EVGA

EVGA 500 W3 500W 80+ White Power Supply

4.6 (511 reviews)

80+ White certified efficiency and a 3-year warranty deliver clean, stable power for budget-conscious mainstream PC builds up to the mid-tier GPU range.

View price on Amazon
Affiliate Disclosure: Studio Supplies may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. This helps support our editorial team.

Notice a mistake? Let Us Know

Overview

The EVGA 500 W3 is a non-modular ATX power supply rated at 500W continuous output with 80+ White efficiency certification. The 80+ White designation means the unit has been independently verified to convert at least 80% of AC input to DC output at three load points — a meaningful floor that separates it from uncertified bargain units that may struggle to deliver rated wattage reliably under sustained load. At 500W, this PSU covers the power budget for a mainstream build: a 65W TDP processor, 16–32GB of DDR4, a mid-range GPU drawing 150–200W, storage, and case fans all sit comfortably within its headroom. The non-modular cable configuration keeps manufacturing cost down but requires careful cable routing in smaller mid-towers and mini-ITX enclosures.

The 500 W3 is positioned at the entry-level of EVGA's PSU lineup and is best suited to first-time builders or budget-focused upgrades where the GPU TDP does not exceed the mid-tier range. It is not the right choice for builds targeting high-end discrete graphics — a system pairing an RTX 4070 or better with a modern 12th/13th Gen Intel or Ryzen 7000 CPU will benefit from a 650–750W 80+ Gold unit instead. For an office PC, HTPC, or a gaming rig built around a mainstream GPU, the 500 W3 delivers reliable, stable power with a warranty that covers the most likely failure window for any PSU. The 3-year coverage is a practical differentiator at this price point.

Specifications

Brand
EVGA
Model
500 W3
Wattage
500W
Efficiency Certification
80+ White
Modular
Non-modular
Warranty
3 Years

Similar Products

Other products from the same family that visitors often consider:

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • 80+ White certification guarantees minimum 80% efficiency across the load range, reducing wasted energy as heat inside the case.
  • 500W capacity comfortably covers mainstream dual-rail system builds with a CPU in the 65–105W TDP range and a mid-tier GPU up to ~200W TDP.
  • 3-year warranty is above average for entry-level PSU pricing, providing meaningful coverage for the early life of a budget build.
  • EVGA's established PSU supply chain and quality control history gives this unit better reliability credibility than no-name alternatives at similar price points.

👎 Cons

  • Non-modular design means all cables are permanently attached — cable management in compact cases requires extra effort to avoid restricting airflow.
  • 80+ White is the lowest efficiency tier in the 80+ program; Gold-rated PSUs at comparable prices offer 87%+ efficiency, reducing heat and operating costs further.
  • 500W headroom is insufficient for high-performance builds pairing a power-hungry CPU (e.g., Core i9 or Ryzen 9) with a high-TDP discrete GPU — this unit is not forward-compatible with tier-1 graphics cards.
  • No modular or semi-modular option means users planning a tidy build must bundle and tuck excess cables rather than omitting them entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

The EVGA 500 W3 can handle mid-range GPUs with a TDP up to approximately 150–200W — think GeForce RTX 3060 or RX 6600 territory. High-TDP cards like the RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX draw well above 300W under load and are not appropriate for this unit.
80+ White guarantees at least 80% efficiency at 20%, 50%, and 100% load. At 500W output, no more than 625W is drawn from the wall at peak — roughly 20% less waste heat than a non-certified PSU. It is the entry-level 80+ tier; Gold and Platinum units achieve 87–92% efficiency at comparable loads.
No. The 500 W3 is a non-modular power supply — all cables are permanently attached. This simplifies assembly but means unused cables must be managed inside the case, which can affect airflow in smaller enclosures.
Yes, it follows the ATX standard and provides the 24-pin motherboard connector and 4/8-pin CPU power connectors required by current Intel and AMD platforms. Verify GPU power connector count against your specific card's requirements before purchasing.
EVGA backs the 500 W3 with a 3-year limited warranty covering manufacturing defects and component failure under normal operating conditions.