Budgeted a moderately-priced $125 Power Supply Unit (PSU) for a high-end $3,000 RTX 5090 Graphics Card setup

Budgeted a moderately-priced $125 Power Supply Unit (PSU) for a high-end $3,000 RTX 5090 Graphics Card setup

Building or upgrading a gaming PC requires careful consideration of various components, and one essential piece of the puzzle is the power supply unit (PSU). In this article, we take a closer look at the Montech Century II PSU, a budget-friendly option that still delivers the performance needed for a high-powered PC build.

The Montech Century II PSU offers a good balance between performance and affordability, making it an attractive choice for budget-conscious PC builders. For instance, high-end 1200W PSUs from marquee OEMs sell for around $175 to $250, while the Montech Century II PSU can be found for as low as $125, as the author discovered on Newegg.

When it comes to handling the power demands of a high-end PC build, the Montech Century II PSU is more than capable. The author needed a PSU for a PC with a Core i9-13900K processor and a GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, and the Montech Century II PSU handled the workload with ease. It performed well on the GPU test bench with an RTX 5090, with a temperature of 125 °F (52 °C) at the 12V-2x6 cable's hottest point, which is within its 80 °C rating.

The 12V-2x6 cable for the GeForce RTX 5090 meets the required baseline, and the included cable in the Montech Century II PSU did not reach troubling temperatures or exhibit hot spots under thermal camera testing. Moreover, the PSU's 12V-2x6 cable can handle the extreme power-draw limits of the RTX 5090, even under extended periods of load.

The Century II's fan audibly spins up in the 50%-60% load range, but its sound isn't objectionable. The PSU's semi-silent hybrid mode can be disabled in the event that the case only has a bottom PSU intake, preventing hot air build-up and potentially extending the life span of the PSU.

The flat, capacitor-free cables are an upgrade over bulky modular cords, making cable management a breeze. Furthermore, aftermarket cables for the 12V-2x6 cable are available from sources like MODDIY, but they are 25% of the price of the Montech Century II PSU.

The Montech Century II PSU has been reviewed and received an Editor's Choice award. It is a value option for those looking to save money in a high-powered build without compromising on performance. A low-quality PSU can damage components and consume more power, making the Montech Century II PSU a solid investment for your PC build.