AMD’s next generation of Radeon cards and the RDNA 2 architecture are fast approaching. We can expect the RX 6800 and RX 6800XT come this November 18th, with the 6900 XT due on December 8th, both just in time for the holiday season. The most important question many AMD builders will have to ask themselves, besides which Ryzen CPU they want to pair with their new Radeon GPU, is “will my power supply of choice suffice?” Nowadays, the answer is almost a guaranteed yes. Despite current availability and pricing issues, builders either remained patient enough to wait, saved for just a little bit longer, or at the very least settled for something slightly less powerful but still more than adequate for their system. Otherwise, people still have yet to pull the trigger on a reliable unit to begin their next build. Even if you just grabbed something random from a shelf, or if you just clicked on the first option that looked like a decent deal, if your PSU is from one of many established and trusted names in the industry, you’re more than likely set for roughly the next five to ten years in most cases. Corsair, EVGA, Seasonic, Fractal Design, be quiet!, Cooler Master, Silverstone, Thermaltake, NZXT, ASUS, and, indeed, the list goes on. Numerous companies offer comparable warranties, customer support, build quality, and overall performance across their vast array of available units nowadays. The general rule of thumb for a rock-solid PSU is full-modularity and an 80+ Gold rating with a total wattage that is, ideally, 50% larger than your system’s combined TDP (thermal design power). The “sweet spot” for peak efficiency from your power supply will typically be somewhere between 30-60%, but this ultimately doesn’t matter too much for the individual enthusiast, even if they’re prone to never powering off their computer. Regardless, aiming for precisely 200% of your system’s total wattage ensures optimal power draw during normal loads and leaves plenty of headroom to satisfy you overclockers bent on extracting as much performance from your components as possible.
Further compounding your freedom of choice regarding your PSU is the insane energy performance from all of AMD’s next-generation hardware. Zen 3 will ship with identical or lower TDPs compared to Zen 2 across the board, and RDNA 2 tops out at just 300W with the 6900XT compared to Nvidia’s 350W (and $1500) RTX 3090. That said, the ideal PSU size ends up being right around 1000W for a build centered around the 6800XT or 6900XT and any Ryzen Zen 3 CPU above the 5600X because you do still need to account for a potential plethora of peripherals and external devices you might connect to your PC as well.
So, today, if you haven’t chosen one yet, we’re going to offer our recommendations for the best PSUs to purchase with your next high-end RX 6800XT or RX 6900 XT machine.
Best PSUs for RX 6800 XT & RX 6900 XT – Our Recommendations
| Award | Design | Model | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Entry-Level PSU for the 6800XT & 6900XT |  | SeaSonic FOCUS Plus 850W Gold | 10 years |
| Best Mid-Range PSU for the 6800XT & 6900XT |  | EVGA SuperNOVA 850 P2 80+ Platinum | 10 years |
| Best Overall PSU for the 6800XT & 6900XT |  | Corsair AX1000 80+ Titanium | 10 years |
| Best SFX PSU for 6800XT & 6900T |  | Corsair SF750 Platinum | 7 years |
Best Entry-Level PSU for the 6800XT & 6900XT
Now, ideally, your PSU would sit around 1000W for a build hoping to accommodate mid to high-end Zen 3 and RDNA 2 components. However, you’ll still be more than adequately served by a high-quality 800W PSU with an 80+ Gold rating or better. For an ultra-quick summary of the 80+ rating system and why you shouldn’t concern yourself with it too much, it boils down to long-term savings on your energy bill. A more efficient PSU will draw less power from the wall to deliver however much your machine asks for. For example, an 80+ Gold rated 850W PSU under max load with an 87% efficiency will pull 977W from the wall. However, the caveat is that this might only save you a few bucks over the years for a single user with one system at home. Therefore, 80+ Gold is usually your best bet unless you’re interested in the higher component quality, build quality, and more extended warranties that come with many 80+ Platinum and Titanium rated units.
That’s where the 850W SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold comes in. For only $170, SeaSonic’s FOCUS Plus PSUs are wildly popular and regarded as one of the most well-rounded series on the market. Full modularity, an excellent fan curve, a 10-year warranty, and fantastic build quality are all packed into an 80+ Gold rated unit only 140mm deep, meaning even the rare mATX enthusiast will have zero trouble fitting this into their case of choice. The SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold is a phenomenal pick for any builder who’s set their sights on a top-tier next-generation AMD system, especially if they have no interest in running above stock settings.
Best Mid-Range PSU for the 6800XT & 6900XT
If you’re still concerned with efficiency and want just that little bit of extra performance, you’ll want to pick up the EVGA SuperNOVA 850 P2 80+ Platinum. Again, we’re greeted by a 10-year warranty, 140mm depth, full-modularity, and stellar noise performance with a Double Ball bearing fan controlled by an excellent default curve. While the warranty is standard for most high-quality PSUs, this time, we also have the benefit of EVGA’s nearly unrivaled customer service based out of the USA. That’s not to disparage customer service from any other company or region. Still, representatives from EVGA are uniquely attentive, accommodating, and speedy when it comes to every aspect of the support they provide, and consistently so, for the better part of the last two decades. When coupled with the consistent quality of nearly every product on offer, be it GPUs, PSUs, motherboards, or liquid coolers, it makes sense that EVGA has cultivated such a diehard customer base and sterling reputation.
For builders still uninterested in overclocking above stock settings but concerned about the long-term benefits of a more efficient power supply, the SuperNOVA 850 P2 is a steal for only $270.
Best Overall PSU for the 6800XT & 6900XT
The Corsair AX1000 80+ Titanium represents the absolute best choice for top-tier Zen 3 and RDNA 2 combos. The internal components you’d typically pair with something like the RX 6900XT and Ryzen 7 5800X result in, roughly, a total system TDP of just under 500W at stock settings. An 80+ Titanium efficiency rating at 50% load should be 94%, meaning that 80+ Titanium offers the best power delivery for a high-end AMD build this generation at stock settings. However, the primary reason 1000W with 80+ Titanium performance takes the cake is that it only Titanium only drops to 90% efficiency even at 100% load.
The AX1000 thereby possesses nearly unbeatable power delivery for next-gen RDNA 2 and Zen 3 regardless of whether you decide to run stock clock speeds or spend the time to squeeze every ounce of performance possible. Furthermore, you’ll still have enough headroom to spare for as many external devices as you can fit into your motherboard’s rear I/O. For $400, the AX1000 might be a tough pill to swallow for some of you. Still, Corsair’s competitive 10-year warranty and unparalleled build quality translate to a no-brainer for enthusiasts determined to pull the cleanest and most stable power for their overclocking antics.
Summary
Despite the general affordability and availability returning to normal for PSUs, we figured many new builders might be overwhelmed when it comes to picking from such a vast array of companies and products for arguably the most crucial component in your build. A good power supply ensures stable long-term performance for all of the other parts of your computer. We’re confident that no matter which of our suggestions you spring for, you can rest easy knowing your latest and greatest machine from Team Red is well taken care of regardless of how hard you decide to push it. Are you excited to get your hands on AMD’s new Ryzen/Radeon products? Are you relieved to see PSUs finally return to regular pricing and availability? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and, as always, thanks for reading!