{"video_id":"rC-ImSeYn2A","title":"Single Rail vs Multi Rail PC Power Supplies as Fast As Possible","channel":"Techquickie","show":"Techquickie","published_at":"2015-05-07T14:58:16Z","duration_s":302,"segments":[{"start_s":0.4,"end_s":7.68,"text":"Single versus multi-rail PC power supplies. In truth, it's actually pretty","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":5.68,"end_s":11.12,"text":"simple. Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter. If that explanation is good","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":9.76,"end_s":15.2,"text":"enough for you, click here to watch videos of my cats instead. If you'd like","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":13.519,"end_s":18.88,"text":"to know why it doesn't matter, then you can keep watching this video. At the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":17.279,"end_s":22.96,"text":"most basic level, a power supply converts AC current from the wall to DC","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":21.439,"end_s":27.599,"text":"current that your CPU and other components can use. And then that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":24.96,"end_s":32.64,"text":"octopus of wires carries 12volt, 5volt, and 3.3 volt current to your graphics","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":29.92,"end_s":36.96,"text":"card, motherboard, and etc. Cool, Linus, but how do rails enter into it? Good","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":34.719,"end_s":42.239,"text":"question. A rail is just a fancy name for a PCB trace inside your power supply","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":39.92,"end_s":46.48,"text":"that the octopus wires are soldered to. A single rail power supply has all of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":44.399,"end_s":51.28,"text":"those external connectors essentially coming off of the same output. While a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":48.879,"end_s":55.44,"text":"multi-rail power supply has some, let's say a couple of your PCI Express","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":53.28,"end_s":60.239,"text":"connectors running off of one and some others, let's say your EPS CPU connector","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":57.92,"end_s":64.799,"text":"or your SATA connectors running off of other ones. Okay, so why would having","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":62.96,"end_s":69.76,"text":"everything plugged into one spot be considered good? Great question again.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":67.04,"end_s":74.56,"text":"Basically, multirail power supplies had the misfortune of showing up at a time","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":72.24,"end_s":78.56,"text":"when NVIDIA and ATI were both having like a, you know, junkwaving competition","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":76.88,"end_s":82.56,"text":"to see who could build the fastest graphics card without much regard for","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":80.56,"end_s":86.88,"text":"power consumption. And these early multi-rail units were sometimes designed","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":84.479,"end_s":91.439,"text":"with an underpowered rail for the graphics cards or not enough PCI Express","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":89.36,"end_s":95.68,"text":"connectors, which forced the user to use Molex adapters that were sharing with a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":93.68,"end_s":99.119,"text":"bunch of other stuff. either of which meant that the power supply would","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":96.88,"end_s":102.96,"text":"overload a rail and simply shut off in the middle of an intense gaming session.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":100.799,"end_s":107.68,"text":"Lionus, that sounds terrible. I want a single rail power supply. Whoa, don't","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":105.119,"end_s":112.32,"text":"get too amped up there, Whiz Kid. Good power supplies are all about going fast,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":110.64,"end_s":117.119,"text":"lasting a long time, improving efficiency, and looking good while doing","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":114.64,"end_s":121.759,"text":"it right. Well, sure, but none of that stuff would matter one lick if they","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":118.88,"end_s":126.079,"text":"weren't first and foremost about safety. Any power supply that you should be","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":123.92,"end_s":130.56,"text":"using in a computer includes a variety of safety cutoffs that will detect","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":128.08,"end_s":135.76,"text":"dangerous operating conditions and force a shutdown to protect the PSU, the rest","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":133.12,"end_s":139.599,"text":"of your PC, and even your house. The main ones we're concerned with here are","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":137.44,"end_s":143.76,"text":"shortcircuit protection and overcurren protection. The issue is that if a power","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":141.76,"end_s":148.239,"text":"supply fails in some way that your shortcircuit protection doesn't catch,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":146.319,"end_s":153.12,"text":"overcurren protection is what will trigger your power supply to turn off. A","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":151.36,"end_s":156.64,"text":"high-capacity power supply designed to deliver all of its power over a single","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":154.64,"end_s":161.28,"text":"rail could melt away the insulation on its wires and cause a fire. Yeah, that's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":158.959,"end_s":166.239,"text":"tasteless, but deal with it before its overcurren protection was triggered. But","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":163.92,"end_s":171.04,"text":"don't go throwing away your single rail power supply just yet. The chances of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":169.2,"end_s":175.44,"text":"all of that happening are really very small and funny story, but especially","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":173.28,"end_s":180.4,"text":"nowadays, many power supplies marketed as single rail are multi-rail internally","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":178.08,"end_s":184.879,"text":"anyway. So, it all comes back to what I said before. Don't shop based on how","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":182.64,"end_s":188.48,"text":"many rails a power supply has because it doesn't really matter these days. The","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":186.72,"end_s":193.04,"text":"way you should shop for a power supply is by reading a credible review site","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":190.56,"end_s":197.12,"text":"like johnnyguru.com and finding a unit that meets your needs and performs well","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":195.28,"end_s":201.2,"text":"with the features that you want. The number of rails doesn't make your PC run","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":199.12,"end_s":205.12,"text":"cooler. It doesn't make it faster. And even if it did do any of those things,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":202.879,"end_s":209.28,"text":"many manufacturers are just making this all up as they go along. Anyway,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":207.68,"end_s":212.879,"text":"speaking of making it up as I go along, I've been doing sponsor spots for","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":210.799,"end_s":215.92,"text":"audible.com for a long time now. They're the longest running sponsor of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":214.4,"end_s":219.68,"text":"Techquiki, and for that, I'm extremely grateful. But aside from the bullet","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":217.92,"end_s":223.56,"text":"points that I have to hit for dimm sponsorship bucks, I want to address the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":221.68,"end_s":228.319,"text":"most common complaint I hear about audiobooks. I'd rather just read it. I","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":226.0,"end_s":232.159,"text":"can do it faster that way. That's a very valid point, but Audible has some","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":230.159,"end_s":237.12,"text":"experiences that simply aren't the same in book form. Billy Crystal's own","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":234.56,"end_s":243.12,"text":"reading of his still fool in a memoir about his career and aging just isn't","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":239.84,"end_s":245.76,"text":"the same as lifeless text on pages. Now","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":243.12,"end_s":251.68,"text":"that I'm 65, I think in the year 2038 I'll be mostly","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":249.08,"end_s":257.12,"text":"dead or as Miracle Max and a Princess Bride would say, slightly","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":254.68,"end_s":261.199,"text":"alive. And it's content like that that makes Audible great. You don't have to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":259.04,"end_s":265.199,"text":"choose reading or listening. There are certain things that work better on one","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":262.96,"end_s":268.72,"text":"versus the other, and you can enjoy both. But I guess I better do the bullet","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":267.199,"end_s":271.759,"text":"points anyway. Audible.com is the place to go for audiobooks. They've got over","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":270.479,"end_s":275.919,"text":"150,000 to choose from. With their monthly membership, you can have something to listen to on your commute","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":274.56,"end_s":281.36,"text":"every month or wherever else you listen to audiobooks. Not to mention the other member benefits like discounts on more","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":279.36,"end_s":284.199,"text":"audiobooks. If you try it out today, you can get your first one for free. So,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":283.12,"end_s":287.52,"text":"head on over to audible.com/techwiggy to learn more.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":286.32,"end_s":292.08,"text":"It's also linked in the video description. Guys, like this video if you liked it. Dislike it if you disliked","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":290.8,"end_s":296.72,"text":"it. Share it if you thought it was somehow useful or someone should benefit","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":294.32,"end_s":300.479,"text":"from it somehow. Please share the video. And as always, don't forget to subscribe","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":298.639,"end_s":302.639,"text":"to Techlookie for more videos just like this","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0}],"full_text":"Single versus multi-rail PC power supplies. In truth, it's actually pretty simple. Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter. If that explanation is good enough for you, click here to watch videos of my cats instead. If you'd like to know why it doesn't matter, then you can keep watching this video. At the most basic level, a power supply converts AC current from the wall to DC current that your CPU and other components can use. And then that octopus of wires carries 12volt, 5volt, and 3.3 volt current to your graphics card, motherboard, and etc. Cool, Linus, but how do rails enter into it? Good question. A rail is just a fancy name for a PCB trace inside your power supply that the octopus wires are soldered to. A single rail power supply has all of those external connectors essentially coming off of the same output. While a multi-rail power supply has some, let's say a couple of your PCI Express connectors running off of one and some others, let's say your EPS CPU connector or your SATA connectors running off of other ones. Okay, so why would having everything plugged into one spot be considered good? Great question again. Basically, multirail power supplies had the misfortune of showing up at a time when NVIDIA and ATI were both having like a, you know, junkwaving competition to see who could build the fastest graphics card without much regard for power consumption. And these early multi-rail units were sometimes designed with an underpowered rail for the graphics cards or not enough PCI Express connectors, which forced the user to use Molex adapters that were sharing with a bunch of other stuff. either of which meant that the power supply would overload a rail and simply shut off in the middle of an intense gaming session. Lionus, that sounds terrible. I want a single rail power supply. Whoa, don't get too amped up there, Whiz Kid. Good power supplies are all about going fast, lasting a long time, improving efficiency, and looking good while doing it right. Well, sure, but none of that stuff would matter one lick if they weren't first and foremost about safety. Any power supply that you should be using in a computer includes a variety of safety cutoffs that will detect dangerous operating conditions and force a shutdown to protect the PSU, the rest of your PC, and even your house. The main ones we're concerned with here are shortcircuit protection and overcurren protection. The issue is that if a power supply fails in some way that your shortcircuit protection doesn't catch, overcurren protection is what will trigger your power supply to turn off. A high-capacity power supply designed to deliver all of its power over a single rail could melt away the insulation on its wires and cause a fire. Yeah, that's tasteless, but deal with it before its overcurren protection was triggered. But don't go throwing away your single rail power supply just yet. The chances of all of that happening are really very small and funny story, but especially nowadays, many power supplies marketed as single rail are multi-rail internally anyway. So, it all comes back to what I said before. Don't shop based on how many rails a power supply has because it doesn't really matter these days. The way you should shop for a power supply is by reading a credible review site like johnnyguru.com and finding a unit that meets your needs and performs well with the features that you want. The number of rails doesn't make your PC run cooler. It doesn't make it faster. And even if it did do any of those things, many manufacturers are just making this all up as they go along. Anyway, speaking of making it up as I go along, I've been doing sponsor spots for audible.com for a long time now. They're the longest running sponsor of Techquiki, and for that, I'm extremely grateful. But aside from the bullet points that I have to hit for dimm sponsorship bucks, I want to address the most common complaint I hear about audiobooks. I'd rather just read it. I can do it faster that way. That's a very valid point, but Audible has some experiences that simply aren't the same in book form. Billy Crystal's own reading of his still fool in a memoir about his career and aging just isn't the same as lifeless text on pages. Now that I'm 65, I think in the year 2038 I'll be mostly dead or as Miracle Max and a Princess Bride would say, slightly alive. And it's content like that that makes Audible great. You don't have to choose reading or listening. There are certain things that work better on one versus the other, and you can enjoy both. But I guess I better do the bullet points anyway. Audible.com is the place to go for audiobooks. They've got over 150,000 to choose from. With their monthly membership, you can have something to listen to on your commute every month or wherever else you listen to audiobooks. Not to mention the other member benefits like discounts on more audiobooks. If you try it out today, you can get your first one for free. So, head on over to audible.com/techwiggy to learn more. It's also linked in the video description. Guys, like this video if you liked it. Dislike it if you disliked it. Share it if you thought it was somehow useful or someone should benefit from it somehow. Please share the video. And as always, don't forget to subscribe to Techlookie for more videos just like this"}