Comparison Gigabyte Value Modular B700H vs Chieftec iARENA GPA GPA-500S8

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").

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.

A standard for power supplies that supplements the ATX specifications regarding power supply along the 12 V line. Introduced into use since the time of the Intel Pentium 4 processor. In the first series of the standard, the +5 V line was mainly used; from version 2.0, the +12 V line was introduced to fully power the components computer. Also in the second generation, a 24-pin power connector appeared, used in most modern motherboards.

The number and type of connectors provided in the PSU to power the motherboard or processor.

This parameter is written as the sum of several numbers, for example, "24+4". The first number in such an entry means the number of contacts in the connector for powering the motherboard; in the vast majority of cases, this is just 24, since modern motherboards use a 24-pin connector as standard. The second number describes the socket for powering the processor; most entry-level and mid-range CPUs use 4-pin power, but powerful chips may require 8-pin power. There can be several 4- or 8-pin connectors — based on powerful high consumption processors.

A separate case is the blocks of the "24 (20 + 4)" format. They have two separate plugs — 20 pin and 4 pin, which allows you to power both 24-pin motherboards and older 20-pin motherboards from such power supplies. At the same time, such models do not provide a separate power supply for CPU — it is powered only through the socket, and the 4-pin plug cannot be connected to any other components except the motherboard.

Now on the market there are PSUs with such power supply for the motherboard: 24 pin (20+4), 24+4 pin, 24+8(4+4) pin, 24+8+8(4+4) pin.

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 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.

The number of PCI-E 8pin (6+2) power connectors provided in the PSU design.

Additional PCI-E power connectors (all formats) are used to additionally power those types of internal peripherals for which 75 W is no longer enough, supplied directly through the PCI-E socket on the motherboard (video cards are a typical example). In PC components, there are two types of such connectors — 6pin, providing up to 75 W of additional power, and 8pin, giving up to 150 W. And the 8pin (6 + 2) plugs 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 plug is the most popular in modern PSUs.

As for the quantity, on the market you can find models for 1 PCI-E 8pin (6 + 2) connector, for 2 such connectors, for 4 connectors, and in some cases — for 6 or more. Several of these plugs can be useful, for example, when connecting several video cards — or for a powerful high-performance video adapter equipped with several PCI-E additional power connectors.

The cable system used in the power supply. According to this parameter, modular, semi- modular and non-modular devices are distinguished, here are their features:

— Not modular. The classic version of the design, used in computer power supplies from the very beginning and not losing popularity to this day. The wires in such systems have a non-detachable design, and additional cables are not provided for connection. As a result, the user has to deal with only those cables that the manufacturer provided, without the ability to remove or replace them (the only modifications available are the installation of additional accessories such as an extension cord or splitter). Because of this, such PSUs are less convenient than modular and semi-modular ones: their wires are often excessively long, and some of them are not used at all, while such an “economy” further clutters up the case, worsening air circulation and cooling efficiency. On the other hand, these shortcomings can be reduced to almost zero with careful selection of the PSU and careful wiring; and non-modular systems themselves are distinguished by reliability and at the same time low cost. It is because of these features that they are most common nowadays.

— Modular. Systems in which each cable is made detachable; special sockets are used for fastening wires. Thanks to this design, you can optimally organize the space inside the PC —...for example, remove unnecessary wires so that they do not interfere with air circulation in the system unit; replace a cable that is too long with a shorter wire (or vice versa); swap cables, etc. At the same time, modular systems are noticeably more expensive than non-modular ones, while they are considered somewhat less reliable due to the presence of "weak points" in the form of removable cable mounts.

— Semi-modular. A kind of compromise between the options described above: some of the wires in such power supplies are made non-removable, some are equipped with modular mounts. This makes it possible to partially combine the advantages and compensate for the disadvantages of the two systems: semi-modular PSUs are less expensive and more reliable than modular ones, and at the same time more convenient than non-modular ones. Usually, in systems of this type, the most important wires have a non-removable design, which are almost guaranteed to be used when assembling a PC, and secondary cables are equipped with removable mounts and can be removed if not needed. However, the specific features of a semi-modular PSU should be specified separately.