You are about to build your new gaming PC. You’ve already set aside a big chunk of cash. You are all over the internet, doing extensive research, asking around, and getting into fights with strangers over your favorite components.
You know, the usual PC-building shtick.
Fast forward a couple of weeks (sometimes months) and you are almost ready to make the final decision. With our help (hopefully), you’ve managed to pick the best gaming GPU out there, your lightspeed-fast Intel CPU is also an excellent choice, and you’ve decided to get tons of RAM and SSD memory. You’re almost there—your vision has nearly materialized into an awesome PC for gaming.
So, what about the power supply?Â
The power supply is not the sexiest component of your PC, and it’s not something that most of us spend a lot of time thinking about—but you should. The question is: What is a modular power supply, and what does it do for you and your gaming needs?
What Does a Power Supply Do?
It is true that getting a better power supply is not going to make your computer faster or help you run Cyberpunk 2077 on a budget graphics card. However, it’s still a vital part of any gaming rig—the part that determines whether your other components have enough power to work at all.
Even though you’re not going to see the difference between two equally great power supply units, you’re most certainly going to notice a faulty one, or one that’s not big enough to power the rest of your hardware.
Sometimes, your PC won’t be able to start at all, thanks to a failing or insufficient power supply. In the worst-case scenario, it will cause some components to fail or permanently damage them. Imagine spending hundreds of dollars for the best gaming CPU out there, only for it to get destroyed because you bought a $20 PSU. Ouch.
For the reasons above, it’s essential to realize that your PSU is just as important as your other computer parts. If you believe your PSU is malfunctioning, we recommend performing a simple test on your power supply unit.
Non-Modular vs. Semi-Modular vs. Modular Power Supply Unit
First and foremost, you should make sure that your choice of power supply will provide enough power for your PC components. After you figure that out, there is something else to be considered. Modern PSUs are designed to be non-modular, semi-modular, or fully modular.
Even though this does not directly influence the performance of the power supply, it’s an important ease-of-use consideration.
What Is a Non-Modular PSU?
A non-modular power supply is rather old-fashioned these days. It has a whole mess of cables attached to one circuit board inside the case. It is the simplest one to manufacture, which is why it’s the cheapest one. If your budget is limited, a non-modular PSU is always the safest choice.
However, nobody on the planet will use all of the cables that a non-modular power supply comes with. They take up a lot of space, and cable management will become a nightmare.
What Is a Semi-Modular PSU?
Semi-modular PSUs are a step up from non-modular models. They have the main cables, such as the 24-pin, 8-pin CPU, and PCIe cables attached to the main circuit board, while the rest can be connected through separate plugs on the PSU’s case. This allows for a slightly more comfortable experience, as you’re able to keep only the cables that are necessary for your setup.
Overall, cable management becomes easier, but you should keep in mind that semi-modular power supply units don’t always allow the use of braided cables.
What Is a Modular PSU?
Modular power supplies are considered top-tier, as they are the most customizable. Modular PSUs allow for entirely free cable management, which improves airflow and cooling. Unlike its technological predecessors, a modular PSU will have every cable attached through a separate plug on the PSU’s case.
This provides many different options for the custom PC setup and improves the performance of your gaming rig by keeping things cooler inside. However, it also comes with an increased price.
Modular Power Supply Features
Let’s take a look at some of the other benefits that modular power supply units can provide. Compared to non- and semi-modular PSUs, you’re bound to see multiple advantages. However, you’ll also see some minor drawbacks, as nothing is perfect.
Aesthetics/Design
Starting with the least performance-related benefit provided by the modular PSU: aesthetics. Even though it doesn’t affect how your PC works, some consider it the most important factor; gamers often pride themselves on how their PCs look, just as an artist would pride himself on his creative work.
The aforementioned dusty confusion is often unavoidable with non-modular power supply units, which have a tendency to leave you with tons of useless cables inside the computer case. What’s the point in getting the best gaming PC case when if it’s so crammed with dusty cables that you can’t keep it cool or see all the pretty parts inside?
With modular PSUs, there are fewer cables, and that fact alone makes the setup easier to organize (and the dust easier to avoid). Also, if you’re so inclined, you can use virtually any type of custom cables (colored or not). Coupled with a little care and some cable combs, you can turn your PC into a real piece of art.
Accessibility & Airflow
Another benefit of modular PSUs is unhindered access to the unit. Since there is nothing permanently attached to it, unlike the cables coming with non-modular or semi-modular PSUs, modular power supply units can be easily removed or reinserted into the PC case.
One of the hardest challenges that PC builders face is ensuring that there’s optimal airflow inside the case, and modular PSUs can help with that, too. Poor cable management is almost always the cause of poor airflow.
Furthermore, poor cable management makes cleaning and maintenance of the PC more challenging. Elimination of unnecessary and useless cables leaves you with a lot of free space inside the computer case.
If you’re still concerned about your GPU or CPU temps after leaving plenty of room for airflow, I recommend you check out the best cases for water-cooling.
Downsides: Budget & Size
Modular power supplies are always more expensive than semi-modular and non-modular ones with the same specs. If your budget is limited, you should probably get a non-modular PSU.
Another downside of the modular PSU is that some cables won’t fit into its sockets. This is rarely a huge problem, but you should be careful when picking the wires for your components. Luckily, PSU cables are easily replaceable and inexpensive.
Since a modular PSU has to fit many different connectors into its case, it has to be considerably larger. That can be an insurmountable obstacle for mini-ITX cases. Larger PC cases will easily accommodate a larger PSU, but this is still a potential problem that you should be prepared for.
Best Modular Power Supply for Gaming: EVGA PSU (750W)
If you still aren’t sure which modular power supply to buy, don’t lose hope. I’m about to recommend an impressive gaming power supply that will (probably) fit your needs perfectly.
🏆 Presenting: The EVGA Supernova 750 G3 🏆
For most new PC configurations, 750W is more than enough (even for high-performance computers.) Furthermore, it looks sharp and will fit most modern PC cases.
The fan size is a standard 130mm, and all the heavy-duty security measures are in place. You know, OVP, UVP, OCP, OPP, and SCP, the usual things you need if you don’t like getting zapped by electricity.
The Hydraulic Dynamic Bearing will ensure incredibly quiet performance. Couple this with the quietest PC case around and you’ll soon be missing the cheerful noises of your current gaming setup.
As a cherry on top, the EVGA PSU 500 W1 is incredibly sturdy and comes with a 10-year warranty. Nope, that wasn’t a typo; the warranty lasts for TEN YEARS. That’s how much faith people at EVGA have in their product.
You probably won’t have to use the warranty since the model is so reliable, but it’s nice to know that it’s there.
In case a modular PSU is too expensive for you, I recommend getting the EVGA 500 W1 PSU. It has some of the same features as the Supernova, except that it’s capped at 500W. This is still enough for many modern gaming configurations, and you will save $60.
Final Words
In conclusion, modern PC building allows for a vast range of options. That shouldn’t be regarded as a hindrance, but as an advantage. There’s always a product out there that meets your needs, whether your top priority is your budget or the product’s performance—or a comfortable blend of both.
If picking a power supply unit troubles you, check out our detailed PSU tier list for in-depth explanations and rankings.
At the end of the day, if you are not limited by cash, a modular PSU is going to be your best choice.
Sources:
- Mark Coppock, How to Choose a PC Power Supply, NewEgg Insider, May 3rd, 2019