In the process of selecting a PSU for your PC build there are numerous factors to consider in order to correctly choose the best unit for your machine and preferences. One of those factors is noise level. How can you be sure about a PSU’s noise level? That’s where Cybenetics comes in. Much like 80 Plus efficiency ratings, Cybenetics noise level certifications ensure that a PSU’s noise output has been tested and rated accordingly by a third-party agency. Let’s get into the details about what PSU noise is, who is Cybenetics, and how the certifications work.
In the process of selecting a PSU for your PC build there are numerous factors to consider in order to correctly choose the best unit for your machine and preferences. One of those factors is noise level. How can you be sure about a PSU’s noise level? That’s where Cybenetics comes in. Much like 80 Plus efficiency ratings, Cybenetics noise level certifications ensure that a PSU’s noise output has been tested and rated accordingly by a third-party agency. Let’s get into the details about what PSU noise is, who is Cybenetics, and how the certifications work.
What is Cybenetics Noise Level
In the process of selecting a PSU for your PC build there are numerous factors to consider in order to correctly choose the best unit for your machine and preferences. One of those factors is noise level. How can you be sure about a PSU’s noise level? That’s where Cybenetics comes in. Much like 80 Plus efficiency ratings, Cybenetics noise level certifications ensure that a PSU’s noise output has been tested and rated accordingly by a third-party agency. Let’s get into the details about what PSU noise is, who is Cybenetics, and how the certifications work.
What is PSU noise?
It may seem strange at first, but PSU’s do produce noise, usually while operating at higher loads. The reason is simple: fans. It’s well known that case fans and cooler fans can make noise, and the PSU is no different. The loader any of your fans are, the more they will contribute to your PC’s overall noise level. So if you want to keep things quiet so you can stay focused, it’s a good idea to keep Cybenetics noise levels in mind when shopping around for a PSU.
Who is Cybenetics?
Cybenetics Labs is a Cyprus-based company that was founded to provide a new level of accuracy to PSU testing for both efficiency and noise level. The company seeks to improve and expand the information available to customers in order to support well-informed decision making when builders are looking to buy a PSU. With more than two decades of experience and a focus on high quality in both equipment and measurement, Cybenetics is a highly trustworthy source of information for reliable PSU noise level testing.
How does their certification program work?
To put it simply, Cybenetics calculates a PSU’s overall noise output by averaging testing noise measurements. The details of the process are anything but simple, however. Decibels, or dB, work on a logarithmic scale which makes measurement difficult. So Cybenetics converts noise measurements taken in dB to sound pressure units, or Pa, averages the Pa numbers, and then converts the units back into dB to make it easier for most people to understand the rankings. Cybenetics categorizes PSUs into 7 noise level rankings ranging from rather loud to basically silent. The rankings are as follows, from loudest to quietest:
So, if you want your PSU to be as quiet as can be, going for A++ would be ideal. However, any PSU in the A range of rankings is guaranteed to be exceptionally quiet. For example, Cooler Master’s GX III Gold 850 has received an A- Cybenetics certification, indicating excellent quiet performance.
Conclusion
That does it for Cybenetics noise level rankings! If you would like to check out Cooler Master’s own selection of Cybenetics-certified PSUs, please visit this page to see which of our PSUs have received a Cybenetics certification.
