The Best Power Supplies in 2026
For a mainstream gaming PC, Tom’s Hardware’s picks start with the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 650W (about $100). Running a big graphics card? The Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V3 ($109.99) is the value 850W choice, and the Corsair SF750 (2024) is for small builds.
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Quick answer
For a mainstream gaming PC, Tom’s Hardware’s picks start with the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 650W (about $100). Running a big graphics card? Best 650W: be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 650W, $100. Best 750W: be quiet! Straight Power 12 750W, $99.90. Best value 850W: Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V3, $109.99. Best 1200W: Lian Li RS1200G, $165.99.
Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026
Key facts at a glance
| Pick | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 650W | be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 650W | mainstream gaming PCs | About $100 |
| Best 750W | be quiet! Straight Power 12 750W | a quality 750W unit | $99.90 |
| Best value 850W | Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V3 | high-end GPUs on a budget | $109.99 |
| Best 1000W | be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W | a quiet, efficient high-end build | $220 to $270 |
| Best 1200W | Lian Li RS1200G | 1200W in a compact chassis | $165.99 |
| Best 1500W | NZXT C1500 Platinum | the most power-hungry rigs | $370 |
| Best SFX | Corsair SF750 (2024) | small-form-factor builds | $170 |
A power supply is the part you shouldn’t cheap out on: every pick below comes from Tom’s Hardware’s[1] tested list, and most carry a 10-year warranty. Size it to your graphics card’s recommended wattage with some headroom.
Which should you buy? Our quick picks
How do they compare?
| PSU | Price seen | Efficiency | Standard | Warranty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 650W | $100 | 80 Plus Gold | ATX 3.1 | 10 years | Mainstream gaming PCs |
| be quiet! Straight Power 12 750W | $99.90 | 80 Plus Gold | ATX 3.1 | 10 years | A quality 750W unit |
| Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V3 | $109.99 | 80 Plus Gold / Cybenetics Platinum | ATX 3.1 | 10 years | High-end GPUs on a budget |
| be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W | $220 to $270 | 80 Plus Titanium | ATX 3.0 | 10 years | A quiet, efficient high-end build |
| Lian Li RS1200G | $165.99 | 80 Plus Gold | ATX 3.1 | 10 years | 1200W in a compact chassis |
| NZXT C1500 Platinum | $370 | 80 Plus Platinum / Cybenetics Titanium | ATX 3.1 | 10 years | The most power-hungry rigs |
| Corsair SF750 (2024) | $170 | 80 Plus Platinum / Cybenetics Platinum | ATX 3.1 (SFX) | 7 years | Small-form-factor builds |
The picks in detail
1. be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 650W
Best for: mainstream gaming PCsA fully modular, ATX 3.1, 80 Plus Gold unit that Tom’s Hardware[1] found reached Platinum-level efficiency, with outstanding ripple suppression, excellent voltage regulation, semi-passive operation and a 10-year warranty. It’s quiet under typical loads but noisy under heavy ones, uses “Elite” capacitors, has a longer chassis and is premium-priced for a Gold unit. Priced at $100.
Price (Oct 2026): About $100 Source
Pros
- Platinum-level efficiency
- Outstanding ripple suppression
- Fully modular
- 10-year warranty
Cons
- Noisy under heavy loads
- Longer chassis
- Premium price for Gold
2. be quiet! Straight Power 12 750W
Best for: a quality 750W unitBuilt by HEC/Compucase, this ATX 3.1 / PCIe 5.1, 80 Plus Gold PSU has excellent quality and durability, great power quality, good thermal performance and a 10-year warranty. It can get loud when stressed and is a little pricey. $99.90 in Tom’s deals widget.
Price (Oct 2026): $99.90 Source
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Great power quality
- 10-year warranty
Cons
- Loud when stressed
- A little pricey
3. Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V3
Best for: high-end GPUs on a budgetMade by LITEON, this ATX 3.1, modular PSU is 80 Plus Gold and Cybenetics Platinum rated, with outstanding low-to-mid-load efficiency, competitive pricing, quiet low-load operation, very good power quality and a 10-year warranty. Its fan gets loud at max load, and it’s thermally stressed in harsh environments. $109.99.
Price (Oct 2026): $109.99 Source
Pros
- Outstanding efficiency at low-to-mid loads
- Competitive price
- Quiet at low loads
Cons
- Loud at max load
- Thermally stressed in harsh conditions
4. be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W
Best for: a quiet, efficient high-end buildAn FSP-built ATX 3.0 unit rated 80 Plus Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium, with top-tier efficiency, exceptional quality, excellent electrical performance, very low noise and a 10-year warranty. It’s pricey, and efficiency drops at high loads on 115 VAC. Priced at $270, with discounts to $220.
Price (Oct 2026): $220 to $270 Source
Pros
- Titanium efficiency
- Very low noise
- Exceptional quality
Cons
- Pricey
- Efficiency drops at high loads on 115 VAC
5. Lian Li RS1200G
Best for: 1200W in a compact chassisA Sirfa-made, fully modular ATX 3.1 Gold unit in a compact 150mm chassis, with a rotatable AC inlet, a USB hub, exceptional voltage regulation and outstanding ripple suppression; Tom’s found Platinum-level efficiency. It’s premium-priced, has limited case compatibility, conservative cables and Teapo secondary capacitors. $165.99.
Price (Oct 2026): $165.99 Source
Pros
- Compact 150mm chassis
- Exceptional voltage regulation
- Rotatable AC inlet
Cons
- Limited case compatibility
- Premium price
6. NZXT C1500 Platinum
Best for: the most power-hungry rigsA CWT-built ATX 3.1 unit rated 80 Plus Platinum and Cybenetics Titanium, with two 12+4-pin PCIe connectors, exceptional acoustics, great efficiency, top quality and a 10-year warranty. It’s very expensive and rather large. Priced at $370.
Price (Oct 2026): $370 Source
Pros
- Two 12+4-pin connectors
- Exceptional acoustics
- Great efficiency
Cons
- Very expensive
- Rather large
7. Corsair SF750 (2024)
Best for: small-form-factor buildsAn SFX unit with ATX 3.1 support, 80 Plus Platinum and Cybenetics Platinum ratings, a 12+4-pin connector, good electrical performance, a fairly good balance of thermals and acoustics for its size and a 7-year warranty. It’s relatively expensive, made by Great Wall, and can get stressed under prolonged heavy load. At $170.
Price (Oct 2026): $170 Source
Pros
- SFX size
- Good electrical performance
- 12+4-pin connector
Cons
- Relatively expensive
- Stressed under prolonged heavy load
Also considered
Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition: A 1600W Titanium unit with a 12-year warranty and a Noctua fan; $570, with a very long 210mm chassis.
SilverStone Extreme 1200R Platinum: A 1200W SFX-L unit with outworldish power density, per Tom’s; very expensive and niche.
How many watts do you need?
Check your graphics card maker’s recommended PSU wattage and add headroom. A 650W to 750W unit covers most mid-range builds; high-end GPUs need 850W to 1000W or more. Newer cards use the 12V-2x6 (12+4-pin) connector, so an ATX 3.1 unit saves you an adapter. See our best graphics cards.
The rest of the build
See our best PC cases (SFX units suit small cases), best motherboards, best RAM and best CPUs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best power supply for gaming?
Is 80 Plus Gold good enough?
What is the best SFX power supply?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
- Tom’s Hardware: Best power supplies 2026 (last updated June 25, 2026) (tomshardware.com)
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