If you're planning to build a new PC, you won't get very far without a power supply unit, but which do you choose? The best PSU for gaming is one that offers enough wattage for your parts (and especially your graphics card), with at least some level of 80 Plus certification. As it relates to those things, a pair of EVGA models are on sale, including an 850W model with 80 Plus Bronze certification, and a 600W model with an 80 Plus Gold stamp.
Starting with the 850W model ($89.99 at Newegg, down from $119.99), that's enough to handle a decked out build with even a GeForce RTX 3090 (Nvidia recommends a 750W model its flagship GPU, based on a PC configured with a Core i9 10900K processor). Having that 80 Plus Bronze certification denotes an efficiency level that is 85 percent or higher under typical loads (which in turn means less energy is wasted as heat).
This is a semi-modular unit, too—the main power and CPU connectors are permanently fixed while the rest of the cables are detachable, to make building a PC easier and potentially neater. It also comes with a free power on self tester. This consists of an 24-pin adapter that essentially replaces using the paperclip trick.
If you don't need that much wattage, EVGA's 600W model with 80 Plus Gold certification is also on sale, priced at $64.99 (down from $84.99). The 'Gold' designation bumps efficiency up to 90 percent (or higher).
As to what level graphics card you can run on this model, Nvidia recommends a 650W PSU for its GeForce RTX 3070, though a quality 600W model should be able to handle it as well (you can use an online PSU calculator to get a rough of idea of how much wattage your need for your build). If you want to play it safe, though, keep your sights set on up to a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (not that you can actually buy a GPU right now, but someday).
This is not a modular or semi-modular unit, so you may have to spend more time tidying things up. A lot of cases ship with PSU shrouds, though, which makes this less of an issue—its like shoving a bunch of junk under your bed to keep the viewing area nice and clean.
Optionally, EVGA is offering a free PowerLink valued at $9.99. It's not a monumental bonus, but if you own a GeForce RTX/GTX 20 series graphics card, the adapter can help with cable management. Just make sure you manually add the PowerLink to your cart.
Both of these power supplies are backed by a five-year warranty.
