Power supply technology has really accelerated over the past two years; before this time it was somewhat dormant. The main reason power supply technology made little advancement until recently is because the demand for them to do so has not existed. That is until about a year or two ago when processors and graphics cards really started to suck down power. Computers are generating a lot more heat these days and for this to happen they need more power. The power requirements of the latest and greatest computers are enormous. The power situation has reached a point where anything under 400watts is obsolete.

Early 2003 I built myself an Athlon64 3200+ gaming system to play with when I am not working. This system was replaced about 6 months ago with an Athlon64 3800+ SLI gaming rig. The 3200+ computer operated flawlessly to the hum of a 300watt power supply. The 3800+ SLI enabled system on the other hand, required at least 500watts of power minimum to run everything inside. The end result was a 680watt power supply from Thermaltake which was capable of powering everything from the dual GeForce 6800 Ultra graphics cards, to the Athlon64 3800+ processor.

Of course not all modern day computers require such a large power output and 460watts should satisfy most systems. Back when I built my Athlon64 3200+ gaming system, power supplies were one of those items that often got overlooked. In other words most people were not concerned with purchasing a power supply and generally picked one up with an ATX case. However, now that power supplies have become so expensive, purchasing the right one is more of a concern. Power supplies have become an important item and it is crucial that you select the right one.

Surprisingly there are a lot of features power supplies can offer these days that can make them more suitable for particular tasks. The Thermaltake PurePower 460w PSU for example, fully supports the Intel ATX 12V 2.0 specification and also features an Active-PFC/Non-PFC function. The Active-PFC function is designed to improved energy efficiency and reduce current load on AC delivery systems. This feature also eliminates the need for the 115/220v switch, which when set incorrectly will destroy the power supply.

The Thermaltake PurePower 460w PSU as the name suggests, features a 460watt power output. The +3.3V line can provide up to 30 Amps, as can the +5V line and the dual +12V line can handle a maximum load of 15 Amps each. The PurePower 460w features a 24-pin main ATX power connector which will also fit 20-pin plus removing the need for an adapter. This power supply certainly looks the goods and at roughly $90 US it is also competitively priced.