100% Modular

100% Standard

Most people would go modular if they had the choice, but there is a few exceptions. One being the efficiency. Modular power supplies have not hit the apex of efficiency yet with Active PFC's. There is one exception to that and it's the new Enermax Liberty series modular power supplies. They're modular and extremely efficient.

Some standard power supplies are extremely efficient and usually the ones that are, will state it loud and clear in the specs or on the box. "High Efficiency" and "Active PFC" are words you would want to look for. I make it a point to test the efficiency on all my power supply reviews now because the more efficient, the cheaper it will be to operate over long periods of time.

However some people will sacrifice having the best efficiency over the convenience of a modular power supply. I personally would want a good modular power supply like the Enermax Liberty, Ultra X2 550w, Hiper, or OCZ ModStream PSU's. That's a completely personal choice though.

If you get a power supply with a 20/24 pin main ATX connection, you're covered. Most modern motherboards have a 24-pin main ATX motherboard connection.

As long as you think ahead at what components you'll have in your case (or may end up having in your case within a reasonable time), you shouldn't have a problem finding a great power supply for your system. The market is saturated with quality name brand power supplies.

The one thing I will warn you against is thinking that "free" 600w no-name power supply that came with your $69 transforming bat/gorilla/alien case will be just fine in powering your new system. It's been my experience that about 90% of included no name power supplies are junk. The only exception the rule that I can think of is Antec. They include quality power supplies with many of their cases and Antec quality is some of the best in the industry. If you're buying an Antec case with an included power supply, you'll just want to make sure it's got enough wattage. I haven't seen any 600w Antec power supplies included. It's usually between about 380w - 450w. That'll do for most systems out there but if you're really riding high on the bleeding edge with SLI, etc...you'll want something more powerful to be safe.

Bad power supplies account for most of todays system errors and crashes. I say it again, DO NOT SKIMP on your power supply. You may think you're saving a couple bucks up front by going with a cheapy model, but I assure you that in the long run you'll wish you spend the extra money on a quality product.

Here's some quick recommendations to get you started:

• Enermax

• Ultra Products

• OCZ

• Thermaltake

• Antec

• PC Power & Cooling

• Silverstone

• Seasonic

If you stay within the realm of those brands, and you make sure your new power supply has all the connections you'll need for the foreseeable future, you'll be very happy with your new power supply and your system will thank you.

I've personally been using the Ultra X2 550w as my main power supply since I reviewed it months ago. I run a dual core CPU and Dual graphics cards in SLI. Not to mention overclocking pretty heavy. It hasn't let me down. So needless to say I can certainly recommend this particular power supply, but there are many great power supplies out there in the market. Unfortunately there are some bad ones, usually no name "included" ones.

I think the first decision you should make is if you want a modular power supply or not. Then pick the best power supply for your needs out of them. Either way there are some great choices in the market.

If you have any questions at all, you can hit up the VH Forums for some answers.