Every computer needsa power supply unit or a PSUto supply steady and constant power to the components. While it may not seem like it, the PSU is one of the most important components of a computer, especiallya gaming PC. If the right amount of power is not supplied to the components, they will not perform optimally and can even fail over time. With components getting more powerful every generation, the need for higher wattage PSUs has led to a lot of options for shoppers, especially enthusiasts.
PSUs come with different ratings that determine how efficient and reliable they are. These ratings are most often 80 plus either White, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Titanium, depending on their efficiency. As for capacity, you can find PSUs as low as 40W and as high as 2050W. While a 750W-850W PSU should be sufficient to power even the most powerful components, there are certain enthusiast level builds that can use a lot more power, which is where PSUs over 1000W come in.
Game Rant’s Picks for the Best PSUs Over 1000W
Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 1200W
The Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 1200W is a solid and reliable PSU that can deliver up to 1200W of power and is ATX 3.0 compatible. It comes with an 80 Plus Gold rating and quiet operation. The fan has a smart silent operation mode wherein it only turns on under a certain load.
The Toughpower GF3 1200W from Thermaltake is an excellent PSU for any gaming PC capable of supplying 1200W of power, which should be more than enough for any PC build. This much headroom gives way to extreme overclocking without having to worry about a lack of power. The PSU comes with an 80 Plus Gold rating and has a fully modular design, which means you can have only the cables you need connected to the PSU.
Of course, the PSU is compatible with ATX 3.0 specifications and is even PCIe 5.0 ready, thanks to the 16pin connector. There is a 135mm fluid bearing fan to keep the internals of the PSU cool, but it has a Smart Zero Fan mode, which only turns the fan on when the load exceeds 30% of the PSU’s capacity. This can be turned on or off with the included physical switch, although it can be tough to reach. The Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 1200W comes with all safety measures built in, including OCP, OVP, UVP, OPP, SCP, and OTP.
Speaking of reliability, you get a minimum MTBF or mean time before failure of 100,000 hours, thanks to the high-quality components being used. It is an ATX power supply, so it may not fit in asmall form factor build, so make sure to check for compatibility before you purchase. With this PSU, Thermaltake also boasts its stricter-than-Intel’s standard for voltage regulation, coming in at just +/-2%.
The Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 1200W is the best overall PSU for enthusiasts for its value and reliable performance.
ENERMAX Revolution D.F. X 1050W
The ENERMAX Revolution D.F. X 1050W PSU is a budget-friendly high capacity power supply that comes with an 80 Plus Gold rating and ATX 3.0 compatibility. It also comes with ARGB lighting that can be controlled with pretty much every brand’s software. The Revolution D.F. X 1050W also has silent operation which means the fans only turn on under a certain load.
Not only does this PSU deliver over 1000W of power, but it comes with an 80 Plus Gold rating and ATX 3.0 compatibility, all without breaking the bank. The ENERMAX Revolution D.F. X 1050W is a fully modular PSU that offers great value, especially when it is on sale. You can grab it for just over $100, which is incredible, considering all the features it comes with.
It is equipped with a dust-free high-pressure fan that operates with a 0 RPM mode as the fan only turns on when the PSU crosses 20% load. At maximum load, the PSU fan only generates 26dB of noise which you will not be able to hear at all, especiallyconsidering the case fans in your computer. The ENERMAX Revolution D.F. X 1050W is an ATX PSU that claims to be one of the smallest high-wattage power supplies.
What sets this PSU apart from other budget offerings is thecustomizable RGB lightingon the side of the unit. The ARGB side panel has 14 lighting modes that can be customized with ENERMAX’s own software, as well as ASUS AURA Sync, Razer Chroma, GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, ASRock Polychrome Sync, and MSI Mystic Light Sync. If you are not a fan of RGB lights on your PSU or if the lights are blocked inside the case, there is a conveniently located button at the back to turn the lights off.
Along with all the standard safety protection protocols, the ENERMAX Revolution D.F. X 1050W also ships with extra cables.
SilverStone HELA 2050R Platinum
The SilverStone HELA 2050R Platinum power supply is a super high wattage unit that can power any configuration. It has a Cybenetics Platinum certification, two 12VHPWR PCIe connectors, and compatibility with the ATX 3.0 standard. The PSU comes with an MTBF of 100,000 hours.
If you are looking for the highest possible wattage in a commercial mainstream PSU, the SilverStone HELA 2050R Platinum has you covered. As the name suggests, it is capable of delivering up to 2050W, and it does so with a Cybenetics Platinum certification. Note that the Cybenetics ratings are slightly different from 80 Plus ratings, in that they are generally even stricter than 80 Plus ratings.
The SilverStone HELA 2050R Platinum comes with two 12VHPWR PCIe connectors and compatibility with the ATX 3.0 standard, as well asPCIe Gen 5 support. With ample power and modular connectivity options, you can power two Nvidia RTX 4080 or even RTX 4090 GPUs with this one beefy PSU. There is a 135mm fan inside this PSU that can operate in semi-fanless mode where the fan only ramps up under a certain load. This feature can be turned off as well, if you’d like.
The SilverStone HELA 2050R Platinum comes with all typical protection standards and has an MTBF of 100,000 hours. It also ships with three 12VHPWR cables which gives you one spare if you are not occupying both of the available 12VHPWR ports. It is also a fairly large PSU, so make sure it is compatible with your case before purchasing.
GIGABYTE GP-UD1300GM PG5
The GIGABYTE GP-UD1300GM PG5 is a solid PSU capable of delivering 1300W, and it comes with an 80 Plus Gold rating. It meets the ATX 3.0 standard and supports PCIe 5.0 components. There is also a 12VHPWR connector and an MTBF of over 100,000 hours.
GIGABYTE is not only known for its GPUs andgaming monitors, but also for its power supply units. Like its GPUs and monitors, the PSUs also present good value and a feature set that will check most boxes for gamers. Starting with the capacity, it is a beefy 1300W unit that meets the ATX 3.0 standard and supports PCIe 5.0 components. Made using high quality components, the fully modular PSU has an 80 Plus Gold rating.
Despite its compact size, GIGABYTE has managed to install a 140mm fan that only turns on when the system is over 20% load. Along with the fan, the company has increased the size of the heatsink for better heat dissipation. You get all the safety protection built in, and it comes with a 12VHPWR connector for more power-hungry GPUs. It also has an MTBF of over 100,000 hours.
The ports on the back are clearly labeled so you should not have any problem finding the right connector. There is no RGB lighting or extra buttons on the back, which means you only need to make sure the power button is turned on and the PSU will take care of the rest.
For a little less money, you can go for theEVGA SuperNOVA 1300 GT, but it does not have a native 12VHPWR connector. If you have a bit more cash to spare, thebe quiet! Straight Power 12will get you 200W more with an 80 Plus Platinum rating.
Cooler Master V SFX PLATINUM 1100
The Cooler Master V SFX PLATINUM 1100 is a small form factor power supply that can push 1100W despite its small size. Not only does it have an 80 Plus Platinum rating, but it also comes with ATX 3.0 support and a 12VHPWR connector and the cable has a 90-degree connector to reduce the load on the joint.
Those with space constraints due to a small form-factor build or otherwise should take a look at the Cooler Master V1100 SFX Platinum. Despite its small size, it packs a punch with its 1100W of power delivery and 80 Plus Platinum rating. This fully modular SFX PSU carries all the new standards of connections and power, including ATX 3.0 support and a 12VHPWR connector. The 12VHPWR cable included in the box has a 90-degree connector to reduce the load on the joint.
Due to its compact size, there is a 92mm fan that keeps things cool, in conjunction with the integrated transformer, EMI-inhibiting amorphous metal materials, rectifier, and full-bridge LLC. This allows for better heat dissipation and the fan not having to work that hard. This is crucial in the case of the Cooler Master V1100 SFX Platinum because it does not have a silent cooling mode, so the fan will be on constantly.
The Cooler Master V1100 SFX Platinum is ideal for any small form-factor build, no matter how power-hungry the components are. It remains cool and quiet for the most part, but depending on how it’s mounted in the case, the fans may need to ramp up, which could increase the overall noise levels. It is on the pricier side, especially when not on sale, but that is to be expected considering there isn’t a lot of competition and the fact that it has 1100W of power.
ASUS ROG Thor 1600T Gaming
The ASUS ROG Thor 1600T Gaming is a beefy high wattage PSU that can power any gaming setup. It can deliver up to 1600W of power with an 80 Plus Titanium rating. The expensive power supply comes with ATX 3.0 compatibility and a 16-pin PCIe cable that can deliver 600W of power to PCIe Gen 5.0 and 4.0 graphics cards. There is a 135W PWM fan inside the PSU keeping it cool under load.
No PSU list is complete without one of ASUS’s ROG Thor power supplies, and the ASUS ROG Thor 1600T Gaming stands as the best premium PSU at over 1000W. The company has left no stone unturned with this PSU, and that shows in its price. While it requires a GPU level of investment, the ROG Thor 1600T Gaming comes with ATX 3.0 compatibility, high-quality components, and ships with a 16-pin PCIe cable that can deliver 600W of power to PCIe Gen 5.0 graphics cards.
The included 135W PWM fan is able to keep the PSU cool as it pushes air over the ROG heatsinks that, as per the company, have twice as much volume as traditional heatsinks. Furthermore, the fan only turns on when the PSU reaches 50% load, which means, for the most part, the ASUS ROG Thor 1600T Gaming will operate silently. To ensure quiet operation, ASUS has secured a Lambda A++ noise rating.
Some other features that make this PSU stand out are the RGB lighting and the OLED display. One of the corners of the PSU and the logo have RGB lights behind them which can be controlled through the AURA Sync software. The OLED display shows real-time total power draw which helps enthusiasts tweak their system to their liking. It is a fully modular PSU, and it comes with sleeved cables that can better withstand wear and tear.
How to Find the Best PSUs over 1000W
There are a few things to consider when looking for a high-wattage PSU:
Rating: As mentioned earlier, every PSU comes with a certain rating that determines how efficient it is. It is ideal to have at least an 80 Plus Gold rating or a Cybernetics Gold rating, if not better. That being said, the better the rating, the higher the cost of the PSU.
Wattage: Pretty much every configuration can run on a 1000W PSU, as this is more than enough power for the individual components with stock settings. The RTX 4090 is rated for 450W of power draw, but when pushed to the limit, it can pull up to 1000W from the PSU, so if your use case involves pushing the components to their limit, 1000W may be low for you and investing in a 1200W or 1500W PSU would make more sense. You can also use one of the free online PSU calculator tools to find out the ideal capacity for your setup.
Modularity: At this wattage, pretty much all PSUs come with modular cables. This means you can have only the essential cables plugged in, which makes cable management a lot easier. Some PSUs come with sleeved cables, while some come with 90-degree connectors to make things more manageable.
Form factor: Most PC sizes are compatible with an ATX PSU, and only small form factor builds need smaller components. While the options for SFX PSUs are limited, those in need can still find a couple of options on the market, but they do come at a relatively higher price.
FAQ
Q: Is a 1000 PSU overkill?
With components getting more power-hungry with each generation, 1000W can be considered necessary and not overkill. The RTX 4090, in certain scenarios, can draw close to 1000W on its own.
Q: Is 1000W enough for 7950x and 4090?
Yes, 1000W should be enough to power the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU and the Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU.
