SMPS(Switch Mode Power Supply)

SMPS (Switch Mode Power Supply)

                Yellow – 12 V

                Red – 5 V

                SMPS stands for Switch Mode Power Supply. It is a power device of a computer which takes 220-230 volt AC from the main line or City line and converts it into +/- 12 V, +/- 5V, 3.3V DC which are taken as input by other components of the Computer like mother board, hard disk drive, CD ROM drive, etc.

SMPS are of two types:

1)       AT SMPS – Advanced Technology SMPS

2)       ATX SMPS – Extended Advanced Technology SMPS

Difference between AT SMPS & ATX SMPS:

a)       With the basis of label, we can easily identify the AT & ATX SMPS.

b)       In AT SMPS, the power connector for mother board is of 2 rows (6+6) pins connector called P8 & P9 connector. But in ATX SMPS, the power connector for mother board is Single row 20 pins/24pins connector called P1 connector.

c)       In AT SMPS, when we shut down the computer by proper command then system gives the message as “It is now safe to turn off your computer.” But in ATX SMPS, system doesn’t give any message.

How the SMPS is situated in a case:

AT SMPS:                                                                                              ATX SMPS: