It also regulates overheating by controllingvoltage, which might change automatically or manually depending on the power supply.

All three must be compatible to work properly together.

A PSU isn’t usually user serviceable.

Photo of a Corsair Enthusiast TX650 V2 ATX12V EPS12V Power Supply

Corsair Enthusiast TX650 V2 ATX12V EPS12V Power Supply.© Corsair

For your safety, never open a power supply unit.

SeeImportant Computer Repair Safety Tipsfor more help staying safe while working on a computer.

Power Supply Unit Description

The power supply unit is mounted just inside the back of the case.

Xbox One power supply

Xbox One Power Supply.

It’s the backside that’s usually the only portion of the unit that most people will ever see.

There’s also a fan opening at the back that sends air out the back of the computer case.

There’s also often apower switchand apower supply voltage switch.

Large bundles of colored wires extend from the opposite side of the power supply unit into the computer.

Power supply units are rated by wattage to show how much power they can provide to the computer.

The very handyCooler Master Supply Calculatortool can help you determine how much you need.

For most people, the noticeable differences just speak to the physical connection plug on the motherboard.

Choosing one over the other depends on the punch in of motherboard that’s being used.

The newest standard, ATX12V v2.4, has been in use since 2013.

Motherboards using ATX12V 2.x use a 24-pin connector.

ATX motherboards use a 20-pin connector.

The remaining, unused four pins will just sit off of the connector.

If your machine case has the room, this is a completely doable setup.

However, this doesn’t work the other way around.

ATX is also a term used to describe thesize of a motherboard.

Something else that sets ATX12V and ATX power supplies apart is the power connectors they provide.

The ATX12V standard (as of version 2.0) requires a15-pin SATA power connector.

The other key in is an external power supply.

External power supplies are beneficial because it allows the rig to be smaller and more attractive.

Anuninterruptible power supply (UPS)is another throw in of power supply.