Comparison Deepcool Nova DN500 vs Deepcool Aurora DP-BZ-DA500N

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.

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.

The maximum values of current and power that the PSU can provide on individual power lines.

The power line can be simply described as a pair of contacts for connecting a particular load; one of these contacts is “ground” (with zero voltage), and the second has a certain voltage with a plus or minus sign, this voltage corresponds to the voltage of the power line. In this paragraph, it is + 3.3V (such power is present in 20- and 24-pin connectors for motherboards, in SATA power connectors and some other types of connectors).

In general, power and currents are rather specific parameters that the average user rarely needs — mainly when connecting high-power components such as video cards, as well as when starting a PSU without a computer to power other electronics (for example, amateur radio stations). It is also worth mentioning that the sum of the maximum powers on all lines can be higher than the total output power of the PSU — this means that all lines cannot operate at full power at the same time. Accordingly, when the PSU is fully loaded, some of them will produce less power than the maximum possible.

The maximum current that the PSU is capable of issuing + 5V to the power line. For more information about power lines in general, see "+3.3V". Also note here that + 5V power, in addition to connectors for motherboards (for 20 and 24 pins), is also found in Molex and SATA plugs, as well as some other specific types of connectors.

The maximum current that the PSU is capable of issuing to the power line is -12V.

For more information about power lines in general, see "+3.3V". Here it is worth mentioning that 12 V is the most popular voltage among computer power connectors. However, most often it is used in the + 12V format; and the -12V line performs mainly a service function, it is almost never found in other connectors, except for the motherboard power plug (for 20 or 24 pins).

The maximum power that the PSU can deliver to the +12V power rail.

For more details on power rails in general, see "Maximum current and power." Here, it should be noted that 12V is the most popular voltage among computer power connectors. It is used in nearly all such connectors (with few exceptions), and some plugs (such as the additional PCI-E power for 6 or 8 connectors) use only 12-volt rails, specifically in the +12V format. Therefore, this indicator is one of the most important characteristics of any PSU.

It is worth noting that many PSUs have multiple separate +12V power rails. In such cases, the total power is indicated here, which is usually divided equally among the rails.

The maximum power that the PSU is capable of delivering on the + 3.3V and + 5V power lines.

See "Maximum current and power" for details on power lines in general. Here we note that the power lines + 3.3V and + 5V are used both in the general connector for the motherboard (for 20 or 24 pins), and in specialized plugs — in particular, the SATA power connector (both) and Molex (only +5V, in addition to +12V). The power of these lines is a rather specific parameter, rarely required in fact; it is usually the same for both voltages, so it is indicated in the general clause.

The maximum power that the PSU is capable of delivering to the power line is -12V.

See "Maximum current and power" for details on power lines in general. Here we note that -12V is a rather specific format used exclusively in power plugs for motherboards — to supply power to individual motherboard components that require reverse polarity.

PC PSU dimensions are defined by the form factor (most often ATX 150×86 mm), and the key factor in compatibility is depth — the PSU case length. “Universal” ATX units are usually 140, 150 mm, while quiet, high-power models with large heatsinks and a 135/140‑mm fan range from 160 to 200+ mm; compact builds use SFX/SFX-L (depth ~100 and ~125 mm with an adapter bracket). The greater the depth, the higher the risk of hitting drive cages, the PSU shroud, cable management, or a front LCS radiator, and modular connectors plus cable bend radius require another 20 – 40 mm of real clearance.