Best PSU: top PC power supplies for gaming and more

If you have a PC, picking the best PC power supply for your build is critical, as it will make sure it runs at optimum efficiency. Especially now that the best graphics cards and processors are more expensive than ever, you’re going to want to protect your investment by ensuring you have a PSU that’s fit for the job.

If you’re building a new PC, remember that PC power supplies can make or break your PC so you shouldn’t scrimp on quality just to save money. Otherwise, it could lead to your components not working the way they should or worse, failing completely, which will cost you even more money. 

Luckily, a quality PSU won’t cost you as much as the sexier components. So, go ahead and get one of the best ones 2021 has to offer. Here are our top picks below.

The Corsair AX1000 may be among the priciest on this best PC power supply list, but it’s well worth the money for your next build thanks to its performance and quiet operation. It boasts a solid load regulation, super high efficiency levels and excellent benchmark results, an ace for ATX’s specification requirements. It’s fully modular as well, with eight PCIe & two EPS connectors to boot.

If you’re on the market for an affordable power supply that doesn’t cut too many corners, there aren’t a lot of options right now. So, an economical power supply like the EVGA 500 B1 may be right up your alley. For less than the price of a new game, you’ll get a full 500 watts of power transmitted through several SATA cables and two PCIe cables. This is hands down one of the best power supplies because it covers the bare essentials and nothing more, which is exactly what a budget PC component needs to do. The three year warranty is a nice touch, as well. 

• This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair RM750x 

Even the best PSUs seem to have extremely loud fans, and unlike case fans, it’s not exactly easy to replace them. Luckily, the Straight Power 10 line-up runs nice and quiet. Options range from 400w to 700w, and they’re SLI and Crossfire certified. They’re also modular, meaning you only need to use the cables that are necessary for your build.  

Thanks to the advanced and reliable platform it uses, the Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 1050W Platinum delivers high overall performance. It also boasts five vivid RGB lighting modes – controllable via a button in the back, a built-in memory function and a Smart Zero Fan that’s ultra quiet. 

The best PC power supplies unfortunately tend to be giant hunks of metal that don’t fit into smaller PC cases. However, the Silverstone SFX SST SX550 is a compact power supply that fits in plenty of cases. It’s half the size of most of the other PSUs on this list, allowing for more room for better airflow. This makes it an easy pick for anyone building a mini ITX or micro ATX build, and you can even slide it into a mid- or full-tower, if you feel like it. It’s easy to see why the Silverstone SFX is one of the best PC power supplies.

The Thermaltake Toughpower PF1 ARGB 1200W is braun and beauty rolled in one, delivers high performance with RGB lighting features. If you’ve got a high-powered mirrored setup, this one’s the best PC power supply for you. Better yet, it’s fully modular and built like a tank so it’ll last you a long time. All these high-end features come at premium price, but if you happen to have extra cash lying around, it’s completely worth it.

The XPG Core Reactor 750 may have some pretty tough competition out there, like the Corsair RM750x, for example. It’s high price tag doesn’t help. However, it’s a mighty PSU with higher quality parts and high performance. In addition, it’s also one of the very few power supplies that’s fully-compatible with the new ATX specifications. And, it’s pretty compact, ideal for more compact computer setup.

With the Corsair CX750F RGB, the company has come up with a winner. The PSU combines a modular design with a bronze 80 Plus efficiency rating and a relatively low noise fan for a perfect PSU for under a hundred bucks. Add to that, RGB lighting that can be controlled three different ways and you can’t really go wrong with this one. While it won’t power the most muscular of builds, it should handle most just fine. 

If less power is needed, you can also take a look at the CX550F RGB White, which delivers 500W power and comes in a pristine white color that simply looks fantastic with the RGB light on.

If you’re a serious builder that plans on building an absolute behemoth of a rig, with multiple graphics cards, cooling systems on top of some healthy overclocking, the Corsair AX1500i is the best PC power supply for you. It has the highest possible 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating, and is fully modular, so you only need to add the cables your build actually requires. 

If you’re really trying to maximise the visual appeal of your build, a modular power supply is almost essential – you can avoid all of those messy looking wires cluttering up your case. The NZXT E650 takes things a step further. Not only is it a fully modular power supply, meaning you only need to connect the wires you actually need, but it’s also extremely attractive itself, begging to be shown off in your case. This is all topped off with an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating and a 10-year warranty – not only will it look good, but it’ll deliver power efficiently and last forever while it does it. 

How do I choose a PC power supply?

When you’re looking for a PC power supply, there are really two things to take into consideration: wattage and efficiency rating. For most people, a 500W power supply will be plenty, but if you’re using high-end gaming components, you’re going to want to get something with a bit more juice – for instance, you’ll want at least an 850W PSU if you’re getting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. 

For efficiency, we’d recommend going with a PSU with at least an 80 Plus Bronze rating. And, if you want the most efficient power, going with an 80 Plus Gold or an 80 Plus Platinum PC power supply is going to be the way to go.