Preamble :
This guide is intended to provide quick buying recommendations (US market only for now). For more exhaustive list of PSU recommendations please visit our PSU Tier List article.
Some things to keep in mind when choosing a PSU :
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- Professional reviews is a very important tool in evaluating the end product quality and performance and that’s what you should base your PSU choices on. Even if a PSU is from a popular brand, has high efficiency 80+ rating, Japanese capacitors and is high wattage – that doesn’t mean that it would necessarily be good product. Any PSU that wasn’t properly reviewed is not a good choice. That includes a number of budget units from Seasonic, EVGA, Super Flower and FSP, and also Amazon ‘best-sellers’ by 1st Player, AZZA, Apexgaming, Aresgame, Gamemax etc. Some of them may end-up being good products but it’s simply dangerous to assume that if that wasn’t proven by professional reviews. Marketplace user rating also means little as it’s prone to manipulation.
- Don’t assume that two PSUs with similar model names would be close or identical. Even a single changed letter in the name may mean a completely different design or significant difference in quality or performance.
- SFX form factor is especially demanding to the ability of the OEM to design and manufacture high quality design, and the ability of the brand to evaluate it and make sure that the quality is consistent. And thus, please think twice before building a high wattage (850-1000W and up) SFX build. If you really need so much power then it might be a better decision to go for an ATX PSU, switching to the case which can accommodate it if needed.
- Be aware that not all PSUs can be used worldwide. Most mid/high-end PSUs are full-range, with input voltage range of 100-240V, but some, particularly very budget options are 200-240V only. And even if you live in a 220-240V country it’s still adviced to go for a full-range PSU if possible, as they would generally have higher quality components in the APFC circuit and would be more reliable in the long run, especially if the energy supply in your area is unreliable.
- We don’t recommend using a second hand PSU for a build of any importance. As there are numerous factors which can contribute to the loss of the ability of the PSU to work properly and you can’t know how and under what conditions it was used before.
- Also, general advice when buying products from Amazon & Newegg, buying a product from them directly is preferred (‘sold and shipped by Amazon/Newegg’) but if you’re buying from a third-party seller – pay attention to their age and reputation. It may be tempting to buy a product with significant discount from an unknown seller but it’s possible that you would be scammed or get an open box or used product instead of new. Also, make sure to register the product at manufacturer site and check the validity of it’s warranty
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But don’t worry, we had all that in mind when compiling this list so you don’t have to.
Our recommendations (better options on top) :
1500-1600W1200-1300W1000W850W750W650W450/550WSFX
- Corsair AX1600i
One of a kind PSU on the market, state-of-art technology, GaN semiconductors, all-digital control circuits, PC interface to control and monitor the PSU, fantastic performance in all aspects. But all that also comes with a very expensive price tag, so it's not for everyone. Although if you just need the best PSU out there and don't care about the price - look no further.
Pros :
- Top-notch performance
- Quiet
- State-of-art components
- Corsair iCUE interface
- Configurable multirail OCP
- A lot of single-ended GPU cables
- Pig-tailed PCIe cables are 16AWG
Cons :
- Very expensive
- Only two EPS cables, connectors
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- be quiet! Dark Power Pro 12 1500W
Pinnacle of German PSU engineering ! Well, not really, since as most PSUs it's made in China too, but what matters is the attention to detail and the intent to create one of the best PSUs on the market. And be quiet! definitely succeeded.
Pros :
- Top-notch performance
- Quiet
- Very high quality
- Multi-rail with single-rail mode
- GPU cables are split at PSU end, with extra pins, essentially being single-ended
Cons :
- Somewhat expensive
- EVGA P2 1600W
One of the reasons why EVGA PSUs became very popular. It's a bit old-school technology-wise considering the other contenders at this wattage range, and single-rail OCP with the PSU of this wattage can be a risk. But overall it's still a very much good PSU, with good performance and quality. Perfect choice when you just need a 1.6kW workhorse for your multi-GPU workstation or mining build with no frills attached.
Pros :
- Good overall performance
- High quality
- Has some single-ended GPU cables
Cons :
- Single-rail
- Not very quiet due to DBB fan and steep fan curve
- Only two EPS connectors
- Corsair HX 1200W
One of the best Corsair offerings and on the market overall. Very high quality and solid performance which very few PSUs can rival.
Pros :
- Very high performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Multi-rail with single-rail mode
- Pig-tailed PCIe cables are 16AWG
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- Only two EPS connectors
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- be quiet! Straight Power 11 Platinum 1200W
The staple of mid/high-end be quiet! PSUs. Good quality and high overall performance.
Pros :
- High overall performance
- Quiet at moderate load
- High quality
- Multi-rail with single-rail mode
- GPU cables are split at PSU end, with extra pins, essentially being single-ended
Cons :
- Warranty is too short
- Only two EPS connectors
- Reviews on high-wattage versions are lacking
- Not so quiet at high load
- Corsair HX 1000W
One of the best Corsair offerings and on the market overall. Very high quality and solid performance which very few PSUs can rival.
Pros :
- Very high performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Multi-rail with single-rail mode
- Pig-tailed PCIe cables are 16AWG
- More robustly built at this wattage than competition
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- Only two EPS connectors
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- Corsair RM-x 1000W
This PSU is Corsair's workhorse. Very popular, and for a reason. High quality components and attention to detail results in high performance in all aspects for affordable price tag.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Pig-tailed PCIe cables are 16AWG
- More robustly built at this wattage than competition
Cons :
- Single-rail
- All GPU cables are split
- Only two EPS connectors
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- EVGA G6 1000W
Latest EVGA offering which they surprisingly sent out review samples for. Although, this is hardly a coincidence, EVGA know what they're doing by sending review samples for good products and on the other hand, launching most of their cheaper products silently. But in this case, in contrast with the most of the rest of their lineup we can confidently say that this product is actually very good.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
- Has some single-ended cables
- Very compact
- 16AWG PCIe cables in 850/1000W versions
Cons :
- A bit too compact for the power density level at this wattage
- Phanteks Revolt Pro 1000W
Yet another Seasonic Focus rebrand, but this time with a spin - a dubiously useful Phanteks 'Power Combo" feature which lets you to use the PSU with two systems simultaneously. Either way, it's a good pick if for the right price.
Pros :
- Good performance
- Good quality
Cons :
- Not quiet under high load
- Single-rail
- Only two EPS connectors
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- All GPU cables are split
- No reviews directly on the unit
- 18AWG PCIe cables
- Antec HCG Extreme 1000W
A good quality PSU with high overall performance for an affordable price.
Pros :
- Good performance
- Good quality
- Has some single-ended GPU cables
- Somewhat compact for the wattage
Cons :
- Not quiet under high load
- Single-rail
- Only two EPS connectors
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- 18AWG PCIe cables
- Corsair RM-x 850W
This PSU is Corsair's workhorse. Very popular, and for a reason. High quality components and attention to detail results in high performance in all aspects for affordable price tag.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables (white versions)
- 16AWG PCIe cables
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around (black versions)
- EVGA G6 850W
Latest EVGA offering which they surprisingly sent out review samples for. Although, this is hardly a coincidence, EVGA know what they're doing by sending review samples for good products and on the other hand, launching most of their cheaper products silently. But in this case, in contrast with the most of the rest of their lineup we can confidently say that this product is actually very good.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
- Has some single-ended cables
- Very compact
- 16AWG PCIe cables in 850/1000W versions
Cons :
- A bit too compact for the power density level at this wattage
- Enermax Revolution D.F. 850W
Enermax's spin on the popular CWT GPU platform. A quiet, high performance and quality multi-rail PSU.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- Shorter than usual warranty
- Reviews are somewhat lacking
- MSI MPG A-GF 850W
MSI's spin on the popular CWT GPU platform with an incline to more value-oriented side. Still, high performance and good quality PSU but with compromises.
Pros :
- High performance
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
Cons :
- Potentially not very quiet due to DBB fan in some batches
- All GPU cables are split
- Shorter than usual warranty in some regions
- Reviews are somewhat lacking
- Corsair RM-x 750W
This PSU is Corsair's workhorse. Very popular, and for a reason. High quality components and attention to detail results in high performance in all aspects for affordable price tag.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- 16AWG cables
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- EVGA G6 750W
Latest EVGA offering which they surprisingly sent out review samples for. Although, this is hardly a coincidence, EVGA know what they're doing by sending review samples for good products and on the other hand, launching most of their cheaper products silently. But in this case, in contrast with the most of the rest of their lineup we can confidently say that this product is actually very good.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
- Has some single-ended cables
- Very compact
Cons :
- 18AWG in pig-tailed PCIe cables
- Enermax Revolution D.F. 750W
Enermax's spin on the popular CWT GPU platform. A quiet, high performance and quality multi-rail PSU.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- Shorter than usual warranty
- Reviews are somewhat lacking
- Corsair RM 750W
Essentially a cheaper version of RM-x without bulky in-cable capacitors and with cheaper capacitors in the unit itself. Although Corsair still offers 10 year warranty and otherwise it's identical to RM-x in evey other aspect so it's still a very good option if it's cheaper than RM-x or you would like to skip the hassle of working around in-cable capacitors.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- No in-cable capacitors compared to RM-x
- 16AWG PCIe cables
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- MSI MPG A-GF 750W
MSI's spin on the popular CWT GPU platform with an incline to more value-oriented side. Still, high performance and good quality PSU but with compromises.
Pros :
- High performance
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
Cons :
- Potentially not very quiet due to DBB fan in some batches
- All GPU cables are split
- Shorter than usual warranty in some regions
- Reviews are somewhat lacking
- 18AWG PCIe cables
- Antec Earthwatts Gold Pro 750W
Antec's rebrand of Seasonic Focus GM. A good option for the right price
Pros :
- Good quality and performance
- Very compact
Cons :
- Not particularly quiet
- 18AWG PCIe cables
Pros :
- Good value
Cons :
- No reviews altogether
- Corsair RM-x 650W
This PSU is Corsair's workhorse. Very popular, and for a reason. High quality components and attention to detail results in high performance in all aspects for affordable price tag.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- 16AWG PCIe cables
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- Enermax Revolution D.F. 650W
Enermax's spin on the popular CWT GPU platform. A quiet, high performance and quality multi-rail PSU.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- Shorter than usual warranty
- Reviews are somewhat lacking
- Corsair RM 650W
Essentially a cheaper version of RM-x without bulky in-cable capacitors and with cheaper capacitors in the unit itself. Although Corsair still offers 10 year warranty and otherwise it's identical to RM-x in evey other aspect so it's still a very good option if it's cheaper than RM-x or you would like to skip the hassle of working around in-cable capacitors.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
- 16AWG PCIe cables
- No in-cable capacitors compared to RM-x
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
Pros :
- Good value
Cons :
- No reviews altogether
- Corsair RM-x 550W
This PSU is Corsair's workhorse. Very popular, and for a reason. High quality components and attention to detail results in high performance in all aspects for affordable price tag.
Pros :
- High performance
- Quiet
- High quality
Cons :
- All GPU cables are split
- In-cable capacitors can be hard to work around
- Phanteks AMP 550W
Phanteks's rebrand of the Seasonic Focus GX. A good mid-end oriented PSU with overall good performance and quality for the price.
Pros :
- Good quality and performance
- Fully modular
- Increased warranty length for this price segment
Cons :
- Not particularly quiet
Pros :
- High performance
- Easy to work with ribbon cables
Cons :
- Not particularly quiet
- In-cable capacitors can be difficult to work around
- It isn't clear if QC issues with early revisions were fixed
- Corsair CX-F RGB 550W
Corsair's budget offering with a bling. Don't be fooled by 80+ Bronze rating, it's a very solid quality unit with good performance for the price.
Pros :
- Good quality and performance
- Fully modular
- RGB !!!
Cons :
- Not particularly quiet
- RGB ...
Pros :
- Decent quality and performance
Cons :
- Not particularly quiet
- Nonmodular
- Reviews are somewhat lacking
- ADATA XPG Pylon 450/550W
ADATA's low-end offering, doesn't offer anything particularly outstanding in this price segment but nevertheless it's a good pick for a cheap undemanding PC.
Pros :
- Cheap
Cons :
- No reviews on low wattage versions
- Double-forward topology, may whine with high-end GPUs
- Warranty is a bit short
- Non-modular
- Corsair SF Platinum 750W
The only Corsair's SFF lineup are ones of the best SFF, and specifically - SFX PSUs on the market. And it's 80+ Platinum version is so far unrivaled in SFF form factor, only some SFX-L units can come close.
Pros :
- Best SFF PSU on the market
- Good quality and performance
- Quiet
- Powerful enough to support a wide range of SFF builds
- Compact
Cons :
- Somewhat expensive
Pros :
- Good quality and performance
Cons :
- SFX-L, which is larger than standard SFX
- Not particularly quiet under high load
- Single EPS connector
- Fractal Design ION SFX-L Gold 650/500W
This Fractal Design SFX-L offering is based on Seasonic Focus SGX, and overall if your case can accommodate SFX-L formfactor PSU it's a good choice for an affordable price.
Pros :
- Good quality and performance
Cons :
- SFX-L, which is larger than standard SFX
- Not particularly quiet under high load
- Single EPS connector
- Corsair SF Gold 600/450W
The only Corsair's SFF lineup are ones of the best SFF, and specifically - SFX PSUs on the market. It's 80+ Gold version a bit tamer in performance, particularly it's not as quiet but overall it's still a very good pick for any SFF build.
Pros :
- Good quality and performance
- Compact
Cons :
- Not quiet under high load
- EVGA GM 650W
EVGA's SFF offering isn't anything special, and usually it isn't a particularly well priced PSU either, but if it's cheap enough it's a good deal for undemanding SFX build.
Pros :
- Decent quality and performance
- Compact
Cons :
- Not quiet under high load
- ACRF topology may result in the coil whine with high-end GPUs
