[ The PC Guide | Systems and Components Reference Guide | Power | The Power Supply ]

Power Supply Form Factors

The form factor of the power supply refers to its general shape and dimensions. The form factor of the power supply must match that of the case that it is supposed to go into, and the motherboard it is to power. You may not find too many people discussing form factors as they relate to power supplies--this is because power supplies normally come included in system cases, so people talk about the form factor of the case instead. This is changing as the power supply starts to get more of the attention it really deserves. Also, newer power supply form factors can often work with more than one type of case, and vice-versa.

This section of the site takes a detailed look at the different form factors used in historical and modern PCs, and concludes with a summary comparison of the different form factors and how they are used.

Next: PC/XT Form Factor

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