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Looking for the best Small Form Factor Power Supply unit For mini ITX Builds?
I did the research for you and picked the top SFX PSUs according to Design, Power delivery, efficiency, Cooling and noise and Value For Money.
I used the following factors to determine the best SFX PSUs for mini ITX builds:
- Power and efficiency – Gaming PCs consume somewhere around 300 to 400 Watts on average which is why I make sure that any PC has at least a 500-watt PSU. In the case of an SFX unit, my recommendation is to always aim for at least a 750-watt unit with an 80-plus Gold rating since it can be challenging to find a higher-wattage PSU later. Also, a better PSU will run far more efficiently especially when confined to a small ITX case.
- Value – SFX PSUs are generally more expensive than full-size ATX PSUs but they aren’t too different than their ATX counterparts except for size. Avoid getting an SFX PSU with less than 600 watts since a 700-watt or more PSU will be significantly more capable, yet cost just a bit more. It’s best to then invest in a power supply that offers the most value. Value is determined by many factors included in this list.
- Build quality – The PSU should be well-built with either steel or aluminum and it should not rattle. A rather odd method to know if a PSU has high-quality parts is to check how heavy it is. If one unit is reasonably heavier than another cheap low-power unit, then we can consider the heavier PSU to have better quality parts.
- Fan noise – The more efficient the power supply is, the less work the fan has to do. High-quality PSUs don’t spin their fans until about 200 Watts of power is needed by the PC. The result should be that the PSU should only be barely audible at around 25 to 30 decibels at a full load.
- Safety features – It is of utmost importance that a PSU has some built-in safety features as they can prevent the rest of your PC components from potentially being rendered completely useless. Some of these features you should be aware of are:
- Over-Current Protection (OCP)
- Over Voltage/Under Voltage Protection (OVP/UVP)
- Over Power Protection (OPP)
- Over Temperature Protection (OTP)
- Short Circuit Protection (SCP)
- Real-world tests and reviews – It is important to read and know how others online have experiences with different power supply unit models. Sometimes a specific model may have well-known issues so knowing them beforehand can prevent a lot of trouble. In the simplest terms, power supplies need to be good. A good power supply can save the rest of your components and potentially your life. Do not cheap out on a power supply but luckily you don’t have to spend a lot either.
Number 3. Cooler Master V750 SFX – Best Budget SFX PSU For ITX Builds
If you want a simple SFX PSU that’s within a reasonable budget and offers enough strength to run almost anything, then the Cooler Master V750 SFX will have you covered.
Lookswise, the V750 looks a bit old-fashioned with a slightly rounded octagonal fan grill on the bottom of the unit and the logo on the side of the unit. The side is slightly pressed inward with the raised part containing the logo. It is an interesting design choice and overall plays well into the distinct Cooler Master design.
The V750 SFX is a small unit that is 100 mm long so it should easily fit in any ITX case even those with less clearance.
It is a gold-rated PSU and Cooler Master claims that it should run at 90% efficiency. Looking at the efficiency curve, we see that the unit is going to be between 90 to 92% efficient most of the time if you are connected to a 230 V power outlet. In regions where there is a 110 V power outlet, the efficiency is a tad lower which is between 88 to 90%. This is still fine and there should be very little electricity wastage.
The V750 SFX has a single 92 mm fan that does not spin until the system load reaches 15% which helps especially if you are running light tasks and don’t want any noise to disturb you.
Cooler Master also affirms peace of mind as the PSU has OVP, OPP, SCP, OCP, UVP, OTP, Surge & Inrush Protection. This way, no matter what happens, the PSU has safety nets to prevent the components from getting fried.
If we look at other PSUs, the V750 SFX can keep up with many full-sized ATX PSUs like the Be Quiet! Dark Power 11 in terms of noise and power delivery. But if we look at other budget SFX PSUs, the Lian Li SP750 is a tough competitor that comes at about $10 cheaper than the V750 SFX. Its fans don’t spin until 40% of the system load and is also an 80-plus Gold-rated PSU. The reason why I would always go with the Cooler Master V750 SFX over the Lian Li SP750 is the efficiency curve. The SP750 starts of great but its efficiency hovers at around 89 to 90% whereas the V750 SFX can stay above 90% almost all the time.
In summary, the Cooler Master V750 SFX offers a budget-friendly solution for those in need of a reliable SFX PSU. Its compact design, efficient performance, and safety features make it a strong contender, especially when compared to similarly priced alternatives in the market. It has excellent power delivery and stays whisper-quiet even under heavy loads.
To sum up what like is the…
Completely silent operation
Incredible power efficiency
On the downside…
Outdated design
RATINGS:
Design: 7/10
Power delivery and efficiency: 9/10
Cooling and noise: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Number 2. ASUS ROG Loki Platinum – Best Premium SFX PSU For ITX Builds
If you have a big budget and want a PSU that can handle pretty much everything in a small form factor, the ASUS ROG Loki will fulfill every demand.
It is a hefty 1000-Watt PSU with support for ATX 3.0 standards and PCIe 5.0 which includes a 12VHPWR connector.
Taking a better look at the unit itself, ASUS has done a fantastic job in making this PSU stand out. Most PSUs end up looking dull and are usually an afterthought aesthetically so they are tucked away where no one can see them.
ASUS decided to properly brand the PSU from both sides with the ROG logo. The fan grill has perhaps the most unique design of any PSU with diagonal aluminum vents on top of an RGB fan. You can hook this fan to the motherboard to synchronize the lighting of your entire PC.
It has a full-sized 120 mm fan which does not spin until the system load reaches 40% which means that most PCs with this PSU can even play games without the PSU fan needing to work.
The ASUS ROG Loki is an SFX-L PSU, so it will have the same height and width as any other SFX PSU but is slightly longer. The length of a normal SFX PSU is about 100 mm while the ASUS ROG Loki is 125 mm long. You may need to check clearance as some cases may have issues fitting this PSU.
You get all the safety features on this unit as expected; OPP, OVP, UVP, SCP, OCP, and OTP are all present to ensure safe operations at all times.
When it comes to the competition the SilverStone SX800-LTI is also a solid choice but I would easily pick the ROG Loki over this any day. The only advantage the SX800-LTI has over the ROG Loki is that it is a better efficiency-rated PSU.
Other than that, they are both similarly priced, and for that, the ROG Loki looks much better, has native ATX 3.0 support, and has 200 Watts more power capacity. There is a serious lack of high-end SFX PSUs, but thankfully, all of them are very good choices in their own right.
In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Loki is a PSU that is ready for anything. It’sIts a 1000-Watts 80-Plus Platinum unit that can handle even the most overly demanding components like an overclocked Intel Core i9 14900K and RTX 4090 if you can fit them in a tiny ITX case. Not only is it overpowered, it also looks good so you can show it off if your ITX case allows.
To summarize what I like is the…
Unique design
ATX 3.0 and PCIe 5.0 ready out-of-the-box
On the downside…
Longer than regular SFX PSUs
RATINGS:
Design: 9/10
Power delivery and efficiency: 9/10
Cooling and noise: 9/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
Number 1. Corsair SF750 – Our Top Choice
In the ever-evolving world of PC components, PSUs remain one of the most underrated components that don’t seem to change that much and evolve into something new. This is fine because a PSU needs to impress purely on how functional it is rather than how fancy it can be.
A particular SFX PSU that manages to stay relevant and improve as much as possible is the Corsair SF750, a 750-watt powerhouse with an 80-Plus Platinum rating.
The Corsair SF750 earns its Platinum rating as the efficiency curve is almost above or at 90%. This means that even under light loads, no electricity is being wasted by the unit.
The Corsair SF750’s fan kicks in at 300 watts and only ramps up a bit at 600 watts. This is highly impressive and means that even for gaming, this PSU is going to remain dead silent or barely audible.
In the looks department, the SF750 is plain and simple. It’s design can deceive you into thinking that its ordinary, but that is far from the truth. While I don’t think a PSU needs to look good, or that there aren’t many ways to make a PSU look good, I do believe that Corsair should improve on the SF series’ visuals. Be it the RM or AX series, they are all starting to look the same. They don’t even have any colors other than black white or grey.
I do forgive Corsair in the looks department because their PSUs have been top-notch. Corsair lists that the SF750 also has OVP, UVP, SCP, OTP, and OPP which ensures that the PSU will protect the rest of the system in times of danger.
Corsair has given every PSU manufacturer a serious beating with this unit. While others also have good units, the Corsair SF750 edges them out in every way. Only the SeaSonic FOCUS SPX (2021) comes close as it is also a 750-Watt unit with an 80-Plus Platinum rating. It’s an incredible PSU but the SF750 edges it out in two ways; one, the SF750 is significantly cheaper, and the fan on the SF750 kick in at 300 Watts while the SPX’s fan spins at 30% load (which is about 225 Watts).
In summary, the Corsair SF750 emerges as the ultimate SFX PSU that strikes a balance in price and performance. It has everything you need in one tiny package and can run any PC even with an RTX 4090.
To sum up what I like is that
80-Plus Platinum rated for the price of 80-Plus Gold
Incredible power efficiency
Fan does not spin until the system needs 300 watts
On the downside
Old Design
RATINGS:
Design: 6.5/10
Power delivery and efficiency: 9.5/10
Cooling and noise: 9.5/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
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