Best PC power supply 2019: top PSUs for your PC

Before you set out to build a new PC, you should find the best power supply for your build, as it really is critically important. They might not be as exciting as the best graphics card, but every PC component will rely on the power supply for, well, power. You don’t want to compromise on your power supply, even if it does mean you’ll have less cash for one of the best processors.

Still, finding the best PC power supply doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Even if you’re trying to save some cash, you can find a great deal on many of the best PSUs. Don’t worry, there are still high-end power supplies, rocking all the RGB lighting you’d expect and enough power capacity to power a small village – or one of the best gaming PCs with two RTX 2080 Tis in SLI. No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find the best power supply for your build right here.

Finding the best PC power supply is incredibly important because if you cheap out, and your PSU dies, replacing it is a pain. This is because many of the symptoms of a dying power supply can be hard to detect: they can be as subtle as some lost power efficiency and as obvious as having your PC burst into flames. So, you don’t want to wait until something fails, do yourself a favor and pick up one of the best PC power supplies today.

The Corsair RM750x scores the top spot on this list for one simple reason: it’s the most well-rounded power supply you can buy today. On top of a 10 year warranty and an 80 Gold Plus efficiency rating, the Corsair has a fully modular cable system. This means you only need to install the cables you need – you can say goodbye to the mess of cables and shoddy airflow that non-modular PSUs endure.

If you’re on the market for an affordable power supply that doesn’t cut too many corners, there aren’t a lot of options right now. So, an economical power supply like the EVGA 500 B1 may be right up your alley. For less than the price of a new game, you’ll get a full 500 watts of power transmitted through several SATA cables and two PCIe cables. This is hands down one of the best power supplies because it covers the bare essentials and nothing more, which is exactly what a budget PC component needs to do. The three year warranty is a nice touch, as well.

• This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair RM750x

Even the best PSUs seem to have extremely loud fans, and unlike case fans, it’s not exactly easy to replace them. Luckily, the Straight Power 10 line-up runs nice and quiet. Options range from 400w to 700w, and they’re SLI and Crossfire certified. They’re also modular, meaning you only need to use the cables that are necessary for your build.

The best PC power supplies unfortunately tend to be giant hunks of metal that don’t fit into smaller PC cases. However, the Silverstone SFX SST SX550 is a compact power supply that fits in plenty of cases. It’s half the size of most of the other PSUs on this list, allowing for more room for better airflow. This makes it an easy pick for anyone building a mini ITX or micro ATX build, and you can even slide it into a mid- or full-tower, if you feel like it. And, with small form-factor PCs being all the rage in 2018 – it’s easy to see why the Silverstone SFX is one of the best PC power supplies.

If you’re a serious builder that plans on building an absolute behemoth of a rig, with multiple graphics cards, cooling systems on top of some healthy overclocking, the Corsair AX1500i is the best PC power supply for you. It has the highest possible 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating, and is fully modular, so you only need to add the cables your build actually requires.

If you’re really trying to maximise the visual appeal of your build, a modular power supply is almost essential – you can avoid all of those messy looking wires cluttering up your case. The NZXT E650 takes things a step further. Not only is it a fully modular power supply, meaning you only need to connect the wires you actually need, but it’s also extremely attractive itself, begging to be shown off in your case. This is all topped off with an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating and a 10-year warranty – not only will it look good, but it’ll deliver power efficiently and last forever while it does it.

In 2018, if your PC isn’t strapped to the nines with RGB lighting, you’re not trying hard enough. Enter the Thermaltake Smart RGB 700W – not only does it have beautiful, addressable RGB lighting, but it also features a reliable 80 Plus efficiency rating and enough power to support even the best gaming PCs. Yeah, it’s not modular, but at less than a hundred bucks, we’re willing to look the other way – especially with that sick lighting.

• Pick up the best processors while you’re at it

Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article