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600W and 650W PSUs are occupying an awkward place in the world of power supplies. These units are placed between mainstream and high-end power supplies. High-end builds usually end up with 750W and stronger PSUs. Mainstream builds, on the other hand, mostly use 550W PSUs. 600W and 650W PSUs are in between. They are too powerful for mainstream rigs but not enough for ultimate gaming rigs and workstations. Nevertheless, a quality 650W PSU can power a Core i9-9900K and RTX 2080 Super combo without issues. This makes 600-650W models a great choice for gaming rigs that don’t need a godly amount of power, SFF builds, or gaming PCs that feature power-optimized CPUs, such as the 5600X or the 12400(F).
You’ll notice that we have a bunch of 650W picks and just a few 600W PSUs on our list of the best 600W and 650W power supplies. The reason is simple: 650W PSUs are in a large majority. There are 600W models out there, but they are few and far between because manufacturers prefer adding an extra 50W since there’s virtually no change in manufacturing costs between 600W and 650W models. If you’re in the market for a new power supply and you need something around 600 to 650 watts of power, you’re in luck. We’ve sorted through a (pretty large) number of 600W and 650W PSUs and found the best ones on the market.
We’ve picked two PSUs in each price bracket (budget, mid-range, high-end). We’ve also provided one SFX choice for small form factor builds, along with one passive PSU choice for those who prefer silent PCs. If you demand silent performance, you could check out our guide for the best quiet PC cases. Next, a 650W PSU is a great pairing with a GPU like the RTX 3070. You could check out our list of the best RTX 3070 aftermarket cards to find the best RTX 3070 model for your needs. Finally, here’s a list of the best CPUs for RTX 3070 builds so you know which CPU to pair the RTX 3070 with.
1. Corsair CX650M: Best semi-modular budget 650W PSU
These power supplies are quality choices, but their price is still in the two-digit territory. They have excellent performance, and many are semi-modular. When it comes to efficiency, our budget choices sport 80 Plus Bronze and Gold ratings.
The best bang for the buck 650W PSU is the Corsair CX650M. This model features excellent efficiency that surpasses even some 80 Plus Gold PSU models. This PSU also has excellent performance. It’s made out of quality components. It features excellent load regulation and ripple suppression for a budget power supply.
The PSU is able to provide excellent performance at high temperatures, something you don’t often see in 80 Plus Bronze units. The semi-modular design isn’t a deal-breaker at this price. The lack of the semi-passive mode is, again, completely understandable for a budget PSU.
Finally, the CX650M comes with a five-year warranty. If you need an affordable power supply that’s efficient, reliable, stable, and that offers superb performance in its class, get the Corsair CX650M.
2. Seasonic SSR-650FX Focus Plus: Best modular budget 650W PSU
Another excellent budget choice. The Seasonic SSR-650FX Focus Plus is a fully modular 80 Plus Gold power supply. It sports a bit higher price than the Corsair CX650M but offers better performance, higher efficiency, and a semi-passive mode.
The PSU is completely silent up to about 50 percent load. That means the unit will stay completely silent most of the time. The fan starts spinning only during gaming and heavy workloads. But even then, the subjective noise levels are pretty low and barely noticeable.
The SSR-650FX features pretty good noise suppression and voltage regulation, along with more than decent ripple suppression. A fully modular design is another plus. Especially when you’ve got a ton of cables, half of which being redundant in a regular PC build. Finally, this PSU comes with a ten-year warranty, which is something you don’t often see on budget models.
If you don’t want to spend a fortune on your PSU but still want a semi-passive mode and high-efficiency rating along with excellent performance and power delivery, get the Seasonic FOCUS Plus 650 Gold. It isn’t the cheapest budget option but comes with a ton of positives.
3. Corsair RM650x: Best value 650W PSU
Here you can find power supplies that sell for three-digit prices but that aren’t that much pricier than budget PSUs. They sport a price that’s a couple of dozens of bucks higher than our budget choices. For that money, they offer great performance, superb efficiency, and lots of juice for all of your components.
The selling point for the Corsair RM650x, our pick for the best value 650W power supply, is the overall quality for a competitive price. If you don’t need extreme efficiency, get the RM650X, it has it all. Superb ripple suppression with almost perfect load regulation. High efficiency and superb performance. Zero noise when under 50 percent load and very low noise under heavy load.
This is one of the quietest 650W power supplies around, so if you’re into silent builds but don’t want to pay a premium for a passive power supply, think about getting this one. The power supply comes with a plethora of power cables, and we’re sure you’ll have any cable you need. Overall, the CORSAIR RM650x is a superb power supply featuring many bells and whistles. If you want even better efficiency for a similar price, check out our next pick.
4. EVGA SuperNOVA 650 P2: Best 80Plus Platinum 650W PSU
This is another excellent power supply, but this one goes one step further and offers 80 Plus Platinum certification for almost the same price as the CORSAIR RM650x. The EVGA SuperNOVA 650 P2 also comes with a semi-passive mode and fully modular design.
The SuperNOVA 650 P2 is super efficient and comes with top-notch performance. Load regulation is flawless, and ripple suppression is best in class. The PSU is very quiet, with the semi-passive mode being on most of the time. Turn on the ECO mode, and the fan won’t turn on up until 500W load, which is more than impressive.
This power supply is also very cool, even under maximum load. Finally, the PSU comes with a 10-year warranty and highest-tier internal components. Overall, the SuperNOVA 650 P2 is a superb power supply. If you find one at the same price as the CORSAIR RM650x, we would recommend the EVGA P2 over the RM650x any day of the week.
5. Seasonic Prime Titanium SSR-650TR: Best high-end 650W PSU
Finally, we’ve reached the premium segment. Since these are 650W units, don’t expect an unrealistically high price. These sell for more than what mid-range choices sell for, but not that much more. High-end models offer high-quality internals, top-notch performance, incredible efficiency, and silent operation.
The Seasonic Prime Titanium SSR-650TR is the best 650W power supply you can get. It features the best-in-class performance along with the impeccable build quality and ultra-high quality components. Efficiency is the best you can get. After all, this PSU does feature the 80 Plus Titanium certificate.
You can turn on the semi-passive mode by pushing a button on the back of the PSU, allowing the PSU to be inaudible as long as the load is south of 250W. When turned on, the fan is a bit loud for a couple of seconds and after it pushes hot air out, the PSU is next to inaudible. Every other metric is a standout. Best in class ripple suppression and voltage regulation combine for ultimate performance. And you get a 10-year warranty period.
If you need a powerful and efficient power supply that offers the best results in every possible category, get the Prime 650 Titanium. It costs a lot, but if you’re ready to pay the price, it’s worth it.
6. be quiet! Dark Power Pro 11: Best Seasonic Prime 650 Titanium alternative
Now, we didn’t find a review of the 650W version of the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 11. But, since both the 550W and 850W units have very high ratings, we do not doubt that the 650W model hits another bullseye.
The load regulation and ripple suppression are both superb. The semi-passive mode is working flawlessly. Even when turned on, the fan is virtually inaudible. Modular design is technically not fully modular. But, the presence of a hardwired ATX connector isn’t a downside since, you know, that particular connector is needed in every build.
Unless you don’t have a motherboard. In that case, we recommend you check out our lists of the best B550 motherboards and the best Z690 motherboards, depending on your CPU vendor.
The Dark Power Pro 11 also offers incredible efficiency. This leads to top-of-class performance. You also get an overclocking key for shifting the PSU from single to a four-rail mode. Finally, you get a 5-year warranty period, which is okay but below what we expect in this price bracket.
7. Corsair SF600 Platinum: Best SFX 650W PSU
SFX are small form factor power supplies. Perfect for Mini-ITX builds, they come in small sizes but still can pack a powerful punch. We’ve picked one 600W SFX PSU that offers a lot for the price. If you’re looking for an SFF case, take a look at our guide for the best Mini-ITX cases.
The SF600 is Corsair’s SFX offering. It sells at a competitive price and offers the 80 Plus Platinum level of efficiency. It’s made out of top-notch components and features a fully modular design. The quality of components is reflected in the amazing performance of this particular model.
Efficiency is the best you can get in an SFX power supply. Tight load regulation and ripple suppression results are expected. This PSU offers amazing performance, and its semi-passive mode ensures it will stay quiet even under heavy load. Just remember that, even though it comes with an ATX adapter allowing it to fit inside regular cases, the cables are short and aren’t made for regular, mid-tower builds.
The Corsair SF600 Platinum is the best SFX PSU you can get right now. It’s expensive, but top-notch build quality, superb performance, and a seven-year warranty come with a price.
8. Seasonic Prime Titanium SSR-600TL: Best passive 650W PSU
Back in the old days, you couldn’t get a passive power supply this powerful. But since PSUs get more and more efficient and provide better thermal results, these days you can get a 600W power supply that comes without a cooling fan. Check out the Prime Titanium Fanless 600W from Seasonic.
Fanless design demands high-quality internal components. This is why the Seasonic Prime Titanium SSR-600TL features the best components you’ll find in a consumer-grade power supply. 80 Plus Titanium efficiency rating is confirmed by test results. Other results are also stellar.
Noise is, of course, not present, and total silence is the name of the game for this PSU. The passive design comes with higher working temperatures. With that said, if you have a case with at least solid airflow, temperatures shouldn’t be an issue, even if you live in a warm climate. Finally, this power supply comes with a 12-year warranty, another proof of its unmatched quality.
Yes, the price is very high and if you don’t mind a bit of noise, just get one of our two high-end choices. But if you really, really cannot handle even the smallest level of audible noise, feel free to get the Prime Titanium Fanless PSU.
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