Pulse Electronics Desktop Vcore Inductor Efficiency Comparison

Last year, the EPA introduced new Energy Star efficiency standards for desktop computing, creating a renewed interest in analyzing methods to reduce power consumption. Power supply efficiency is affected by many components, but mostly by the switching devices (FETs) and the power magnetics. The power magnetics, or inductors, are used in desktop core voltage regulators for core processor power. Historically, for desktop computing applications, low efficiency bare-coil toroid cores have been used. Recently, these have been replaced with slightly more efficient power cube inductors, and now, throughhole technology (THT) power beads have proven to be an even more energy efficient solution. This article focuses on the power inductors used in voltage regulators for core processor power and compares their efficiency.