Best PC power supply 2018: top PSUs for your PC

We’re just going to come out and say it: if you’re building the best PC, the most important component you can get is one of the best PC power supplies. Sure, it’s tempting to get a cheap PSU so you can save money for one of the best graphics cards, but trust us – it’s just not worth it. Every component in you computer relies on the best PSUs for power and, if you cheap out, you could end up bricking your entire system.

We’re just going to come out and say it: there’s nothing worse than a dying PC power supply. This is due to the fact that many of the symptoms of a dying power supply can be pretty hard to notice. Some might stand out – like if your PC just refuses to boot – but they can be as subtle as some lost power efficiency. By the time you notice your power supply is failing, it could be too late. So, you should just get the best PC power supply now, so you don’t have to worry about burning your house down later.

We don’t want to be downers though – there’s a wide range of fantastic PC power supplies available right now. And, even if you’re trying to watch your budget, you can still get one of the best PC power supplies. There are even some amazing high-power units that can generate the ludicrous power required for the best gaming PCs, if you have the money ready. No matter what you’re looking for, you can be sure that you’ll find the best PC power supplies right here on this list.

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.

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.

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 power supplies have a tendency to be over-sized, taking up way too much space in your PC. However, these days there are plenty of compact pc power supplies that still provide plenty of juice. The Silverstone SX550 is almost half the size of other power supplies, so that you can better facilitate cables and airflow inside your case. Ths makes it the perfect case for micro ATX and mini ITX builds, and you can even slide it into a mid or full-size tower as well, if you feel like it.

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.

Look, we’re in 2018, and if your PC isn’t absolutely overloaded with RGB lighting, you’re just not trying hard enough. Enter the Thermaltake Smart RGB 700W – not only does it have gorgeous, customizable RGB lighting, but it also features a reliable 80 Plus efficiency rating and high enough wattage to support even the best gaming PCs. Yeah, it isn’t modular, but it’s less than a hundred bucks, so we weren’t really expecting it to be.