Small form factor (SFF) or Mini-ITX PCs often require specific power supplies designed to fit in the smaller space. So let’s take a look at some of the best options on the market in early 2021.
Background info
SFX standard
All of the power supplies mentioned below follow the SFX or SFX-L standard, meaning they have been designed to fit into smaller cases while providing safe and efficient power.
SFX-L standard
The SFX-L standard is slightly larger than SFX to allow for a standard 120 mm fan to be added for improved efficiency and lower noise. If you are looking at one of these, make sure your case mentions support for it.
Modular cables
The power supplies in this post are also all fully modular, which means you only need to plug in the cables your build requires. This is important in a smaller case to help with cable management and sometimes airflow.
Corsair SF series
The SF series from Corsair is the one I have been using for the last few years. The Corsair power supplies are some of the most known and best selling on the market. They come in 750 W, 600 W, and 450 W variants with the choice of 80+ Gold or 80+ Platinum efficiency rating.
The 80+ Platinum power supplies come with individually sleeved cables to match the look of higher-end third-party ones you can pick up. It also comes with an SFX to ATX adapter to allow you to use it in larger cases.
Silverstone SX series
Silverstone has the largest number of SFX power supplies on the market. I’ll only be focusing on the newer SX series. The SX series ranges from 500 W models to a 1000 W model. All of them have an 80+ rating, including Gold, Platinum, and the most efficient, Titanium.
The 1000 W and the 500-LG model are SFX-L power supplies, while the rest are the standard SFX sizes.
Thermaltake Toughpower SFX series
Thermaltake’s Toughpower SFX series comes in 600 W and 450 W variants and is in line with the SFX standard. These all come with the 80+ Gold efficiency rating. It does come with an 8-pin red PCI-E connector, so if you care about a color scheme, you might want to skip this power supply. It also comes with an SFX to ATX adapter to allow you to use it in larger cases.
Cooler Master V SFX series
Cooler Master’s V SFX series comes with some of the highest wattages from an SFX power supply. You can pick these up in 850 W, 750 W, 650 W, or 550 W. These all come with the 80+ Gold efficiency rating. It also comes with an SFX to ATX adapter to allow you to use it in larger cases.
Seasonic Focus SGX series
Seasonic has been in the power supply business for a long time, supplying consumer and industrial customers. Seasonic’s Focus SGX series comes in at 650 W, 500 W, and 450 W models. These all come with the 80+ Gold efficiency rating. It also comes with an SFX to ATX adapter to allow you to use it in larger cases.
