When it comes to building a gaming PC, power supply units (PSUs) are often overlooked but they play a critical role in ensuring system stability and longevity. To select a high-quality PSU, experts refer to either the PSU Cultist list vs Linus Tech Tips forum list. Both of these well-known PSU tier lists provide detailed technical information on PSUs. In this article, we will compare these two lists to help you make an informed decision when selecting a PSU for your gaming rig.
Table of Contents
PSU Cultist List vs Linus Tech Tips at A Glance
| Feature | Cultist Network | Linus Tech Tips |
| List Name | PSU Tier List | PSU Tier List |
| Version | rev. 17.0g | rev. 16.1A |
| Maintained By | Cultist Network community | Linus Tech Tips community |
| Focus | Overall PSU quality and reliability, including noise levels and ripple | Primarily focuses on performance and efficiency |
| Tiers | A (High-end), B (Mid-range), C (Low-end), D (Unusable), E (Speculative), F (Low Priority) | A (High-end), B (Mid-range), C (Low-end), D (Avoid) |
| Methodology | Based on member reviews, professional reviews, and internal testing | Primarily based on professional reviews and performance benchmarks |
| Updates | More frequently updated | Less frequently updated |
| Transparency | More detailed information about each PSU and its placement in the tier list | Less information about the criteria used for ranking PSUs |
A Quick Intro to PSU Tier Lists
First, what exactly is a PSU tier list? As you may know, not all power supplies are created equal. There’s a wide range of units out there with huge variances in quality, performance and safety. A PSU tier list acts as a guide by categorizing different models into tiers based on strict testing criteria and assessments.
The idea is simple – the higher tiers contain better quality, more reliable PSUs, while lower tiers have units with some flaws or weaknesses. These lists aim to make it easier to select a good quality PSU and avoid potential hazards from low quality ones.
Breaking Down the PSU Cultists List
Alright, up first is the PSU Cultists tier list, compiled by a collaborative community and frequently updated. Let’s analyze how this popular list is structured.
The Tiers and Ranking System
The PSU Cultists list contains 8 tiers ranging from the top-ranked “Godlike” tier down to the last “Avoid” tier. Units are ranked based on extensive professional reviews, in-depth testing analysis, ripple assessments, safety evaluations, and more.
In between are tiers like “Outstanding”, “Excellent”, “Good”, “Okay”, and “Flawed” indicating progressively more issues. There’s also the “Special” tier for unique use-case PSUs.
Criteria and Methodology
So what kind of criteria does the PSU Cultist list use to place units into tiers? Key factors include:
- Efficiency – How efficiently it converts input power to output power. Higher is better.
- Ripple – Fluctuations in voltage. Lower ripple is better for stability.
- Voltage Regulation – How well output voltage is kept constant under changing loads. Tighter regulation is better.
- Safety – Includes protections like Over Power/Current/Voltage/Temperature Protection (OPP/OCP/OVP/OTP). More protections equal better safety.
- Build Quality – This includes factors like quality of components used, soldering, cabling, etc.
- Performance – Noise level, temperature levels and ability to operate as expected under challenging loads.
As you can see, the tier list uses a holistic approach assessing many aspects of PSU quality and performance.
The cultist methodology also goes in-depth, disassembling units to examine the internal build quality. They verify manufacturer claims around protections and components used. And comprehensive testing is done to ensure units can operate stably long-term even in hot environments under high loads.
No shortcuts here for sure!
Breaking Down the Linus Tech Tips Forum List
On the other side, we have the Linus Tech Tips (LTT) forum PSU tier list which is also updated regularly. Let’s analyze their list next.
The Tiers and Ranking System
The LTT forum list is simpler containing only 5 tiers – “Avoid”, “Low Priority”, “Okay”, “Good” and “Excellent”. So how do units get ranked?
Well the list relies heavily on the community itself. Members share their experiences with various PSUs backed by some testing data. Models with many good experiences and positive tests get ranked higher. Those with considerable flaws or some questionable test results get lower rankings.
Do note that there aren’t strict standards, scoring system or detailed evaluations guiding the rankings. The community determines tiers mostly based on shared experiences and assumptions around components used.
Criteria and Methodology
You may be wondering – does the LTT list use clearly defined criteria and structured testing procedures like the cultists?
Unfortunately, not at all. Standardized test data is fairly limited. Assessments of internal build quality are rare since community members don’t usually disassemble their PSUs. And there aren’t systematic criteria assessing key metrics like efficiency, ripple control or voltage regulation.
The rankings end up being quite subjective based on the prevailing community consensus. Models believed to have good components and decent performance get positive rankings. Those assumed to cut corners or with many complaints get negative rankings.
But there aren’t scientific standards or assessments governing rankings.
Key Differences Between the Lists
Alright, so stepping back – what are the major differences between these PSU tier lists? Let’s recap quickly:
- The PSU Cultist list uses rigorous, standardized testing and criteria while the LTT Forum list relies more on community experiences.
- Cultist assessments involve directly examining internal build quality. The forum list depends on assumptions around quality.
- There are precise tiers and criteria on the Cultist list while the forum list tiers are more general suggestions.
- The Cultist list provides in-depth performance data while the forum list has limited test information.
- The Cultist list is compiled by experts while the forum list is community-sourced.
In a nutshell, the PSU Cultist list is a lot more thorough, data-driven and methodical compared to the more casual community-backed LTT forum list.
PSU Cultist List Pros and Cons
Given the above, the well-researched PSU Cultist list certainly seems superior right? Well, it does have some downsides too. Let’s examine the pros and cons quickly.
Pros
- Provides detailed test data on performance allowing easy comparisons between units.
- Assessment and criteria around safety and protections give peace of mind.
- Breaking down internal build quality verifies quality of components used.
- Stringent, methodical testing procedures ensures accuracy of results.
- Granular tier system conveys clear gradations in quality between models.
Cons
- List focuses exclusively on technical performance and quality. No info on actual reliability or failure rates.
- Their rigorous burn-in testing exceeds normal real-world scenarios. Findings may indicate issues unlikely to occur for most users.
- Requires destructive testing so can’t assess every production unit of a model. Minor variances in quality could occur.
- Fewer database entries compared to LTT forum list since testing each unit is extremely time-intensive.
So in summary, you get objective, precise and detailed performance data. But real-world reliability information is lacking and testing is so stringent that typical users may not experience some flagged issues.
Linus Tech Tips Forum List Pros and Cons
What about the LTT forum list then? Does it also have some advantages over the Cultist list? Let’s analyze the pros and cons quickly.
Pros
- Community experiences provide indication of long-term reliability and failure rates.
- Test procedures use conventional real-world usage scenarios and configurations. Findings are applicable to typical gaming builds.
- Much larger database of community-sourced experiences on a wide range of PSU models and configurations.
- No need to destroy samples since assessments use non-invasive testing.
Cons
- Lack of standardized test criteria and methodologies. Hard to systematically compare models.
- Rankings and assessments end up being quite subjective instead of data-driven.
- Limited sample testing means results may not reveal potential issues that stringent assessments would catch.
- Testing usually done by amateurs so procedures, configurations and measurements may not be fully accurate.
So the main advantage of tapping community wisdom is getting insights into reliability and failure rates over the long run. But the subjective rankings and testing limitations are concerning compared to professional Cultist reviews.
Key Takeaways
We’ve covered a ton of ground comparing these lists! Let’s summarize the key differences and when you should rely on each list:
- Need objective, precise performance metrics? Prefer granular, clearly defined tiers? Want assurances around safety and protections? Go with the Cultist list.
- Seeking real-world reliability data and long-term failure rates? Interested in tempered community experiences? Want rankings based on amateur testing? Pick the LTT Forum list.
- For full perspective, use both lists together if possible! Cultist data provides the quality and performance specifics. LTT forums indicate actual reliability.
- If only using one, the PSU Cultist list is likely the safer choice. You gain proper assurances around technical quality even if real-world reliability is unclear.
In summary
The PSU Cultist list, despite some limitations, is your best bet thanks to the rigorous testing and criteria backing up rankings. Why is the computer making a buzzing noise when playing games? When comparing the PSU cultist list vs Linus Tech Tips, it’s advisable to leverage the LTT forum list to scrutinize potential red flags related to actual failure rates; however, relying solely on Cultist assessments allows for a dependable selection of high-quality PSUs, ensuring that any buzzing noise is not a sign of a power supply unit issue.
Hopefully you now have clarity around which PSU tier list to trust when making your critical PSU selection for a new gaming rig!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can the PSU Cultist list indicate if a unit will fail prematurely?
A: Not directly. Their stringent testing pushes units well beyond normal conditions to flag potential issues. But many flagged units may still last years for typical gaming usage. The LTT forum list reliability data is better for gauging probability of premature failures.
Q: Are the PSU Cultists experts unbiased and credible?
A: Yes, the list is compiled by seasoned technical experts like Aris Mpitziopoulos who are widely respected for PSU analysis. And they purchase samples themselves for testing, avoiding sponsorship conflicts of interest.
Q: Can PSUs ranked poorly on Cultist list still function decently?
A: Yes, units in their lower tiers may still work reasonably well for normal gaming rigs. But higher tier PSUs have better components, run cooler/quieter, and have more safety protections. Lower tier PSUs generally carry higher premature failure risks.
Q: Does the LTT forum list consider technical performance metrics?
A: To some extent based on amateur submission of test data. But there are no formal technical performance requirements for rankings. The list focuses mainly on community reliability experiences rather than scientific testing rigor.
Q: Between the lists, does either highlight potential PSU fire hazards?
A: The Cultist list would be more likely to indicate fire hazards by flagging units with poor safety protections. Lower rated LTT units may fail from user complaints but fire risk isn’t explicitly assessed outside of protections like OCP.
