Best Power Supply Units for Gaming

Updated September 2020
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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
Bottom Line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
EVGA 1000 GQ Power Supply
EVGA
1000 GQ Power Supply
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Bottom Line

The best high-end power supply to buy when you need better performance and damage protection.

Pros

Runs efficiently near the high loads common with powerful gaming setups. Semi-modular design reduces the amount of cables lying around the inside of a computer.

Cons

The fan is quite noisy when running near the top limits of the power supply.

Best Bang for the Buck
Corsair CX Series Power Supply
Corsair
CX Series Power Supply
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Bottom Line

The best budget power supply capable of handling lighter gaming rigs running with budget or mid-range components.

Pros

Power supply runs cool under normal operating conditions or with games using low-to-medium settings. The fan runs more quietly than premium power supplies.

Cons

The power supply can suddenly drop power, resetting the computer during gameplay.

Rosewill Gaming Power Supply
Rosewill
Gaming Power Supply
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Bottom Line

A good gaming-specific power supply with the capability to run more powerful components.

Pros

1,000-watt capacity is good enough for most modern mid-to-high end gaming rigs. Comes with internal LED lighting to accent the surroundings during gameplay.

Cons

Provided power cables are on the short side. May not be compatible with some full towers.

Thermaltake Toughpower Grand Power Supply
Thermaltake
Toughpower Grand Power Supply
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Bottom Line

The type of gaming power supply to choose when you want more accent and flair from the component.

Pros

Modular design simplifies the cable management and usage inside the computer. Comes with a customizable LED light for different lighting designs and accents.

Cons

Power supply is susceptible to boot loops, preventing the computer from reaching the operating system.

Thermaltake Smart Power Supply
Thermaltake
Smart Power Supply
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Bottom Line

A good option to consider for a power supply that can handle long periods of gaming.

Pros

A high quality fan and bearings offer smooth, continuous running for long periods of gaming in a single setting. Comes in a range of power outputs to fit different gaming setups.

Cons

LED lights do not offer full customization and only come with a list of presets.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
How we decided

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

21 Models Considered
7 Hours Researched
1 Experts Interviewed
349 Consumers Consulted
Zero products received from manufacturers.

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

Gaming rigs are expensive pieces of hardware, often built from the ground up, and are very power hungry. They need clean and consistent power to perform well, and a PSU can deliver the goods. It can also prevent a catastrophic burnout to your expensive gear. A reliable PSU will also stop system instability that causes games to crash and constant rebooting. The units should offer power at 3 volts, 5 volts, and 12 volts, referred to as rails. Plugs attach to the motherboard, CPU, GPU(s), SATA devices, and 5v Molex plugs. It’s worth paying up for a good unit that will run quietly and stay cool.

Other Products We Considered
The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value. We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5.
EVGA
500 W1 Power Supply
Seasonic
Focus GX-550 Power Supply
EVGA
400 N1 Power Supply
Corsair
RMX Series Power Supply
GAMEMAX
600W Semi Modular Power Supply
The team that worked on this review
  • Melinda
    Melinda
    Web Producer
×

Rosewill

Gaming Power Supply

Rosewill

Gaming Power Supply

A good gaming-specific power supply with the capability to run more powerful components.
$154
×

EVGA

1000 GQ Power Supply

EVGA

1000 GQ Power Supply

The best high-end power supply to buy when you need better performance and damage protection.
$205
×

Thermaltake

Toughpower Grand Power Supply

Thermaltake

Toughpower Grand Power Supply

The type of gaming power supply to choose when you want more accent and flair from the component.
$149
×

Corsair

CX Series Power Supply

Corsair

CX Series Power Supply

The best budget power supply capable of handling lighter gaming rigs running with budget or mid-range components.
$131
×

Thermaltake

Smart Power Supply

Thermaltake

Smart Power Supply

A good option to consider for a power supply that can handle long periods of gaming.
$69

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