Comparison be quiet! Power Zone 2 BP006 vs be quiet! Pure Power 12 M BN346

The output power of the power supply, in other words, is the maximum power that it is capable of delivering to the system. For the computer to operate efficiently, the power supply must be greater than the total power consumption of the system at maximum load. The latter can be calculated by summing the power of individual components, however, in general, for office configurations , about 400 W — 450 W is considered sufficient, for medium gaming — about 600 W( 500 W, 550 W, 650 W, 700 W, 750 W), and for the top ones — power of 800 W and above ( 850 W, 1000 W and even more than 1 kW).

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").

— Active cooling system. Uses a fan that constantly operates to remove heat from internal components. Unlike passive cooling, the active system provides better heat dissipation and stability under high loads, preventing overheating. However, it creates noise. To eliminate this, fans in such power supplies can have dynamic speed control (AFC – Automatic Fan Control), reducing speed at low power consumption.

— Semi-passive. Active cooling systems with automatic fan shutdown in situations where the load on the power supply is low and heat generation is reduced. Let us remind you that systems of this type are more efficient than passive ones, but they consume additional energy and create noise during operation. Accordingly, at low loads, when intensive cooling is not required, it is wiser to turn off the fans — this saves energy and reduces the noise level.

— Passive(radiators). Compared to fans, radiators have a number of advantages: for example, they do not create any noise and do not require their own power supply (thus reducing overall energy consumption). On the other hand, they are significantly less efficient, as a result — the power of power supplies with passive cooling does not exceed 600 W. In addition, such power supplies are quite expensive.

The diameter of the fan(s) in the power supply cooling system.

The large diameter allows to achieve good efficiency at relatively low RPMs, which in turn reduces noise and power consumption. On the other hand, large fans are more expensive than small ones and take up a lot of space, which affects the dimensions of the entire PSU. We also emphasize that a small fan is not yet a sign of a cheap power supply — quite advanced models can also have such equipment, in order to reduce dimensions.

As for specific diameters, the smallest value that can be found in modern consumer-grade PSUs is 80 mm. The most popular option is 120 mm, this size gives good efficiency and a relatively low noise level at a reasonable price and dimensions. Larger diameters are somewhat less common — 135 mm and 140 mm.

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 Molex (IDE) connectors provided in the design of the power supply.

Initially, such a connector was intended to power peripherals for the IDE interface, primarily hard drives. And although the IDE itself is completely obsolete today and is not used in new components, however, the Molex power connector continues to be installed in power supplies, and almost without fail. Almost any modern PSU has at least 1 – 2 of these connectors, and in high-end models this number can be 7 or more. This situation is due to the fact that Molex IDE is a fairly universal standard, and with the help of the simplest adapters, components with a different power interface can be powered from it. For example, there are Molex - SATA adapters for drives, Molex - 6 pin for video cards, etc.

Number of 8-pin PCIe power connectors (6+2) provided in the PSU design.

Additional PCIe power connectors (of all formats) are used for additional power to types of internal peripherals that require more than the 75W supplied directly through the PCIe slot on the motherboard (a typical example is graphics cards). In PC components, there are two types of such connectors — 6-pin, providing up to 75W of additional power, and 8-pin, giving up to 150W. The 8-pin (6+2) connectors used in power supplies are universal: they can work with both 6-pin and 8-pin connectors on the expansion board. Therefore, this type of connector is the most popular in modern PSUs.

As for the quantity, there are models on sale with 1 PCIe 8-pin (6+2) connector, 2 such connectors, 3 connectors, 4 connectors, and in some cases — 6 or more. Several of these connectors can be useful, for example, when connecting multiple graphics cards — or for a powerful high-performance video adapter equipped with multiple additional PCIe power connectors.