The power supply of the computer is equivalent to the heart of the host computer, providing "blood" for the major hardware. The quality of the power supply will affect the normal operation of other parts of the whole computer. Nowadays, there are more and more people who like DIY computers, and often they are more concerned about the parameters of processors, graphics cards, hard drives, and memory, often neglecting the power supply. How should we choose a computer power supply? How to judge the quality of computer power supply? Let's take a look with the editor below!
1. Main components
Many mechanical and electrical manufacturers, in order to reduce costs, choose some old materials against their conscience, and the lifespan of power supplies that use old materials is greatly reduced, especially for cheap power supplies that cost tens of yuan online. Most of them use old materials. The capacity of capacitors is very important in power supply. The larger the capacitor, the better. Choosing a larger capacity power supply can withstand high voltage and have good filtering performance, but the cost is higher. Cheap power supplies often use capacitors with very small capacity. If the voltage is unstable, there is a possibility of capacitor damage and even explosion.
Desktop computer power supply
2. Main transformer
As is well known, the transformer of desktop computer power supply is converted from 220V voltage to the output voltage of various components, such as+5V,+12V, etc. In fact, different specifications of main transformers will determine the combination of rated power.
Desktop computer power supplies are usually E-type iron cores, which can be divided into E35/E39/E43 and other types based on the length of the steel sheet. The rated power is 400W/500W/600W, etc. If you purchase a 500W rated power supply but use an E35 main transformer, it indicates that the power supply has shrunk.
3. PFC
PFC has active and passive modes, and the active PFC power supply can achieve a higher power factor than the passive mode, reaching up to 0.97~0.99. It is also smaller in size and lighter in weight. The power supply can operate over a wide input voltage range (such as 90~264VAC) and a wide frequency band, making it much more expensive. However, some counterfeit or low-end products are generally just a few to make up for, whether they are active or passive, which means they do not have PFC circuits. PFC circuits are mandatory requirements for 3C certification, and if they do not, it means that even if there is a 3C certification mark, it is definitely fake.
In addition, mainstream products nowadays are active PFC. If a high-power power supply, such as 500W or more, still uses passive PFC, then do not buy it, it will be deceiving.
4. Main capacitor
As mentioned in the first point earlier, the capacitance in the power supply is very important, and the main function of the main capacitor is to filter, which is used to eliminate high-frequency and pulse interference, and ensure stable operation of the power supply. So how to check if the main capacitor has shrunk? Below is a table for everyone to compare.
According to the table above, if there is an additional 50W, it is considered normal. However, if the maximum power exceeds 50W, then a shrunken capacitor must have been used.
5. EMI circuit module
EMI circuit is composed of several special capacitors and inductors, which can greatly reduce the impact of external interference signals, especially Common-mode interference signals on the computer, and is very important for the stability of the computer.
The commonly used 220V voltage is not always stable at 220V, sometimes less, sometimes more. Therefore, when the voltage exceeds 220V, without an EMI module, it is easy to encounter overcurrent, short circuit, and other problems, which can easily damage other components of the computer.
6. Wire
Due to the different diameters and materials of power supply wires, which have small diameters and poor materials, when the working load of the power supply is high, the output wires of the power supply will heat up and become soft, undoubtedly causing safety concerns. In addition, the length of the power supply can affect the wiring of the chassis, which also needs to be noted.
7. +12V actual output power
The processor and graphics card are mainly powered by+12V, and the processor and graphics card are the two most power consuming accessories of a computer. Therefore, the combined output power of+12V accounts for the majority of the rated power of the power supply. If the power supply is selected according to the rated power for the computer, when the+12V power supply is insufficient, the computer may experience blue screen or crash.
So when choosing a power supply, not only should you consider the rated power, but also the important+12V actual output power, which determines the actual power of your graphics card processor motherboard. Generally, a 500W white card power supply with 12V actually uses around 450W, which determines the actual power of your graphics card processor motherboard. Therefore, it cannot be calculated based on the rated power, but rather based on the actual power of+12V.
Selection method:
Office and household use: Using processors below the I3 level, using a core display or independent graphics card of no more than a thousand yuan, with low power. It is recommended to have a rated power supply of around 300W.
Game platform: Equipped with a quad core processor and an independent graphics card for no more than 2000 yuan, it can play online games and some large 3D games with low special effects. The overall power consumption is approximately 200-300W, and it is recommended to choose a rated power supply of 450W-650W.
Fever host: A processor with an I7 level or higher and an independent graphics card with a cost of over 2000 yuan. It is recommended to start with a power supply of 500W. These players are generally experienced DIYers, and their power needs to be very clear. What they value more is the quality of the power supply. They believe that similar ultimate firepower 80PLUS platinum certified power supplies can meet their standards.
Based on the above is an introduction to the reasons for judging the quality of computer power supplies, everyone knows how to choose a computer power supply! In short, when choosing a power supply, don't be greedy for small gains or blindly pursue big brands. The most important thing is to look at the materials and circuits used in the power supply.