Bang For Your Buck: Four 500 W Power Supplies Reviewed

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Enthusiasts often say that you can never have too much performance. However, a 500W power supply is perfectly ample for a majority of mid-range PCs. This is one of those cases where a solid ratio of performance to price is preferable to gross excess.

SilverStone Strider SST-ST50F-230

The SilverStone Strider SST-ST50F-230 is the only power supply in this roundup without an 80 PLUS certification logo. Instead, the packaging says that the PSU can achieve an energy efficiency "of up to 80 percent." However, the Strider is very attractively priced at around $65—and the product's aesthetics match its price.

Despite the low price, SilverStone didn't skimp on cable management. All cables, even the ATX and CPU, are modular and round. The number of connections is satisfactory, too: two PCIe, six SATA, and six four-pin Molex connectors.

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SilverStone Strider 500 W Evolution SST-ST50F-230
AC Input200-240V, 50-60 Hz
DC Output+3.3 V+5 V+12 V (#1)+12 V (#2)+12 V (#3)+12 V (#4)-12 V+5 Vsb
25 A30 A18 A18 An/an/a0.8 A2.5 A
Individual OutputRow 3 - Cell 1 Row 3 - Cell 2 32 An/an/a9.6 W12.5 W
Rail UtilizationSysSysCPU & VGA
Combined Output150 W384 W
Total Continuous Output500 W
Peak Outputn/a
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