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Efficiency and smooth performance are some of the most crucial factors that no computer user would want to compromise on. You can spend a lot of money on buying the best components, but without the right power supplies, they will be wasted investments.
Power supplies may not be the most interesting thing to shop; however, they serve an important purpose. People often have trouble shopping for them, though, as they are unclear about what to look for. To avoid any confusion in the buying process, we have the complete review of some of the best quiet power supplies.
To find out more about them, keep on reading!
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Quiet Power Supplies
- OUR TOP PICK: CORSAIR AX760
- RUNNER-UP: EVGA 220-G3-0750-X1 SuperNOVA
- BEST QUIET MODULAR POWER SUPPLY: EVGA Supernova 1000 P2 80+ Platinum
Comparison of the Best Quiet Power Supplies
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How Does a Quiet Power Supply Work Differently Than Other Power Supplies?
To understand the difference between a quiet power supply and a not so quiet one, it’s important to understand how they truly work. Mainly, the power supply unit converts the main AC to low-voltage DC for the computer’s internal components to operate with.
However, during this process inevitably, some heat is produced, which puts your power supply unit at risk of being overheated. To aid the situation, one or two fans are employed. Thus, due to the airflow and fan bearing, noise is produced.
Now, a quiet power supply can get ahead of this situation and reduce fan noise without compromising its efficiency. Quiet power supplies are equipped with temperature-controlled technology, which produces minimal heat when less power is consumed. It might also have fans specially designed to adjust their RPM according to temperature. However, as far as their counterparts are concerned, they are equipped with no such technology and can get very noisy.
How to Choose a Quiet Power Supply
One of the most frequently asked questions is how to choose a quiet power supply. Well, there are certain features and factors one should look into before buying one, which makes up a top-of-the-line product. These ensure the product stands out from others.
Wattage
It's crucial to understand the wattage you need to fulfill your power supply needs. It’s not necessary to get the highest wattage possible as it would just be a waste of money. In fact, it's better to calculate the amount of power your system will overall draw and look for a unit that satisfies that.
Quality and Performance
Make sure that the unit you invest in has good-quality construction. This is important because poorly built units often use thin and cheap metal housing, which tends to vibrate more and create more noise than well-built models. Thus, the quality of construction can greatly affect the power supply’s performance.
Fan
The shape, construction, and design of the fan plays a crucial part in reducing noise and successfully controlling temperature. Therefore, take into account the fan-bearing diameter and opt for one which is designed to be quiet while operating. Furthermore, opt for a unit that has the right fan shape and design to optimize airflow and reduce cable clutter.
Review of the Best Quiet Power Supplies
There are several products in the market; however, not all of them are worth your time and money. It can be pretty troublesome finding the perfect one; thus, to help you with that, we have reviewed and listed some of the best quiet power supplies in the market.
Best Overall:
CORSAIR AX760
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers are very impressed with this unit. They find it highly reliable in terms of performance and build quality. It offers both overvoltage and overcurrent protection. Furthermore, for user convenience, it is backed by a lifetime tech support and a great warranty.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There are several features of this incredible product that caught our eye. Firstly, it has an 80 plus platinum certification, which means that it can deliver up to 92% energy-efficiency in real-world load conditions.
Furthermore, it has overvoltage, overcurrent, under-voltage, and short-circuit protection, which allows it to ensure maximum safety during operation.
It has a seven-year warranty plus it also conveniently offers the consumer lifetime access to excellent technical support. The unit is silent at low and moderate settings as it works at the zero RPM fanless mode. Plus, it has a 120mm dual ball-bearing fan, which allows it to be ultra-quiet at high loads.
Bottom Line
This wonderful unit is highly worthy of being on the best overall place of our list. It is not only highly innovative but also well-constructed and looks stylish at the same time. It’s a true beast in terms of performance.
Runner-up:
EVGA 220-G3-0750-X1 SuperNOVA
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Consumers are completely swept off their feet by this unit. It is not only well-designed but also highly reliable and sturdy. Some buyers find that the cables are too thick and, therefore, hard to bend, yet the overall performance is worth the tiny inconvenience.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This unit captured our interest with its impeccable design, high-quality performance, and remarkable construction. The brand is known to produce some of the best power supplies out there. Therefore, this unit is also an excellent example of incredible engineering and quality manufacturing.
It features a fully modular and portable design, which allows one to use only the cables needed. This aids in increasing the airflow of the case and reducing cable clutter. Furthermore, it offers heavy-duty protection, such as over-voltage protection, over-current protection, over-power protection, and short-circuit protection.
Bottom Line
All in all, it is incredibly well-constructed. This wonderful product offers multiple features and maximum protection as well as convenience to the consumers. It is not only highly reliable but also incredibly sturdy, making it a great investment.
Best Quiet Modular Power Supply:
EVGA Supernova 1000 P2 80+ Platinum
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Nearly all buyers are ecstatic upon purchasing this unit. It is applauded largely for its impeccable construction and top-notch performance. It seems to win hearts with its high efficiency and noise-free operation.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The EVGA Supernova 1000 is such a wonderfully constructed unit that it was truly hard to miss. Firstly, it is equipped with 80 plus platinum certification, which allows it to be a heavy-duty beast! It offers 92% energy-efficiency under regular load conditions. The design is overall completely modular, which allows it to reduce cable clutter and improve the airflow of the case.
Furthermore, it has a 140 mm double ball-bearing ultra-quiet fan. Plus, it is backed by a ten -year warranty.
Another great aspect of this product is how well-labeled all the components, such as cables are which make installation easy.
Bottom Line
This product is truly a true gem! It is incredibly convenient and well-constructed and takes into account multiple small details, such as labeling the cables. The construction is heavy-duty and high-quality, which reflects in its powerful and smooth performance.
Best be quiet! Power Supply:
be quiet! Straight Power 11 BN618
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This unit has made it to the top favorites of consumers with its incredible construction, highly functional performance, and meticulous design. They have little to no complaints about it. It offers convenience and heavy-duty performance with its practical and simple yet reliable design.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There aren’t many products in the market as well constructed as this one. This incredible product has an 80 plus gold certification, which offers high efficiency under normal load conditions. It comes equipped with smart, full cable management, which allows it to offer maximum build flexibility.
It operates with no noise, which is due to its incredible fan design and silent wings. It has a funnel-shaped fan that offers maximum airflow. Furthermore, it has a powerful multi-GPU compatible design with four PCI connectors.
Bottom Line
Last but not least, this unit is incredibly well-designed. It has high-quality construction with great attention paid to detail. Even though it is slightly expensive, the overall performance it offers is hard to beat, and therefore, it is a great investment to make.
Antec High Current Gamer HCG-620M
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users are quite intrigued with this power supply. Firstly, they find that it is highly reliable with a good warranty and practical design. Furthermore, it offers multiple features that allow it to have highly efficient performance. It is slightly on the more expensive side of the spectrum, but it is completely worth the splurge.
Why it Stands Out to Us
In particular, this unit stands out because it is equipped with a thermal manager feature, which allows it to have an advanced low-voltage fan for optimal heat control.
Furthermore, it can be described as an excellent example of high-power performance. It also has an 80 plus bronze certification for excellent energy efficiency.
Moreover, it has OCP, OVP, OPP, SCP, etc. for maximum protection. It is equipped with special ten-pin modular connectors to offer high current flexibility. Plus, it comes with all high-performance Japanese capacitors.
Bottom Line
To sum up, this unit is a worthy investment. It is meticulously designed and offers multiple features to ensure reliability and superior performance. Its design is highly functional, which is why one should certainly check it out.
When Would a Quiet Power Supply Come in Handy?
Are you still on the fence about buying a quiet power supply? Perhaps looking at certain situations where the product will come in handy will surely help you decide whether you want one too.
Heavy-Duty Usage
If you are an avid gamer, video editor, or anyone with heavy-duty computer usage, a good quiet power supply can do wonders for you. You must know how bad an overheated system can be. Thus, investing in good-quality power supply will allow your system’s temperature to be regulated without creating chaos. So, you can relax and stay focused on work without worrying about overheating troubles.
System Stability
Having a bad-quality power supply is equivalent to having an unstable system. This translates to poor voltage regulation, overheating, component stress, and even random PC crashes. These aren’t by any means favorable conditions; therefore, a good-quality quiet power supply is essential.
Increasing Lifespan
Overheating, bad voltage management and random crashes are common to bad power supplies, whereas investing in a good one ensures smooth performance and reliability, which in turn can extend the lifetime of your PC.
Cautious Considerations to Keep in Mind
When it comes to buying a quiet power supply, several aspects need to be taken into consideration. These are crucial and will serve as important guidelines for buying and using quiet power supplies.
Warranty and Certifications
It’s always better to look for a product that is backed by a warranty and excellent tech support. This allows the unit to be long-lasting and provides you with convenience in case you need guidance for installation, setup, or usage. Furthermore, look into the certifications the product carries and make sure it is equipped with protection features.
Compatibility
It’s crucial for you to opt for a product that is compatible with your PC. Look into your power supply's physical dimensions before buying one and make sure it fits your PC’s case. Often, high wattage units are longer than typical ones; thus, it’s better to check beforehand.
Price
There is no need to go overboard with features and wattage. Invest in a unit that works for you, fulfills your usage needs, and keep a reasonable budget to narrow down your options.
Conclusion
Power supplies are incredibly important parts of your computer system. All your highly-functional, expensive components will be of no use if you don’t have a good-quality, quiet power supply backing it up. Keeping this in mind, the idea behind this post was to bring attention to an often forgotten yet highly essential component of any PC, which is a power supply.
The post talked you through the entire buying process, gave you relevant information on some factors and considerations to keep in mind, and provided some excellent product recommendations. Hopefully, you can now find a unit worth investing in.
People Also Ask
When it comes to buying power supplies, several questions come to mind, especially for first-time buyers. These often cause confusion to them; therefore, to clarify these, we have answered some of your most frequently asked queries.
Why Are Power Supplies So Loud?
As the main AC is converted to low-voltage DC to be used for your computer’s internal components, a certain amount of heat is produced. To avoid overheating, power supplies are equipped with fans that regulate temperature by cooling down the environment. However, the process can be a noisy one due to fan bearings and airflow.
What Decibel Level is Considered Quiet in a Power Supply?
Any noise for a prolonged time which exceeds 70 dB is damaging to your ears. A whisper is about 30 dB, whereas a running motorcycle engine is about 95 dB. Furthermore, every sound that exceeds 85 dB will require you to wear ear protection. For a normal and comfortable environment, the ideal sound range is 30-40 dB.
Are be quiet! Power Supplies Good?
Yes, be quiet! power supplies work pretty well.
Do Quiet Power Supplies Operate at Lower Voltages?
If a quiet power supply doesn’t have enough voltage, your PC may run into some system instability issues.
