PSU is the life source for a PC. It plays a key role in providing the hardware components of a PC with the right amount of voltage as per their requirement. But does having a bigger PSU means increase in performance of the PC?
Probably not. You need to know the role of PSU so that you can understand this issue better. Here we have discussed in detail regarding the use of PSU and what factors affect its choice.
Does the Power Supply Affect Performance?
The power Supply Unit or PSU doesn’t affect the performance of the PC in any way. It is just a device that provides the necessary voltage required for the hardware components to operate. But the choice of PSU has some effects which we will discuss in detail.
In general, you don’t have to buy a very large PSU thinking that it may increase the performance in any way. Rather, it is highly important to choose a PSU that will satisfy the power need of your PC hardware sufficiently without any deficiency.
The Role of PSU in a PC
Have you ever wondered about the need for a separate unit for power supply in a PC? The computer is made up of different hardware components that work with different voltages.
You cannot simply plug each component directly into the AC mains and to do so, each component should be equipped with discrete converters and eliminator setup to utilize the voltage according to their need.
This increases the complexity of the hardware and the cost of the components will skyrocket. Therefore, to satisfy the power need of different components of the PC, you need a sophisticated setup that will partition the power supply to each component according to its need.
Here is where the PSU comes into play. A power supply for a PC has the potential to supply only the necessary voltage to each hardware component and enable them to work without any issues.
You may find a set of cables emerging from the PSU. These indicate the different components it can be used to connect with and the partition of power is evident from it.
Also, it will have extra cables, so that if you are upgrading your PC with more components, you might be able to bring power to them with the help of PSU. This is the major role of PSU in a PC.
What factors affect the choice of power supply for a PC?
Now that we have understood the need for PSU, we should know what factors affect the choice of it. A PSU must be chosen according to the total wattage needed of the hardware components.
Each hardware runs with a certain power rating or wattage. You have to make note of all the components you are going to equip the PC with and add all their working wattages. This will give you the total wattage required to run the PC.
You have to match the need or buy a slightly higher watt PSU to power the components. This is a major consideration.
Apart from this, you should also consider the chances of upgrading in the future. If you are planning to upgrade your PC with powerful components, then you have to equip the PC with a higher watt PSU so that you don’t have to waste your money on two PSUs.
Therefore, a PSU plays an important role in enabling the hardware to function properly by supplying the required voltage to it.
The PSU will only affect the functioning ability and in no way, it will affect the performance of the PC. A wrong choice or insufficient PSU will not be able to power your PC.
Read: 4 Factors – How to choose a gaming PC power supply?
How to select a power supply for better performance?
PSUs have different power ratings to indicate their efficiency in distributing or managing the voltage supply to the components. We shall discuss the type of PSU ratings below and understand what is the best PSU for high performance.
A PSU with an 80 Plus Titanium Rating is the highest-end model you can get today. It is very costly but has many sophistications with it.
It has excellent efficiency and works better in all kinds of voltages. PSU with this will last longer and you can add powerful components to your PC without any doubt to increase the performance.
A PSU with this rating will also have modular cables which relieve the pressure of cable management in your PC case. But the only downside of this PSU is its affordability. Unless you have an absolute need for a high-end PSU, you need not consider this since it is very costly.
In such a case, you can go for a Gold or Silver rated PSU which is also equally good and helps you to install high-performing components without any issue.
Read: 3 Best Techniques for Discharging a PC Power Supply
Types of power supply with usage
Power supply for PC is classified according to the form factor. Here are the different types of PSU and their usages:
- ATX – It is a 20-pin connector used commonly in ATX motherboards that requires a maximum of 20 pins for its hardware. Now you can find these PSUs with 24 pins too.
- ATX 12V – This is the latest version of the ATX model which has high efficiency. It has 24-pins and has the same size and shape as an ATX.
- SFF – Known as Small Form Factor, these PSUs are compact and generally used in prebuilt PCs with small cases.
- EPS12V – This is widely used for servers and it has an 8-pin connection specifically for the CPU. Generally, this type of PSU is not compatible with commercial or domestic uses.
Read: 3 ways to repair a power supply Blue Screen
Conclusion
Although a PSU doesn’t contribute to the increase or decrease in performance, it is important to choose the right one for your PC.
It provides the required power for the components to function properly. If you don’t choose the right PSU, the components may not work and sometimes it may affect your hardware too.
