A power supply unit (PSU) is a component that converts AC power from the wall outlet to DC power that can be used by the computer components. A PSU has various specifications, such as input voltage, output voltage, wattage, connector type, form factor, and efficiency rating3. In this scenario, the engineer is building a workstation that requires the following components: an ATX motherboard, a multi-core processor, a dedicated graphics solution, a SATA hard drive, and DDR4 memory. The most suitable power supply specification for this workstation is 12V, 500W output. This means that the PSU can provide 12 volts of DC power and 500 watts of total power to the components. 12V is the standard output voltage for most modern PSUs, and it is compatible with the ATX motherboard and the SATA hard drive4. 500W is a sufficient wattage for a workstation that has a multi-core processor and a dedicated graphics solution, which are power-hungry components5. The other power supply specifications are not suitable for this workstation because:
•SFX, 18-pin connector is a form factor and a connector type that are not compatible with the ATX motherboard, which requires an ATX form factor and a 24-pin connector6.
•DC input is a type of input voltage that is not common for desktop PSUs, which usually use AC input from the wall outlet.
•Type A socket is a type of AC power plug that is used in North America and Japan, but it is not a power supply specification.
References
3: What Power Supply Do I Have: Quick Ways to Find Your PSU Specs
4: Power Supply 101: A Reference Of Specifications
5: How to Choose the Right Power Supply for Your PC
6: SFX vs ATX PSU: What’s the Difference?
AC vs DC Power Supply: What’s the Difference?
AC power plugs and sockets - Wikipedia
