Every PC needs a power supply, but finding the right one for your system isn’t always a simple task. Efficiency, features, cabling, and output all have their part to play in separating the perfect unit from the crowd.
With this in mind, I’m taking a look at Asus’ PSU (power supply unit) lineup. Through examining ROG Thor III, ROG Strix Platinum, TUF Gaming Gold, and Prime Gold families, I’m confident you’ll be able to find the right box of volts for your PC.
Each family is different, but they do share a few key commonalities that are worth highlighting. After all, they are all cut from the same Asus cloth.
For instance, all of the brand’s power supplies I’m highlighting are ATX 3.1 compliant. This means they all arrive with 12V-2×6 connections as standard, and boast improved efficiency through shorter hold-up times.
Additionally, ROG and TUF Gaming alike come part and parcel with a 10-year warranty, with Prime not far behind at eight years. Play your cards right and these power supplies will steer you through multiple system upgrades.
ROG Thor III
Sitting at the top of the stack is the ROG Thor III Series. For those in search of the best Asus power supplies money can buy, look no further.
| ROG Thor III | |
|---|---|
| Output | 1,000W / 1,200W / 1,600W |
| Dimensions | 190 x 150 x 86mm* 200 x 150 x 86mm** |
| Efficiency certification | 80 Plus Platinum* 80 Plus Titanium** |
| Noise certification | A++* TBD** |
| Warranty | 10-year |
**Applies to 1,600W SKU.
You can grab ROG Thor III power supplies with outputs of 1,000W, 1,200W, or even a whopping 1,600W. This is true enthusiast territory, with watts to spare for overclocking or multiple watt-hungry add-in cards.
Asus outfits ROG Thor III PSUs with a GaN (Gallium Nitride) MOSFET, improving power efficiency by up to 30%. Better still, this design is smaller than average, allowing for layout optimisations that aid airflow and thermal performance.
ROG Thor III
“ROG Thor 1000W Platinum III delivers unmatched performance and rock-solid stability for your ultimate PC build.” – Asus
The 1,600W ROG Thor III is particularly impressive for efficiency, boasting an 80 Plus Titanium certification. This is the highest possible rating for a power supply from the organisation, translating into 90-96% efficiency across a 10-100% load range when used with a 230V mains supply.
Meanwhile, noise levels are best-in-class. Both the 1,000W and 1,200W ROG Thor III receive the top A++ (<15dB) noise rating from Cybenetics.
For those moments when you absolutely need maximum performance, acoustics be damned, you can engage ‘Turbo Mode’. This will tune the fan curve more aggressively, facilitating a longer time for power excursion, up from 10ms to 20ms. That’s no small feat when you’re dealing with close to 2kW of electricity.
There are several features that ROG Thor III shares with Strix Platinum which I’ll discuss while examining the latter. Before I do though, there’s one last unique offering to discuss: Magnetic OLED Display. This screen clips on to the side of the power supply, providing real-time monitoring of power draw. Better still, it can flip to accommodate fan-up or fan-down installations.
ROG Strix Platinum
Second-in-command, ROG Strix Platinum is more-affordable than Asus’ flagship series but shares much of the same features.
| ROG Strix Platinum | |
|---|---|
| Output | 850W / 1,000W / 1,200W |
| Dimensions | 160 x 150 x 86mm |
| Efficiency certification | 80 Plus Platinum |
| Noise certification | A* A+** |
| Warranty | 10-year |
**Applies to 1,000W SKU.
ROG Strix Platinum power supplies are available in 850W, 1,000W, and 1,200W outputs, and there’s also a 1,000W version in fetching white, reviewed right over here. That’s enough power for high-end GeForce RTX 50 Series cards, including RTX 5080 and RTX 5090.
As the series’ name implies, ROG Strix Platinum power supplies are mighty efficient. The entire range meets the 80 Plus Platinum criteria, meaning they’re able to maintain 90%-plus efficiency while under common 20-100% loads.
ROG Strix Platinum
“ROG Strix 1000W Platinum is a cool and quiet PSU with stable power delivery, engineered for efficiency.” – Asus
Noise levels are similarly impressive, too. 850W and 1,200W models set the floor with Cybenetics A ratings (20-25dB), but 1,000W ROG Strix Platinum goes one step further with an A+ (15-20dB).
Like ROG Thor III, you’ll find a GaN MOSFET inside ROG Strix Platinum that improves efficiency and thermals. The two families also sport etched cables, which are easy to flex into place and operate with a 50°C overhead.
‘GPU-First” Intelligent Voltage Stabilizer (IVS)’ tech is present across ROG Strix Platinum and Thor III series. Through a bundled two-pin IVS cable that’s attached to the 12V-2×6, the power supply delivers more consistent voltage to high-powered graphics cards, improving stability by up to 45%. It does this by smoothing out the power demands through better real-time monitoring. This not only provides extra peace of mind while using 16-pin power connectors but will also assist with overclocking.
ROG Loki
Just because you’re building an SFF PC, doesn’t mean you need to skimp on a quality power supply, as the ROG Loki series proves.
| ROG Loki | |
|---|---|
| Output | 750W / 850W / 1,000W / 1,200W |
| Dimensions | 125 x 125 x 63.5mm |
| Efficiency certification | 80 Plus Platinum* 80 Plus Titanium** |
| Noise certification | A/A+* S++** |
| Warranty | 10-year |
**Applies to 1,200W SKU.
You’ll find ROG Loki in outputs of 750W, 850W, 1,000W, and 1,200W. That’s a whole lot of watts squeezed inside the 125 x 125 x 63.5mm chassis. Make no mistake, these power supplies are small and mighty.
ROG Loki shares much in common with ROG Thor III, including 80 Plus Titanium and Platinum efficiency ratings. These power supplies are plenty quiet too, with Cybenetic Standard++ ratings at minimum that mean they emit less than 35dB of noise under load.
ROG Loki
“Boasting quiet operation and high performance, Loki is primed to power your next SFF build.” – Asus
Working within the confines of an SFF build is often tricky, and you need all the cooperation you can get from your chassis and cables. ROG Loki not only reduces clutter through a modular design but also comes with etched cables, which are both easy and safe to bend as necessary.
TUF Gaming Gold
Moving down the stack to Asus’ mainstream offering, TUF Gaming Gold power supplies strike a welcome balance between performance and affordability.
| TUF Gaming Gold | |
|---|---|
| Output | 750W / 850W / 1,000W / 1,200W |
| Dimensions | 150 x 150 x 86mm |
| Efficiency certification | 80 Plus Gold |
| Warranty | 10-year |
TUF Gaming Gold power supplies are a broad church, arriving in 750W, 850W, 1,000W, and 1,200W flavours. Regardless of wattage, each unit carries 80 Plus Gold certification operating at 87-89% efficiency at 20-100% load.
The industrial design of TUF Gaming Gold may not be the flashiest, but it’s reflective of what’s going on underneath the shroud. Pop that power supply open and you’ll find military-grade capacitors and chokes that you can confidently rely on in any gaming setup.
TUF Gaming Gold
“The TUF Gaming Gold Series are efficient, resilient and dependable PSUs that are engineered for the long haul.” – Asus
These hardy qualities extend to the series’ fans, too, which arrive with dual ball bearings for enhanced durability. These blowers are as strong as they are smart, with an axial-tech design that increases air pressure for improved cooling.
Prime Gold
For cash-conscious computers, Asus Prime Gold power supplies provide a solid base from which to power your system.
| Prime Gold | |
|---|---|
| Output | 750W / 850W |
| Dimensions | 150 x 150 x 86mm |
| Efficiency certification | 80 Plus Gold |
| Warranty | 10-year |
You’ll find Asus Prime Gold power supplies in 750W or 850W outputs. That’s enough to power mainstream graphics cards up to and including GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and Radeon RX 9070 XT, regardless of model.
As 80 Plus Gold certified power supplies, the Asus Prime Gold family operates at 87-89% efficiency under a 20-100% load. Every penny counts in a budget build, including the amount of cash you’re spending on the ‘leccy to power your PC. Such efficiency on affordable PSUs is a welcome quality.
Prime Gold
“Prime Gold PSUs bring efficient and durable power delivery to all-round PCs, and gaming rigs.” – Asus
Like their TUF Gaming Gold siblings, Prime Gold models also come with dual ball bearing fans. Asus reckons this gives the blower up to 80,000 hours of use, or just a little over nine continuous years. Considering you won’t need cooling at all times, you can expect a longer overall lifespan.
Affordability doesn’t come at the cost of convenience either. Prime Gold are fully modular, allowing you to engage in easier cable management to make your build look as neat and tidy as you like.
There’s no one size fits all for power supplies, but there’s definitely one in Asus’ lineup that will more than satisfy the needs of gamers and beyond. I hope you’ve found this exploration useful in your search for a new PSU.
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