You know that moment when you’re building a new PC, everything feels exciting… until you get to the power supply ? Yeah. Suddenly you’re comparing watts, certifications, rails, protections – and it feels less like picking hardware and more like defusing a bomb. I’ve been there, staring at boxes in a shop in Manchester thinking “600 W? 750 W? Am I about to underpower a £900 GPU?”
Before we dive deep, if you like checking component guides the same way some people check restaurant menus, https://informatique-assemblage.fr has a bunch of practical build tips that helped me more than once. But let’s get back to our PSU mission.
How Much Power Does Your PC Really Need ?
Honestly, most people either overshoot or underestimate. I’ve seen folks slap a 1000 W PSU into a mid-range build “just in case”, while others try to power a hungry RTX card with a 450 W unit that wheezes like an old bus.
Here’s the simple trick : look at your GPU first. It’s usually the main energy drink addict in your system. A modern mid-range graphics card (say an RTX 4060 Ti) will sit around 160–220 W. Add your CPU – maybe 65 to 125 W – plus the motherboard, SSDs, fans… and you end up with a total that’s often between 350 and 500 W for a standard gaming build.
But – and this is where people get surprised – you always want a margin. Something like 30–40%. Why ? Because power spikes exist. Some GPUs love sudden peaks, and a PSU that can’t handle them will crash your system faster than you can say “blue screen”.
So what does that mean concretely ? For a gaming or creator setup with a decent GPU, 650 to 750 W is the sweet spot. If you’re rocking something beefier – like the big RTX boys or a workstation CPU – then yeah, 850 W or 1000 W starts making sense.
80 PLUS Certifications : Do They Matter or Is It Just Fancy Stickers ?
You’ve probably seen those metallic badges : Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium… It feels like a ranking system from a martial-arts anime. And yep, they actually matter.
What do they measure ? Efficiency. Not raw power. A Gold PSU doesn’t push out “more” watts than a Bronze of the same wattage – it just wastes less energy as heat.
- 80+ Bronze: totally fine for budget or office builds.
- 80+ Gold: the sweet spot for gaming PCs – cooler, quieter, more reliable.
- 80+ Platinum/Titanium: workstation, server or “I want the best because why not” territory.
Personally ? I go Gold 95% of the time. It’s that perfect balance. My current build has been running on a 750 W Gold for four years, and the damn thing is still quiet enough that I sometimes check if the PC is actually powered on.
Single Rail vs Multi Rail : Does It Really Change Anything ?
This is one of those topics where people argue endlessly on forums. In practice ? For most users, it won’t change your life.
Single rail PSU: all components draw from the same +12V rail. Simple. Reliable. Great for high-load GPUs.
Multi-rail PSU: the current is split, theoretically improving safety because each rail has its own limit.
I’d say : unless you’re pushing extreme overclocking or running something exotic (multiple GPUs, custom servers, etc.), just pick a reputable model and you’ll be fine. I’ve used both and never felt a “wow” difference in everyday use.
Protections : The Stuff You Hope Never Activates
Okay, this part isn’t glamorous, but it’s the difference between saving your PC… or frying £1500 worth of components.
Look for these protections (ideally all of them):
- OVP – Over Voltage Protection
- UVP – Under Voltage Protection
- OCP – Over Current Protection
- SCP – Short Circuit Protection
- OTP – Over Temperature Protection
- OPP – Over Power Protection
If a PSU brand doesn’t clearly list these, I get suspicious. Kind of like when a restaurant menu doesn’t include prices. That’s never a good sign.
Brands That Don’t Disappoint (At Least in My Experience)
I won’t pretend there’s one “best” brand forever – the market shifts – but some names consistently deliver :
- Seasonic: the quiet legend. Solid, efficient, long-lasting.
- Corsair (RM/RMX series): dependable, easy to find, great warranties.
- Be Quiet !: extremely silent, excellent build quality.
- EVGA (G series): stable and often well-priced.
When I see a PSU from these brands, I’m already 70% reassured.
So… What Should You Buy ?
If you’ve skipped to this part (it’s okay, I do it too), here’s the quick recipe :
- Pick your wattage based on your GPU + CPU, then add 30–40% overhead.
- Go for 80+ Gold unless you have a special use case.
- Choose a reputable manufacturer – really, don’t cheap out here.
- Make sure the PSU includes full protection features.
- Modular cables ? Very nice to have. Saves you from wrestling with spaghetti inside your case.
And voilà. With the right power supply, your PC will run smoother, cooler and longer. Honestly, once you’ve had a stable, quiet PSU, you never want to go back – it’s like upgrading from cheap trainers to shoes that actually fit.
If you’ve got a specific build in mind, feel free to ask – choosing the right PSU gets way easier once we know what we’re powering.