We’ve shortlisted our favourite PSUs from the likes of EVGA, Corsair, and Gigabyte to help you find the best power supply for your gaming PC’s needs
The problem with crowning the best power supply for a gaming PC is that every system’s PSU requirements are different. Not only is the wattage an important consideration, but the size of rigs can widely vary, meaning that there really is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. That said, we’re confident that you’ll find something that caters to you in our shortlist.
You might not necessarily consider your power supply to be the most critical part of your PC, but if the best gaming CPU effectively act as the brain of a system, then a PSU is the heart of your rig. Think about it, the unit provides the lifeblood that is electricity to your hardware, while its array of cables might even resemble a mess of arteries and veins at a glance.
If you invest in a quality power supply, it’ll likely become the longest standing member of your rig throughout years of upgrades. However, as costly as some PSUs can be, there are plenty out there for builders looking to push their budget a little further too.
Here is the best power supply for a gaming PC in 2022
The best power supply is the EVGA Supernova 850 T2.
The thing that makes the EVGA Supernova 850 T2 a cut above most PSUs is its 80 Plus Titanium certification, meaning it’s 94% efficient or higher under a typical load. This means that the power supply wastes very little energy, resulting in less excess heat and cooler operating temperatures.
It’s fully modular, so you only need to route the cables necessary to power your system. It’s also built with Japanese Nippon Chemi-Con capacitors, making this PSU an ever-reliable part of any rig, plus it comes with a 10-year warranty period should you need it. While 850W should be plenty for most people, you can also find 1,000W and 1,600W versions of this power supply.
What we like:
80 Plus Titanium certification
10-year warranty period
The best 1,000W power supply is the Gigabyte UD1000GM PG5.
If you’re thinking about buying one of the best graphics cards from the lineup of Nvidia RTX 4000 or AMD RDNA 3 GPUs when they eventually launch later this year, you may need the 1,000W monster that is the Gigabyte UD1000GM PG5. It’s already prepared, with support for the new PCIe Gen 5 16-pin power connector, which will likely eventually power every GPU that comes our way in the future.
Of course, it comes with plenty of other traits you’d expect from a top tier power supply, such as 80 Plus Gold certification, a fully modular design, and a 10-year warranty. Gigabyte also claims that the power supply’s 120mm smart hydraulic bearing fan should last 1.4x longer than a standard sleeve bearing found on some cheaper models.
What we like:
Native support for PCIe Gen 5 16-pin power connector
80 Plus Gold certification
The best SFX power supply is the Corsair SF750.
If you’re building a system in a compact PC case, then the small but mighty Corsair SF750 should be at the top of your list for potential power supplies to juice up your miniature rig. That said, it’ll work great in a bigger ATX chassis too, thanks to the included SFX-to-ATX bracket.
The Corsair SF750’s ‘Zero RPM Fan Mode’ makes sure the PSU doesn’t engage its fan until it has to, keeping things quiet when browsing the web and kicking things into gear when gaming. It’s fully modular too, and its individually sleeved cables make routing them in your gaming PC a breeze. If your computer doesn’t require 750W, consider the less-powerful but less-expensive SF600 or SF400.
What we like:
Zero RPM Fan Mode keeps things silent until the PSU hits 40% load
Included SFX-to-ATX bracket
The best cheap power supply is the Corsair VS500.
Costing just under $50 USD, the Corsair VS500 is undoubtedly one of the best value PSUs available on the market for budget conscious builders. Despite its cheap price point, this power supply doesn’t skimp on 80 Plus certification, meaning it’s by no means wasteful.
The Corsair VS500 should have no trouble fitting into almost all ATX PC cases, thanks to its 125mm long shell making it smaller than standard PSUs. A three-year warranty should help any concerns surrounding this power supply’s reliability, and you can even buy a 600W model instead if you need a little extra juice for your system.
What we like:
500W for less than $50 USD
Smaller size makes for easier installation
In order to figure out what wattage of power supply you need to run your gaming PC, you first have to understand the requirements of the components inside your system. Typically, the most important things to consider are your graphics card and processor, as they are often the most power-hungry parts of your rig.
Thankfully, tools like Seasonic’s power supply calculator make what would otherwise be a task of tedium and potential miscalculations much easier. Simply enter the parts that make up your current or prospective build, and you’ll be presented with an accurate answer as to what kind of PSU you require.
A modular power supply is characterised by the flexibility it offers you by forgoing a fixed arrangement of power cables and instead allowing you to customise the types of cables it uses to suit your particular build. This makes it easier to manage cables in your case, which means crafting that oft-desired clean look is much less difficult.
Get involved in the conversation by heading over to our Facebook and Instagram pages. To stay up to date with the latest PC gaming guides, news, and reviews, follow PCGamesN on Twitter and Steam News Hub, or download our free app for Overwolf.
Samuel Willetts Hardware Writer
Published:
Sam’s keeping a close eye on the latest developments on Intel Core and AMD Ryzen CPUs, waiting for the right time to build his own Windows 11 gaming PC. He also covers GPU, VR, and Steam Deck news.
