Best PC power supply 2017: top PSUs for your PC

Your power supply is absolutely the most important component in that PC you’re planning to build, and should be your first priority. We know that it’s tempting to skimp out and buy a cheap PSU in order to get your hands on the best graphics card you can, but we promise you – if you want to build the best PC, you will fail without one of the best PC power supplies. If you don’t have a PSU that you can rely on, and of those shiny PC components that you just dropped a bunch of cash on might lose some performance – or even become very expensive paperweights.

Nobody wants to deal with a power supply that’s failing. Trust us. They’re basically the textbook definition of a nightmare, and you might not even notice the symptoms before it’s too late. Sure, they could be as in-your-face as having your PC just refuse to boot up, but they could also be as subtle and minute as some lost power efficiency. Trust us, avoid the hassle and pick up one of the best PC power supplies. You don’t want your house catching fire because you wanted to save $20.

There’s no need to be too scared, however, there really are a great deal of wonderful power supplies available today. Which is great, because everyone needs one they can rely on. There are budget PSUs that will power your rig without causing any of the issues above, and high-end units that can power all of the beastly components that the best gaming PCs need to operate. Whatever it is you need, check out this list of the best PC power supplies – each one has been tested by the TechRadar editorial team, and has earned our seal of approval.

The Corsair RM750x tops our list for one simple reason: it’s the most well-rounded power supply on the market. On top of a 10 year warranty and an 80 Gold Plus efficiency rating, the Corsair has a fully modular cabling system. That means you only need to install the cables you need. Not having unused cables in your case is great for air-flow and for those who appreciate the value of good cable management.

When you’re trying to keep the price of your PC similar to that of a console, you don’t want to blow a lot of your budget on a power supply. That’s where more economical options like the EVGA 500 B1 come in handy. This PSU is essentialist without neglecting the needs of its audience. For less than $50 USD, you can expect 500 watts of power transmitted through several SATA cables and two PCIe slots. A three-year warranty is merely icing on the cake.

Power supply fans seem to run the loudest, and unlike case fans, they aren't quickly swappable. Fortunately the Straight Power 10 line up runs nice a quiet. Options range from 400w to 700w, and they're SLI and Crossfire certified. They also have a modular design, letting you use only the cables you absolutely need to use. It's also low-profile, freeing up even more space inside your computer tower.

Power supplies can occupy a ton of space in your desktop tower, however time has allowed for the units to get smaller while the power they emit only expands in magnitude. The Silverstone SX550 is almost half the size of other power supplies, so that you can better facilitate cables and airflow inside your computer. This makes it notably ideal for micro ATX and mini-ITX builds, though you could slide it into a mid- or full-size tower as well if you deem it necessary.

This is an absolute monster of a power supply. This is for the serious builder who plans on powering multiple graphics cards, cooling systems, and perhaps a small village in rural North Dakota. It has the highest possible 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating, and is fully modular so you only need to add the cables required by your build. If you have the money to go big, this is the power supply to get.