Power Supply & CMOS

Powering your PC from the inside out.

The Power Supply Unit (PSU)

The PSU is a vital component that acts as the heart of your computer's power system. It converts the high-voltage alternating current (AC) from your wall socket into the stable, low-voltage direct current (DC) that all the internal components need to operate safely.

Key Aspects:

  • Wattage: The total power output the PSU can deliver. A higher wattage is needed for more demanding components like powerful CPUs and GPUs.
  • Efficiency: Measured by the 80 Plus certification (e.g., Bronze, Gold, Platinum). This rating indicates how effectively the PSU converts power, with higher ratings meaning less wasted energy as heat.
  • Connectors: PSUs come with various connectors to power the motherboard, graphics card, CPU, and storage drives.

The CMOS Battery

The CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) battery is a small, replaceable, coin-shaped battery on the motherboard. Its simple but crucial job is to provide power to a special chip that stores your computer's BIOS settings.

What it Stores:

  • System Clock: Keeps track of the current date and time.
  • BIOS Settings: Saves configurations for your boot order, hardware components, and other system-level preferences.
  • Memory: The CMOS chip is a type of memory that requires a constant, low-level power source to retain its data.