Wings 3 fans, which guarantee a minimum noise level even when we are subjecting the equipment to maximum load. These fans are also the chosen ones for the cheaper Straight Power family, so don’t think that you can only have silence if you go to the top models.

The high end usually makes the difference

Although it is true that we can find several models of power supplies with good power, efficiency certification and features at relatively reasonable prices, in the end the high-end products of each manufacturer are usually the ones that make the difference. For example, as we have already mentioned before, an important aspect is the guarantee: if a manufacturer gives you a 10-year guarantee on their power supply, they are VERY sure that the product is good.

Apart from this, there are some features that, although not necessary, can make a difference. We have an example again in the Dark Power series of be quiet! and its Overclocking Key, a physical button that we can optionally add to the PC (although it is included with the source) that allows us to modify the behavior of the source so that it works with a single more powerful rail, ideal if you intend to overclock to the PC.

Never skimp when buying a power supply

As we have been explaining to you throughout this article, the power supply is one of the most important elements of the system, since the energy that reaches the other components of the system in adequate quantity and quality depends almost entirely on it. hardware, as well as avoid electrical problems. Also, if you opt for a source that has some advanced features such as modular wiring, it will always give you benefits that are worth the investment.

As we always say, the power supply is the heart of the PC, and if it does not work properly, you could find yourself with a number of unwanted problems that you would have avoided by buying a higher quality supply initially. For this reason, our recommendation is that you never skimp on the power supply, and that you treat it as one of the most important components of the PC, since it really is what it is.

Nor do we tell you that you have to buy a top-of-the-range power supply, that is already up to you, but of course we do not recommend using a low-end power supply or one from a manufacturer of dubious reputation, no matter how much power it claims to have to power your system, since in the end cheap is expensive and if that source gives you problems it could “take away” your beloved (and expensive) PC hardware components.