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)