what are power supply efficiency certifications?

We delve into the certifications of power supplies, so that you have more clear which are the best options, and the most efficient for your equipment, and you can choose from our all our sources.

Choosing a source

When purchasing a power supply, there are several aspects that must be taken into account, which are essential to make the right choice. The first and foremost is to know how much energy all your components need to function and perform correctly. On the other hand, it is also interesting that you choose between a modular, semi-modular or standard power supply. In order not to extend this post, we really want to deal with certifications, here is the link to another of our guides, where you will be able to consult all these questions in more depth

What are 80 Plus certifications?

Let's get down to business. Power supply certifications are called 80 Plus. How do they work and what do they mean? Within the 80 Plus certification, there are different grades that represent the efficiency of each power supply White, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium. As you can imagine, they are classified from white to titanium, in ascending order of efficiency

We begin with a brief explanation of the main idea, and the reason for the tests performed to certify the sources. It all started in 2004, when Ecova Plug Load Solutions started what we know as the 80 PLUS ® program, which consisted of testing power supplies for check its efficiency, these were carried out on 20%, 50% and 100% of the loads.

In the beginning, power supplies only needed to demonstrate 80% efficiency to obtain certification, which is why it was called 80 Plus Certification, a name that is still used today. From 2007 onwards, several companies began to request 80 Plus Certification as mandatory in order to be able to market power supplies under their brand or logo. This led to an increase in improvements in the efficiency of the power supplies, as most manufacturers sought to obtain the certificate.

80 Plus White basic certification

Over time, and as the industry progressed, new and increasingly demanding certifications were included, becoming known as 80 Plus White Certification, which until now had been the sole and standard certification. This means that, to date, this certification is the lowest, indicating a 80% energy efficiency under load conditions of 20%, 50% and 100% with a factor of power of 0.9 or better. This does not mean that a power supply with this certification is bad, but that there are currently power supplies with better energy efficiency

Higher certifications

If you have assembled a PC with a good combination of components, which will require a lot of power to operate, you may want to look for a power supply with an 80 Plus certification above White. The certifications Bronze and Silver would be those immediately after the White and, as you will see in the comparison table, they have an interesting energy efficiency

In the case of 80 Plus certifications Gold and Platinum, the difference is already noticeable, and with these, you will be able to give enough power to all your components, in an optimal way, even if the power supply is not of an exaggerated power. But, as always, the amount of power required by your power supply will be determined by the components of your PC.

In 2012, the 80 Plus certification was included Titanium which, at present, is the jewel in the crown, being the only one to impose a minimum efficiency of 90% with a load of only 10% on the total power of the source.

Our sources

Among our catalog of power supplies, you will find models with different certifications, highlighting Scutum X and Vanth, in their different versions, with 80 Plus Bronze and 80 Plus Gold certification, respectivelyScutum X is also available in SemiMod, this is great for those who want a more specific wiring configuration, but with the corresponding certification. In terms of Vanth, is the top model of Nfortec, with japanese capacitors the use of premium quality materials significantly reduces energy loss and avoids heating of the source.

You know, if you want the best in terms of power for your PC, look for 80 Plus certifications, or go directly to our catalog, where you will find power supplies for any type of configuration, and always with great energy efficiency