POWER SUPPLY recommendations

[Bosco]

Tier Breakdown:

Tier 1 provides the best quality power, great for overclocking, super high-end systems, and bragging rights. The best of the best. Very good longevity.
Tier 2 offers very good quality power output, and great reliability. Highly recommended for use in new systems.
Tier 2b contains units that almost made Tier 2, but may not have quite as good quality output(still very good), or may not last as long. Recommended for systems not expected to run 24/7 for several years.
Tier 3 power supplies fully meet all ATX requirements for power output quality, but don't have as good of power output quality as above tiers. No reason to replace one if you have one, and they're still good choices for most systems.
Tier 4 units may have some problems, such as being unable to deliver rated power at higher temperatures, or being slightly out of ATX spec on power output quality. Not recommended to buy except in situations where you will not be stressing it, or expecting it to last for more than a few years. If you have one, you can probably keep using it unless you're experiencing problems.
Tier 5 power supplies are NOT RECOMMENDED. If you have one, you should strongly consider replacing it ASAP. These can damage your computer, and often cannot put out the power that they're rated for. If a brand name is listed here, then all models from that brand name are considered to be Tier 5, except for those specific models listed above.


-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----

Tier 1 Brands - The Most Powerful And Stable Components On The Market.

Antec Signature
Antec High Current Pro -1200w
Antec HCP Platinum 1kW
Corsair AX
Enermax Galaxy
Enermax Revolution
Kingwin Lazer Platinum 550w
OCZ EliteXStream
PCP&C TurboCool
PCP&C Silencer >610 watt
Sapphire Pure
Seasonic X-Series
Seasonic S12D/M12D
Silverstone ZF (Etasis 85/75/56)
Seventeam ST >600 (SSI, V2.91)
Silverstone OP/DA >700 watt
Silverstone ZM
Ultra X3 >1000 watt
XFX Black Edition
XFX XXX Edition
Zippy/Emacs SSL
Zippy/Emacs GSM
Zippy/Emacs PSL
Zippy/Emacs HG2
Zippy/Emacs HP2


Tier 2 Brands - Top Quality components With Top Notch Stability - For Those With Price/Availability Issues With Tier 1

Antec Neo HE
Antec High Current Gamer Series
Antec EarthWatts < 700 watt
Antec TruePower Trio
Antec TruePower Quattro
Antec TruePower New -- 750w
Akasa PowerGreen 80+
CoolMax CTG-750 watt/850 watt/1000 watt
Cooler Master Ultimate/UCP
Cooltek CT
Corsair GS600 / GS800
Corsair HX
Corsair TX
Corsair VX
Cougar SX700 and GX700
Enermax Liberty
Enermax Infiniti
Enermax MaxRevo 1350
Enermax MODU82+
Enermax Platimax (600, 750, 850, 1.2K)
Enermax PRO82+
Enermax PRO87+ (500w + 700w)
Enhance ENP-GH
Fortron (FSP) GLN
iStarUSA PD2
iStarUSA PD3
LEPA G500
OCZ Fatal1ty
OCZ GameXStream <1000 watt (only if manufactured in December 2007 or later)
OCZ StealthXStream 400 watt
OCZ StealthXStream 2 <700 watt
OCZ Modstream (only if manufactured in December 2007 or later)
OCZ EvoStream
OCZ ProXStream
OCZ Z(t)(s) Series < 1000W
PC P&C Silencer <610 watt
PC P&C Silencer MkII
Rosewill Capstone (450, 750)
Rosewill Hive (550, 650)
Seasonic S12
Seasonic M12
Seasonic Energy Plus
Sentey Golden Steel Power 850w
SevenTeam ST <600 watt
Silverstone OP/DA ≤700 watt
Supermicro/AbleCom
Thermaltake Toughpower >600 watt
Thortech Thunderbolt Plus 800w
Xclio StablePower
XFX Core Edition
Xigmatek MC
Xigmatek HC
Ultra X3
Ultra X-Pro
Zalman ZM <1000 watt


Tier 2b - Tier 2 units which have either lower longevity or slightly lower quality output. Still well within spec, and are good units.

ABS-Tagan ITZ/BZ <1000 watt
Antec VP (350, 450)
BFG 800 watt
Cooler Master GX 80 Plus 450W
Cooler Master Real Power Pro >800 watt
Cougar S700
Hiper Type-M >650 watt
Hiper Type-R >650 watt
Huntkey Jumper
Kingwin Lazer Gold
Mushkin Enhanced
NZXT HALE
OCZ PowerStream
OCZ StealthXStream <700 watt (only if manufactured in December 2007 or later)
Silverstone EF
Tagan U95
Tagan U25
Tagan U15
Tagan U22
Xclio GreatPower


Tier 3 Brands - Power supplies fully able to meet ATX specs, although closer to the edges of the limits than higher tier units. Still solid units.

Acbel Polycom
Akasa PaxPower
Akasa PowerPlus (>500 watt Models)
AMS Mercury
Antec Earthwatts >700 watt
Antec Basiq
Antec Phantom
Antec TruePower III
Antec TruePower II
Antec TrueControl II
Antec NeoPower 480 watt (Old Model)
Athena Power Space Shuttle Series
Be Quiet Dark Power Pro
BFG ES
BFG LS
Channel Well
Cooler Master Real Power Pro <800 watt
Cooler Master iGreen
Cooler Master Silent (and gold) Pro
Corsair CX Series
Enermax Maximum Plus
Enermax Noistaker II
Enermax Noisetaker
Enermax Whisper II
Enermax CoolerGiant
Enhance ENS-G
Epower Xscale
Fortron (FSP) GLC
Fortron (FSP) THN
Fortron AX
Fortron HLN
Fortron PFN/PN/PA
Kingwin Lazer
Kingwin Mach 1 (the negative 12v rail may go slightly outside of spec in some loading conditions)
LEPA G900
NorthQ
OCZ ModXStream (rated for 40° C)
OCZ Z Series 1000W
Rosewill RP 2 (temperature sensitive)
Rosewill Xtreme/RX
Seasonic Super Versatile
Sigma SP
Silverstone F
Sparkle FSP
Spire Rocketeer V/VI
Sunbeam Nuuo
Thermaltake Litepower
Thermaltake Purepower RX
Thermaltake Toughpower <600 watt
XG Magnum
X-Spice Kira
Zalman ZM 1000 watt




Tier 4 - Not Recommend for stressful situations. May not be able to put out full rated power above room temperature, and may slightly fail to meet ATX specs.

Aerocool
Asus Atlas
BFG 1000 watt
Cooler Master eXtreme (only use 75% of labeled wattage)
Cooler Master GX (except 450w)
E-Power
Futurepower
Hiper Type-M
HIPRO
Masscool
MGE XG
Mushkin HP
NorthQ 4775-500S/BU
OCZ Modstream (if manufactured before December 2007)
OCZ GameXStream <1000 watt (if manufactured before December 2007)
OCZ StealthXStream (if manufactured before December 2007)
OCZ GameXStream 1010 watt (essentially a 850watt power supply)
Scythe Kamariki
Sigma Shark
Sintek
TTGI/Superflower
Ultra Xfinity
Ultra X2 <700 watt
Ultra XVS
Xion Real Power PowerReal


Tier 5 - Other than the units listed above for any of these brands, NOT RECOMMENDED. Replace ASAP if you have one.

A-TOP Technology
Apevia
APEX (SUPERCASE/ALLIED)
Aspire(Turbo Case)
ATADC
Athena Power
ATRIX
Broadway Com Corp
Coolmax
Deer
Diablotek
Dynapower USA
Dynex
EagleTech
FOXCONN
FSP Everest
HEC Orion
Hiper Type-R
Huntkey
I-Star Computer Co. Ltd
In Win
JPAC COMPUTER
Just PC
Kingwin Inc.
Linkworld Electronics
Logisys Computer
MGE
MSI
NMEDIAPC
Norwood Micro/ CompUSA
NorthQ
NZXT
Okia
Powmax
Q-Tec
Raidmax
Rocketfish
Rosewill
SFC
Shuttle
Skyhawk
Spire Coolers
Star Micro
STARTECH
Thermaltake Purepower NP
Thermaltake Purepower RU
Thermaltake TR2 (and TR2-RX)
TOPOWER TOP
Ultra X-Connect
Ultra X2 >700 watt
Wintech
XION
YoungYear
Zebronics

-------------------

The above information was directly copied from this forum post:
http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

 

[jokers_greg]

too many missing brands, I understand that some use the same OEM but I'm not a fan of PSU charts. Each company provides different options at every price level.

A much better way of deciding is looking at the reviews posted on the frontpages of overclockers.com or my personal favourite: jonnyguru

PSU choices should be made on a case to case basis, not simply trying to get as high in the tiers as possible

 

[Soulcatcher668]

*** edited to reflect edits in the original post.

 

[Automata]

Bosco, if you take information from another website, you need to site your sources. I've changed your post, please be careful in the future.

 

[Bosco]

Bosco, if you take information from another website, you need to site your sources. I've changed your post, please be careful in the future.

thanks for the heads up.

 

[Bosco]

Hmmm

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

Doesn't help that the thread that this was lifted from is from 2008

Its an ongoing updated thread, most of those PSU's weren't available till the last year or two.

 

[EarthDog]

Like I mentioned where you posted this originally, we have our own here. This is a good supplement to that list though for sure.

Thanks!

 

[Bosco]

Glad to be here, Earthdog.

If I can contribute in any way I will try.