Comparison be quiet! Straight Power 12 BN338 vs be quiet! Dark Power 13 BN335

Efficiency, in this case — the ratio of the power of the power supply (see "Power") to its power consumption. The higher the efficiency, the more efficient the power supply, the less energy it consumes from the network at the same output power, and the cheaper it is to operate. Efficiency may differ depending on the load; the characteristics can indicate both the minimum efficiency and its value at an average load (50%).

It should be noted that compliance with one or another level of 80PLUS efficiency directly depends on this indicator (for more details, see "Certificate").

The presence or absence of an 80+ certificate for the power supply. This certificate indicates high energy efficiency: to obtain it, the efficiency (see above) must be at least 80%, and in different modes (20%, 50% and 100% of the maximum load). There are several degrees of 80+:

— 80+. The original version of the certificate, assuming an efficiency of at least 82% (at least 85% for 50% load).

— 80+ White. The second name of the original 80+ certificate (see above).

— 80+ Bronze — efficiency not less than 85% (for half load — 88%).

— 80+ Silver — respectively 87% (90% for half load).

— 80+ Gold — 89% (92% for half load)

— 80+ Platinum — 90% (94% for half load).

— 80+ Titanium — 94% (96% for half load).

The power factor (see "PFC Type") must be at least 0.9 for the lower levels and at least 0.95 for the Platinum level. Also note that for redundant power used in server systems, the efficiency requirements are somewhat lower.

Cybenetics Efficiency is a power supply unit (PSU) energy efficiency certification system that serves as an alternative to the 80 PLUS standard. It is more accurate as it considers efficiency at various load levels (10%, 20%, 50%, 100%) and at different input voltages (115V, 230V). The labeling of this system is identical to 80 PLUS:

Bronze — overall efficiency from 82% to 85% at 115V input voltage and from 84% to 87% at 230V;

Silver — 85 – 87% and 87 – 89% respectively;

Gold — from 87% to 89% (115V) and from 89% to 91% (230V);

Platinum — 89 – 91% at 115V and 91 – 93% at 230V;

Titanium — 91 – 93% (115V) and 93 – 95% (230V);

Diamond — ≥ 93/95%.

The Cybenetics Lambda Certification System evaluates the noise levels of power supply units (PSUs), providing consumers with information about their acoustic characteristics. As a result, you can rely not only on the efficiency of the PSU but also on its noise level. Cybenetics Lambda certification levels include:

Standard — from 40 dB(A) to 45 dB(A) – noticeable noise;

Standard+ — from 35 dB(A) to 40 dB(A) – noticeable noise;

Standard++ — from 30 dB(A) to 35 dB(A) – moderate noise;

A- — from 25 dB(A) to 30 dB(A) – moderately quiet;

A — from 20 dB(A) to 25 dB(A) – quiet;

A+ — from 15 dB(A) to 20 dB(A) – very quiet;

A++ — less than 15 dB(A) – nearly silent.

The number of SATA power connectors provided in the PSU.

Nowadays, SATA is the standard interface for connecting internal hard drives, and it is also found in other types of drives (SSD, SSHD, etc.). Such an interface consists of a data connector connected to the motherboard, and a power connector connected to the PSU. Accordingly, in this paragraph we are talking about the number of SATA power plugs provided in the PSU. This number corresponds to the number of SATA drives that can be simultaneously powered from this model.

The presence of a braid in the complete wires of the system unit — for all or at least for some.

This feature has a positive effect on reliability, making the wire as resistant as possible to bending, abrasion, strong pressure and other similar influences; it also provides additional protection against accidental contact with sharp objects (for example, when repairing a PC). The disadvantages of braided wires, in addition to increased cost, are also increased thickness and greater rigidity than similar cables in conventional insulation. This can create some difficulties in organizing space inside the system unit.

The maximum current the PSU can deliver on the first +12V power line.

For more information on power lines in general, see the "+3.3V" section. Here, it is worth mentioning that 12V is the most popular voltage among computer power connectors. It is used in almost all such connectors (with few exceptions), and some plugs (for example, additional PCI-E power with 6 or 8 connectors) use only 12-volt lines — specifically in the +12V format. The division of +12V power into several separate lines is done for safety reasons — to reduce the current going through each individual wire and thus prevent excessive load and overheating of the wiring. However, some manufacturers do not specify the maximum current for individual +12V lines and provide only the overall value in the specifications; in such cases, this number is indicated in this section.

The maximum current that the PSU can deliver on the second +12V power rail.

For more information on power rails in general, see the section "+3.3V". Here, it is worth mentioning that 12V is the most popular voltage among computer power connectors. It is used in almost all such connectors (with a few exceptions), and some plugs (such as the additional PCI-E power with 6 or 8 connectors) use only 12-volt rails — specifically in the +12V format. The division of +12V power into several separate rails is used for safety reasons — to reduce the current flowing through each individual wire and thus prevent excessive load and overheating of the wiring. However, some manufacturers do not specify the maximum current for separate +12V rails and only provide the overall value in the specifications; in such cases, this number is indicated in the "+12V1" section.

The maximum current that the PSU can deliver on the third power line +12V.

For more details about power lines in general, see the section "+3.3V". Here, it should be mentioned that 12V is the most popular voltage among computer power connectors. It is used in almost all such connectors (with a few exceptions), and some plugs (for example, additional power for PCI-E with 6 or 8 connectors) use only 12-volt lines, specifically in the +12V format. The division of +12V power into several separate lines is applied for safety reasons—to reduce the current flowing through each individual wire and thus prevent excessive load and overheating of the wiring. However, some manufacturers do not specify the maximum current for individual +12V lines and only provide the total value in the specifications; in such cases, this number is indicated in the "+12V1" section.