Difference between power supplies

[LessThanSatisfactory]

Ive been using a dirt-cheap $12 PSU for the last couple years, and it provides 450w, enough to power my modern system, (until a year ago, when I had to upgrade to a 650w) which got me thinking, my new power supply was $100 and so, besides power efficiency and modular/non modular preferences, what are the differences. Also, does better power quality effect your fps?

[felixbearpig]

Ive been using a dirt-cheap $12 PSU for the last couple years, and it provides 450w, enough to power my modern system, (until a year ago, when I had to upgrade to a 650w) which got me thinking, my new power supply was $100 and so, besides power efficiency and modular/non modular preferences, what are the differences. Also, does better power quality effect your fps?

nothing to do with fps, higher quality powersuppies have to deal with energy bills and the cleanliness of the power going to your componets 

[Volbet]

Lower end power supplies usually have a tendency to have more power ripple. This means it will tearing more on the components and a cheaper powersupplie will not perform at 100% for as long as a quality powersupplie.

[Bleedman0xx]

Ive been using a dirt-cheap $12 PSU for the last couple years, and it provides 450w, enough to power my modern system, (until a year ago, when I had to upgrade to a 650w) which got me thinking, my new power supply was $100 and so, besides power efficiency and modular/non modular preferences, what are the differences. Also, does better power quality effect your fps?

Other differences in power supplies can also be multi-rail or single-rail. And no, power supplies do not affect gaming performance whatsoever.

[Glenwing]

Cheaper power supplies risk damaging your other components.

[mgsstar]

Power supplies don't affect your fps but it affects your system overall. If you get a generic psu, it is likely to degrade and it will lose its power and the loss of power would damage your computer if the power supply isn't giving enough power to power your components.

[gts250ftw]

ok i also have a question. why do people harp on "overkill" ik it isnt as efficient...but SO WHAT?  ok they use 20 more watts than a more efficient powersupply.....but is that it? is that all?!! those are my questions :D thanks for your replys  :)

 

i mean what if in 3-5 years they discover a new energy source and power is dirt cheap and  the manufacturers make power hungry processors and cards? (this is just hypothetical ahah)

[Glenwing]

It's spending money on something you don't need when it could go towards something better.

[Godlygamer23]

ok i also have a question. why do people harp on "overkill" ik it isnt as efficient...but SO WHAT?  ok they use 20 more watts than a more efficient powersupply.....but is that it? is that all?!! those are my questions :D thanks for your replys   :)

 

i mean what if in 3-5 years they discover a new energy source and power is dirt cheap and  the manufacturers make power hungry processors and cards? (this is just hypothetical ahah)

More efficient PSU also means less electricity wasted in the form of heat. Which means less heat output from the PSU.

[LessThanSatisfactory]

It's spending money on something you don't need when it could go towards something better.

Thought so

[gts250ftw]

Thought so

 what i was trying to say is that there are alot of the times sale on some psus that have a higher wattage 

also psus most of the time take heat from the bottom and expel it out the back 

also a psu is like a case it doesnt really have to change every build one does or it can be compared to RAM (good for 2-3 builds) :)