Tech - News
Never Buy a Cheap Computer Power Supply. Here's Why.
By GABRIEL MOSS
Cheap computer power supplies tend to come with low-quality components and materials, which themselves can cause unwanted and inconsistent voltage spikes; they may also have poor heat dispersal and cooling systems that are inadequate to handle high loads. Horror stories abound where low-quality supplies have burst into flames or exploded.
There is no surefire way to guarantee that a power unit won't malfunction, but PC builders should consider their budget carefully, as the adage "you get what you pay for" applies doubly to power sources. The safest brands to select from have historically been GIGABYTE, Corsair, Seasonic, EVGA, Antec, and Rosewill, but going by brand alone isn't enough.
Consumers in search of a safe, modern power supply unit should look for the 80 PLUS (or 80+) certification, a universal efficiency rating that indicates how well the supplies perform under certain degrees of power load. Tom's Hardware's best-reviewed power supply units of 2022 is a great place to begin weighing options.