What Are Power Supply Efficiency Ratings?

Are you curious about the meanings behind the efficiency ratings for power supplies, such as 80 Plus, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium? The whole guide may be found here.

When you initially start putting together a new gaming PC, the power supply might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but despite this, it is still an extremely crucial component.

When shopping for a power supply unit (PSU), there are several features to take into consideration, such as the overall wattage, the degree of modularity that it provides, and the connectors that it comes with; however, one of the more prominent features that you’d notice in a PSU today would be its efficiency rating. This feature is also one of the more marketable features.

But what exactly is an efficiency rating, which grade should you strive for, and is it worthwhile to invest in a power supply with a high-efficiency rating?

Continue reading to find out the answers to all of those questions!

What Does It Mean When A PSU Is Rated For Its Efficiency?

The function of a power supply unit (PSU) is relatively straightforward: it is responsible for supplying electricity to the various components of a personal computer. And although the wattage of a power supply unit (PSU) reflects the total amount of power it can give, the efficiency rating of a PSU tells what percentage of the energy it takes from an outlet is delivered to the components of the system.

That is to say; if a low-cost power supply that is only 50% efficient needed to deliver 100 watts of power to a component, it would need to draw twice as much energy—200 watts—and all of the excess power would be lost in the form of heat radiated by the unit. In other words, the power supply would need to draw 400 watts.

However, power supply units (PSUs) that are only 50% efficient are not something that you need to be concerned about because even the cheapest models that you can purchase today from reputable manufacturers are in the range of 70-80% efficiency, and the most efficient ones can quickly go beyond 90% efficiency. So this is something that you do not need to worry about.

And while we’re on the subject of power supply units that are more energy efficient, you might have noticed that the packaging for these units features a cute little “80 Plus” emblem; can you explain what this means?

The 80 Plus certification program was first introduced in 2004. As you might be able to deduce from the name, it indicates that the power supply unit (PSU) has been tested and is certified to be at least 80% efficient at different loads. As a result, it consumes less power and generates less heat than a non-certified PSU would.

Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium are the names given to the five additional ratings developed over the years in addition to the standard 80 Plus certification. These ratings are all named after different types of metals. As you might anticipate, moving up in “tier” provides access to more effective services than their predecessors but at an increased cost.

Do You Require An Effective PSU, And Is It Worth The Money?

Having access to a power source that is more efficient is something that undoubtedly sounds desirable, mainly if you are a member of the environmentally aware set. But do the more efficient power supply units justify the additional cost? And how much of a reduction in expenses can you truly anticipate?

As was just said, the price of the power supply units (PSUs) goes up directly to the efficiency rating. Logically, it isn’t easy to generalize the precise pricing because there are hundreds of 80 Plus-certified PSUs today. Still, the price premium becomes more evident the higher up the ladder you climb.

So, for instance, while the price of a regular 80 Plus or 80 Plus Bronze 600W power supply might come with a primarily negligible increase in comparison to a non-certified one, the price of a 600W Platinum or Titanium PSU might easily cost more than twice as much as a regular 80 Plus 600W PSU. This is because these power supplies have higher levels of efficiency.

Whether or not it is worthwhile to invest in a more efficient PSU in terms of how much power it would save, the answer is primarily determined by what it is powering.

If we were to compare a power supply that is 80% efficient to one that is 90% efficient, and both are powering a regular gaming PC with a 600W power supply, the more efficient PSU would offer negligible power savings that might not even cover the price premium of the PSU itself throughout the PC’s lifetime. This is because the more efficient PSU would use more power to do the same work.

And even though purchasing a power supply with an 80 Plus Platinum or Titanium rating can help you save a significant amount of money if you are putting together a power-hungry machine that will be working for extended periods or around the clock, these ratings are not worth the investment when it comes to standard gaming personal computers.

Having said that, if you are concerned about conserving electricity, the easiest method would be to let the computer go to sleep or switch it off when you are not using it. This would be the most straightforward approach to accomplish this.

Are Any Other Gains That Can Be Obtained By Purchasing An Effective PSU?

Keeping all of this in mind, if cost savings on electricity are not an option, are there any other reasons to consider purchasing a power supply unit that is 80 Plus certified rather than one that is not 80 Plus certified?

An efficient power supply unit (PSU) reduces the amount of power consumed and the amount of heat produced. Because of this, the power supply unit won’t wear out nearly as quickly as it would with a non-certified generic PSU. This ultimately results in the PSU having a longer lifespan.

In light of this information, as opposed to the more costly 80 Plus power supplies, investing in a standard 80 Plus or 80 Plus Bronze power supply will probably be well worth the relatively little price premium. After all, the last thing you want is a power supply of poor quality to damage your components at some point in the future.

In conclusion, if you are in the market for a new power supply right now, you might want to have a look at our selection of the best PSUs for gaming that are currently on the market, as it is likely that you will find something there that is a good fit for your requirements.