PSUs?

[Aunty Em]

What exactly is a "switching" power supply?

 

[PT]

It's bisexual, meaning the male and female plugs will work with either male or female plugs. Yep, that's what it is.

Actually I have no idea. Only thing I can think of is it has that little switch on the back of the PSU that can shut it off.

 

[Aunty Em]

Actually I have no idea. Only thing I can think of is it has that little switch on the back of the PSU that can shut it off.

I've been looking at power supplies of 400W and above, some of which are described as switching, and I just wondered what that meant and if they were better than those that aren't and why.

 

[Luis G]

a few possibilities:
- maybe those are able to switch automatically the polarity......
- capable of 120V and 240V.....(most are anyway)
- It probably has a backup PSU so the puter won't shut down if anything fails.

 

[Justintime]

A switching-mode power supply is a psu that provides the supply function through low loss components such as inductors, capacitors and transformers and the use of switches that are in on or off states, It provides higher effiency cause the switch dissapates little power in these states, and the power conversion can be done without much loss, the non use of resistors etc in the circuit greatly reduces heat and power loss due to heat and is overall much more efficent.

 

[Altron]

Be sure to get at least 400 watts.
Antec TruePowers are the best PSUs!
My uncle has a True430 and it would work if the computer hadn't been fried!

 

[Aunty Em]

Thanks for the info. I'll make sure I get a switching one.