Verdict: Proof that you can buy a quality PSU for under £30

It would be reasonable to expect, given the SilverPower's sub-£30 price tag, that this is just a generic 400W PSU but, contrary to expectations, it's actually something of a bargain.

For starters, it has more connections than most generic PSUs, with seven Molex, one FDD, two S-ATA plugs and even a PCI-E connector. It's a bit disappointing that it's only compatible with 20-pin ATX motherboards, as there's no 24-pin connector.

The SilverPower is cooled by two temperature-controlled 80mm fans, one mounted on the inside and one on the outside. However, even at maximum load the SilverPower is acceptably quiet. While the generic 400W PSU has a very old-fashioned balance of power (the 3.3V and 5V rails are rated higher than the 12V rail), the SilverPower is much better balanced, with a 25A 3.3V, 28A 5V and a single 18A 12V rail.

Also, unlike the generic 400W PSU, the SilverPower provides a stable voltage on all of its rails, even at 100 per cent load. Its only real weakness is its passive PFC and low efficiency (71 per cent). This means it will need to draw a considerable 567W from the mains power to produce 405W.

Although the SilverPower has no 24-pin ATX connector, we'd still recommend it over any generic 400W PSU, as it's perfectly stable and has a PCI-E power connector.

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