Buying Guide
The Best High-Performance PSUs
We weighed five power supplies on rated output and native 12V-2x6 cable count; the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G has the most native 12V-2x6 cable count, and the NZXT C1000 Gold Core costs the least.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
12 min read5 products evaluated
Platinum and Titanium units waste less power and run cooler. Every pick is 850W or more with a Platinum or Titanium rating, ordered by wattage.
The order reflects wattage, native 12V-2x6 cables and PCIe 8-pin connectors from maker specifications; we did not test these power supplies ourselves, and a missing native 12V-2x6 cables is flagged, not filled in.
Quick Picks
Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Most Native 12V-2x6 Cables
ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600GThe most native 12V-2x6 cable count here (2).
Best for: Buyers who put native 12V-2x6 cable count first.
Check price for ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600WMonitoring and control through be quiet!'s IO Center software at the highest price in the group.
Best for: Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the NZXT C1000 Gold Core costs less.
Check price for be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
NZXT C1000 Gold Core (ATX 3.1)The cheapest way into this group, below the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W.
Best for: Getting Cybenetics noise certification listed by NZXT for the least money.
Check price for NZXT C1000 Gold Core (ATX 3.1) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000WFour PCIe 6+2 connectors plus a native 12V-2x6.
Best for: Buyers who want four PCIe 6+2 connectors plus a native 12V-2x6.
Check price for be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000WA frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front.
Best for: Buyers who want frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front.
Check price for be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it stands out | Best for | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The most native 12V-2x6 cable count here (2). | Buyers who put native 12V-2x6 cable count first. | Check price for ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Monitoring and control through be quiet!'s IO Center software at the highest price in the group. | Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the NZXT C1000 Gold Core costs less. | Check price for be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The cheapest way into this group, below the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W. | Getting Cybenetics noise certification listed by NZXT for the least money. | Check price for NZXT C1000 Gold Core (ATX 3.1) on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Four PCIe 6+2 connectors plus a native 12V-2x6. | Buyers who want four PCIe 6+2 connectors plus a native 12V-2x6. | Check price for be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| A frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front. | Buyers who want frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front. | Check price for be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Most Native 12V-2x6 Cables1 of 5
ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G
ASRock's Phantom Gaming PG-1600G has 1600W, two 12V-2x6 cables with temperature monitoring and eight PCIe 8-pin connectors.
Best for
- Buyers who put native 12V-2x6 cable count first.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: a 180mm depth needs a roomy PSU bay.
Why we like it
At 180mm deep it needs a large case. It matches the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W on rated output (1600W). Nothing else here matches its 2 native 12V-2x6 cable count; the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W comes closest at 1.
Like the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W, it has a gold 80 plus rating, while the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W uses a titanium 80 plus rating. At 180mm deep, compare it with your case's PSU clearance before buying. Worth noting: A 10-year warranty.
Key specs
- Wattage
- 1600W
- Native 12V-2x6 cables
- 2
- PCIe 8-pin connectors
- 8
- Warranty
- 10 years
- Depth
- 180mm
- 80 Plus rating
- Gold
- Cybenetics rating
- Platinum
- ATX version
- ATX 3.1
- Form factor
- ATX
- Cabling
- Fully modular
- Fan
- 135mm
- Colour
- Black
Pros
- 1600W of rated output for high-power cards
- 2 native 12V-2x6 cables
- 8 PCIe 8-pin connectors for older cards
- A 10-year warranty
Cons
- A 180mm depth needs a roomy PSU bay
- Costs more than the NZXT C1000 Gold Core at the time of writing
Premium Pick2 of 5
be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W
The be quiet!
Best for
- Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the NZXT C1000 Gold Core costs less.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the NZXT C1000 Gold Core, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W is built around monitoring and control through be quiet!'s IO Center software, with a switchable active or semi-passive fan mode on top. On the spec sheet, it offers a 1600W rated output and offers a 1 native 12V-2x6 cable count. It switches between multi-rail and single-rail modes, and it is Titanium rated at up to 94.9% efficiency.
A vibration-free Silent Wings fan keeps it quiet. On rated output it ties with the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G at 1600W. On native 12V-2x6 cable count it ties with the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W at 1. It was the highest-priced of the 5 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W and the rest.
Key specs
- Wattage
- 1600W
- Native 12V-2x6 cables
- 1
- 80 Plus rating
- Titanium
- Cybenetics rating
- Titanium
- ATX version
- ATX 3.1
- Form factor
- ATX
- Fan stop
- Yes
- Colour
- Black
Pros
- 1600W of rated output for high-power cards
- A native 12V-2x6 cable for 16-pin cards
- 80 Plus Titanium efficiency
- ATX 3.1 compliance
Cons
- Costs more than the NZXT C1000 Gold Core at the time of writing
The catch
The maker doesn't give its 8-pin PCIe connector count; if that figure matters, the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G offers 8.
Lowest Price Here3 of 5
NZXT C1000 Gold Core (ATX 3.1)
NZXT's C1000 Gold Core is a fully modular ATX 3.1 unit with a native 12V-2x6 cable, a 7-year warranty and a 135mm fan with a zero-RPM mode.
Best for
- Getting Cybenetics noise certification listed by NZXT for the least money.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: rated output of 1000W, behind the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G (1600W).
Why we like it
It uses 105°C-rated capacitors, embossed modular cables and a dual-colour 12V-2x6 connector. On rated output it ties with the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W and the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W at 1000W. On native 12V-2x6 cable count it ties with the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W and the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W at 1.
It shares a gold 80 plus rating with the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G and be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W; the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W goes with a titanium 80 plus rating. You also get Cybenetics noise certification listed by NZXT. No depth is rated for the NZXT C1000 Gold Core, so check the maker's page against your case's PSU bay. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W was the next step up.
Key specs
- Wattage
- 1000W
- Native 12V-2x6 cables
- 1
- Warranty
- 7 years
- 80 Plus rating
- Gold
- Cybenetics rating
- Platinum
- ATX version
- ATX 3.1
- Form factor
- ATX
- Cabling
- Fully modular
- Fan
- 135mm
- Fan stop
- Yes
- Colour
- Black
Pros
- 1000W of rated output for high-power cards
- A native 12V-2x6 cable for 16-pin cards
- ATX 3.1 compliance
- Fully modular cables
Cons
- Rated output of 1000W, behind the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G (1600W)
The catch
Buyers who need a confirmed 8-pin PCIe connector count should compare it with the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G, which offers 8.
Also Consider4 of 5
be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W
be quiet!'s Pure Power 13 M 1000W offers four PCIe 8-pin connectors plus a native 12V-2x6, and Cybenetics rates it Platinum.
Best for
- Buyers who want four PCIe 6+2 connectors plus a native 12V-2x6.
Skip if
- Skip it if native 12V-2x6 cable count matters most to you; the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G offers 2.
Why we like it
The fan stops at low load. Its fan stops completely at low load, and LLC topology gives tight voltage regulation for a quiet system. On rated output it ties with the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W at 1000W.
On native 12V-2x6 cable count it ties with the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W and the NZXT C1000 Gold Core at 1. It shares a gold 80 plus rating with the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G and NZXT C1000 Gold Core; the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W goes with a titanium 80 plus rating. It also comes with semi-passive cooling at low load.
No depth is rated for the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W, so check the maker's page against your case's PSU bay. Its price falls between the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G, based on our last check.
Key specs
- Wattage
- 1000W
- Native 12V-2x6 cables
- 1
- PCIe 8-pin connectors
- 4
- 80 Plus rating
- Gold
- Cybenetics rating
- Platinum
- ATX version
- ATX 3.1
- Form factor
- ATX
- Fan stop
- Yes
- Colour
- Black
Pros
- 1000W of rated output for high-power cards
- A native 12V-2x6 cable for 16-pin cards
- 4 PCIe 8-pin connectors for older cards
- ATX 3.1 compliance
Cons
- Native 12V-2x6 cable count trails the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G (2)
- Costs more than the NZXT C1000 Gold Core at the time of writing
The catch
If native 12V-2x6 cable count is your priority, the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G (2) is the stronger choice.
Strong Alternative5 of 5
be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W
The be quiet!
Best for
- Buyers who want frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front.
Skip if
- Skip it if rated output matters most to you; the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G offers 1600W.
Why we like it
Dark Power 13 1000W stands out for a frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front, and it adds a switch between four 12V rails and one single rail. It also offers a 1000W rated output. A funnel-shaped mesh front feeds the frameless Silent Wings fan, which is near silent, and it supports PCIe 5.0 GPUs.
On rated output it ties with the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W at 1000W. It shares a titanium 80 plus rating with the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W; the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W goes with a gold 80 plus rating. The be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W has no stated native 12V-2x6 cable; confirm the cable kit before pairing it with a 16-pin card. Its price falls between the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G and the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W, based on our last check.
Key specs
- Wattage
- 1000W
- 80 Plus rating
- Titanium
- Form factor
- ATX
- Colour
- Black
Pros
- 1000W of rated output for high-power cards
- 80 Plus Titanium efficiency
- Frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front
- Switch between four 12V rails and one single rail
Cons
- Rated output trails the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G (1600W)
- No published native 12V-2x6 cable count
- Costs more than the NZXT C1000 Gold Core at the time of writing
The catch
If rated output is your priority, the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G (1600W) is the stronger choice.
How We Chose
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- How these picks were ranked
- We lined up five power supplies on rated output, native 12V-2x6 cable count, 8-pin PCIe connector count and warranty as the makers state them. These are research figures, not bench results: 1 of 5 picks leave out native 12V-2x6 cable count.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G to the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W, state rated output, 80 Plus rating and form factor and share Black colour.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W gives no native 12V-2x6 cable count; the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W, the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W give no 8-pin PCIe connector count.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the NZXT C1000 Gold Core ($100 to $150) to the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W ($250 to $500).
What to Look for in a High-Performance PSUs
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Rated output
The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G tops rated output at 1600W and the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W sits lowest at 1000W; 2 picks share the top figure. If rated output is your first filter, the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G sets the ceiling at 1600W.
Native 12V-2x6 cable count across these picks
Here native 12V-2x6 cable count runs from 1 on the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W to 2 on the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G, a 100% spread. The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G is the pick for native 12V-2x6 cable count. The be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W gives no native 12V-2x6 cable count figure, so 4 of 5 picks are compared here.
An 8-pin power connector held up to the camera 8-pin PCIe connector count across these picks
Across these 2 picks 8-pin PCIe connector count spans 4 (the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W) to 8 (the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G). The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G is the pick for 8-pin PCIe connector count. The be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W, the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W give no 8-pin PCIe connector count figure, so 2 of 5 picks are compared here.
Cybenetics rating
The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G, the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W list platinum; the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W lists titanium.
Modular cable sockets on the back of a power supply What to check at home
The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G comes with 2 native 12V-2x6 cables, so a 16-pin card plugs in without an adapter. The be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W has no stated native 12V-2x6 cable; confirm the cable kit before pairing it with a 16-pin card.
How to Choose a High-Performance PSUs
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who put native 12V-2x6 cable count first | ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G | The most native 12V-2x6 cable count here (2) |
| Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the NZXT C1000 Gold Core costs less | be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W | Monitoring and control through be quiet!'s IO Center software at the highest price in the group |
| Getting Cybenetics noise certification listed by NZXT for the least money | NZXT C1000 Gold Core | The cheapest way into this group, below the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W |
| Buyers who want four PCIe 6+2 connectors plus a native 12V-2x6 | be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W | Four PCIe 6+2 connectors plus a native 12V-2x6 |
| Buyers who want frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front | be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W | A frameless Silent Wings fan behind a full-mesh front |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G leads on rated output at 1600W, ahead of the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W at 1600W. "Not listed" marks native 12V-2x6 cable count where the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W leaves the figure out.
| Power supplie | Wattage | Native 12V-2x6 cables | PCIe 8-pin connectors | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G | 1600W | 2 | 8 | 10 years |
| be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W | 1600W | 1 | Not listed | Not listed |
| NZXT C1000 Gold Core | 1000W | 1 | Not listed | 7 years |
| be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W | 1000W | 1 | 4 | Not listed |
| be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W | 1000W | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The NZXT C1000 Gold Core was the lowest-priced pick ($100 to $150) and the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W the highest ($250 to $500) when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | Power supplies |
|---|---|
| About $100 to $150 | NZXT C1000 Gold Core, be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W |
| About $150 to $250 | ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G, be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W |
| About $250 to $500 | be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the most native 12V-2x6 cable count: the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G or the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W?
Between the top two, it is 2 on the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G against 1 on the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W, a 100% difference. No native 12V-2x6 cable count figure is published for the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W, which leaves 4 of 5 picks ranked here.
Is the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G ahead of the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W on 8-pin PCIe connector count?
The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G tops 8-pin PCIe connector count at 8; the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W follows at 4, 100% apart. The be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W, the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W don't state a 8-pin PCIe connector count figure, so they sit outside this comparison; 2 of 5 picks are ranked.
How does the NZXT C1000 Gold Core compare with the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G on warranty?
The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G leads at 10 years, with the NZXT C1000 Gold Core at 7 years. The be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W, the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W and the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W are left out of this ranking because their warranty isn't stated; 2 of 5 picks are ranked.
What does the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W add over the NZXT C1000 Gold Core?
On paper it adds rated output (1600W against 1000W). On our last price check the NZXT C1000 Gold Core was in the $100 to $150 tier and the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W in the $250 to $500 tier, with 3 other picks between them; pay the difference only if rated output decides your purchase.
Why is the NZXT C1000 Gold Core our Lowest Price Here pick?
It earns the label for the cheapest way into this group, below the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W. It is aimed at getting Cybenetics noise certification listed by NZXT for the least money.
Do the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G and the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W differ on 80 Plus rating?
The ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G, the NZXT C1000 Gold Core and the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W use Gold; the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W and the be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W use titanium.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ASRock Phantom Gaming PG-1600G, chosen for the most native 12V-2x6 cable count here (2). Look at the be quiet! Dark Power Pro 14 IO 1600W for monitoring and control through be quiet!'s IO Center software at the highest price in the group, the NZXT C1000 Gold Core for the cheapest way into this group, below the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W and the be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000W for four PCIe 6+2 connectors plus a native 12V-2x6 if those matter more to you.
Efficiency matters most at high loads.
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About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
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