80 PLUS Rating (Bronze, Gold)
80 PLUS certifies how efficiently a power supply converts wall power to DC. A higher tier wastes less as heat — it does not provide more wattage.
Every power supply loses some energy as heat during conversion. The 80 PLUS tiers — Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium — certify minimum efficiency at defined load levels.
A Gold unit under load might convert around 90% of what it draws, where a Bronze unit converts closer to 85%. The difference leaves the system as heat, which means a hotter unit and a slightly harder-working fan.
The rating says nothing about capacity. A 600W Gold unit and a 600W Bronze unit both deliver 600W; the Gold one draws marginally less from the wall to do it.
Where this decision gets made
Power Supplies (PSU) buying guide →
Turn it into a real number
PSU Wattage Calculator →