power supply unit
power supply
PSU
<hardware> (PSU) An electronic module that converts high
voltage (110 or 240 VAC) {alternating current} mains
electricity into smoothed {direct current} at the various
differnt voltages required by the {motherboard}; internal
{peripheral} devices, cheifly storage devices: {hard disks},
{CD} or {DVD}, {floppy disks} and external connections such as
{USB}. A PSU needs a high enough power output rating to
supply all the devices connected to it and should output as
little as possible electrical noise, both on the output wires
and as {electromagnetic radiation}.
See also {uninterruptable power supply}.
(2007-09-20)