Short answer: Gold is the sweet spot for most builds. Platinum and Titanium make sense if your PC runs hard for long hours or you want it as quiet as possible. Where a Cybenetics rating is available, trust it over the 80 Plus badge.
What efficiency means
A power supply converts mains electricity into the low voltages your parts use. Some energy is lost as heat along the way. Efficiency is the share that reaches your parts. A 90% efficient unit delivering 500W draws about 556W from the wall, and turns the other 56W into heat.
The 80 Plus levels
These are the 80 Plus requirements for standard 115V units, as set out by Tom's Hardware.
| Rating | 10% load | 20% load | 50% load | 100% load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 Plus | 80% | 80% | 80% | |
| Bronze | 82% | 85% | 82% | |
| Silver | 85% | 88% | 85% | |
| Gold | 87% | 90% | 87% | |
| Platinum | 90% | 92% | 89% | |
| Titanium | 90% | 92% | 94% | 90% |
What each level costs to run
Here is how much power a PC draws from the wall at two typical gaming loads, using the 50% load figures above.
| Load on the power supply | Bronze (85%) | Gold (90%) | Titanium (94%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300W | 353W | 333W | 319W |
| 500W | 588W | 556W | 532W |
And here's what moving from Bronze to Gold saves over a year, at 17 cents per kWh:
| Gaming per day | At 300W load | At 500W load |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | About $2.40 | About $4 |
| 4 hours | About $4.90 | About $8.10 |
| 8 hours | About $9.70 | About $16.20 |
The savings are modest for most people. The bigger gains are less heat inside your case, and a fan that can spin slower.
The problems with 80 Plus
Tom's Hardware has pointed out several weaknesses in 80 Plus:
- It checks only a handful of load points.
- Makers can submit hand-picked samples that perform better than typical units.
- Testing happens at a cool room temperature of around 23°C, lower than inside most PCs.
- It ignores standby power and the efficiency of the standby rail.
Cybenetics: the better rating
Cybenetics tests across thousands of load combinations and includes standby power and the standby rail, so its result reflects real use better. It gives one overall efficiency grade, called ETA:
| ETA level | 115V | 230V |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond | 93% or more | 95% or more |
| Titanium | 91% to 93% | 93% to 95% |
| Platinum | 89% to 91% | 91% to 93% |
| Gold | 87% to 89% | 89% to 91% |
| Silver | 85% to 87% | 87% to 89% |
| Bronze | 82% to 85% | 84% to 87% |
Cybenetics also gives a separate noise rating, called LAMBDA, from A++ (quietest) downwards. That's why the reviews I summarise often quote both. The ratings can differ from the 80 Plus badge: the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M is sold as 80 Plus Gold, but HWBusters notes Cybenetics rates it Platinum.
115V and 230V
Power supplies run slightly more efficiently on higher mains voltages. That's why Cybenetics sets higher thresholds at 230V, used in the UK and Europe, than at 115V, used in the US. The same unit will usually score a little better on 230V.
Which level should you buy?
| Level | Who it suits |
|---|---|
| Bronze | Budget builds, from a trusted list. The fan may work harder. |
| Gold | Most gaming PCs. The best balance of price and efficiency. |
| Platinum | PCs that run hard for long periods, or quieter builds. |
| Titanium | The quietest high-end builds, or heavy daily use. |
Picks by rating
- Gold · Tier ACorsair RMx (2024)80 Plus Gold · Fully modular · ATX · 750/850/1000WCybenetics Gold, quiet at everyday loads.Check 850W price
- Gold badge, Platinum by Cybenetics · Tier Bbe quiet! Pure Power 13 M80 Plus Gold · Fully modular · ATX · 750/850/1000/1200WBetter than its badge suggests, and almost silent.Check 850W price
- Platinum · Tier ACorsair SF Platinum (2024)80 Plus Platinum · Fully modular · SFX · 750/850/1000WPlatinum efficiency in a small SFX unit.Check 850W price
- Titanium · Tier Abe quiet! Dark Power 1480 Plus Titanium · Fully modular · ATX · 850/1000/1200WCybenetics Titanium and very low measured noise.Check 850W price
More on quiet units in the best quiet power supplies.
Questions
Is Bronze good enough?
A Bronze unit from a trusted list is safe. You lose a little efficiency, and the fan may run harder.
Is Titanium worth it?
Only if your PC runs at high load for long periods, or you want the quietest build. For most people Gold is enough.
Does a more efficient power supply make my PC faster?
No. It wastes less energy as heat. Performance is the same.
What is Cybenetics?
An independent certification that tests efficiency and noise more thoroughly than 80 Plus. Its efficiency grade is called ETA and its noise grade LAMBDA.
Why is my power supply rated differently on Cybenetics and 80 Plus?
They test differently. Cybenetics covers far more load points and includes standby power, so the grades don't always match.
Sources
- Tom's Hardware: what 80 Plus levels mean
- HWBusters: the story behind Cybenetics (ETA requirements)
- PC Gamer: Cybenetics efficiency and noise certifications
- HWBusters: be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 850W review
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