The Hardwareguide (part 4 of 11)

The PSU (power supply unit)


Which:  For the price: Antec, Corsair and Seasonic are very good. OCZ/PCP&C and Silverstone are ok. HEC and CM are acceptable. Get something that is 80+. Do not skimp on PSUs: Generic ones fry.

Corsair TX850 v2 850w

Calculating: Use a PSU calculator to determine your power requirement and add some headroom. Or follow the amount shown in this guide (pre-calculated for you).

Omissions: Many, many PSUs are excluded from the recommendations. The majority of those are excluded because of the high price, even tough they may have better noise/ripple/efficiencies.
Seasonic X series, Corsair HX/Gold/Professional series, high-end Enermax PSUs, are all EXCELLENT PSUs, but go for the 2x or 3x the price of what is recommended here.

Seasonic SS-850HT 850w

Modularity: Normal PSUs have all (or most) of the power cords fixed. Modular PSUs allow you to add or remove cords for less clutter and improved airflow, but usually have a price minimum.

Warning: The Antec Basiq (for the Destitute build) has only 1 SATA connector, though newer models are reported to have 3. Make sure that you are ok with this before purchasing.

Oddity: The Antec CP-850 is a nice, cheap, excellent performing PSU, but it is ONLY COMPATIBLE with: Antec 1200/P183/P193. If (and ONLY if) you want those cases, then give this PSU a look.

XFX Black Edition 850w

Tips: A PSU only provides as much power as is needed. Example: A 700w PSU provieds only 300w when the PC needs only 300w.
If there is a combo or a sale on a PSU that provides more power than you need but is cheaper overall, then by all means get it. Some PSUs do NOT come with a power cord, so check first.
A badly chosen PSU can fry your entire machine. Choosing to save $20 by getting a bad-quality or underpowered PSU might cost you your entire $1000 setup.