Digital Home Thoughts: Need A New Power Supply? Just How Cheap Can You Go?

"The PC power supply market is one of the most difficult for enthusiasts and the tech press to address. There are products for every requirement, every performance category, and even for most tastes in design, not to mention the huge price span! In our past power supply roundups, we tested products ranging from a little more than $40 to more than $200. With very few exceptions, most of the units we've evaluated have done what they've claimed; sometimes by a long-shot and other times just barely."

If you are a do-it-yourself type then there are at least two instances when knowing a fair bit about power supplies is very handy: the first instance is if you are building your own PC and you need to source an appropriately sized unit, and the second instance is if you've experienced a failed power supply in your existing computer. Of course other people may also be interested, and, in either case, Tom's Hardware is an excellent source of detailed hardware reviews. Their recent review of power supplies carries on their tradition of quality review work, as our Read link will attest. What's interesting is that they took a little twist with this one. They evaluate three different, very inexpensive, unbranded units, ranging in price from $19 to $35. At those prices these units are certainly nothing that will break your bank, but the question becomes could one of them be the next critical component of your PC. Hint: you get what you pay for.