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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is replacing a power supply in a…
A technician is replacing a power supply in a server that has been experiencing random lockups. The old PSU is an 80+ Bronze rated 650W unit. The technician selects an 80+ Gold rated 650W unit from the same brand. What is the primary benefit of this upgrade?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The Gold-rated PSU produces less heat and is more efficient.
80+ Gold certification indicates higher efficiency (87-90% at typical loads) compared to Bronze (82-85%). This means less power is wasted as heat, which can improve reliability in a server environment and reduce cooling costs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The Gold-rated PSU provides more wattage to the components.
Why it's wrong here
The wattage rating of a power supply, such as 650W, indicates the maximum amount of DC power it can reliably deliver to the computer's components. An 80 Plus Gold certification, however, refers to the unit's energy conversion efficiency, not its maximum output capacity. Therefore, a Gold-rated 650W PSU and a Bronze-rated 650W PSU are both designed to provide up to 650 watts of power; the efficiency rating simply dictates how much AC power they draw from the wall to achieve that output.
- ✓
The Gold-rated PSU produces less heat and is more efficient.
Why this is correct
An 80 Plus Gold certification signifies that the power supply converts a higher percentage of the AC power drawn from the wall into usable DC power for the computer's components. This higher efficiency means less energy is wasted as heat during the conversion process. Consequently, a Gold-rated PSU will operate at lower internal temperatures and contribute less heat to the system, potentially allowing for quieter fan operation and improved overall thermal management compared to lower-efficiency units.
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The Gold-rated PSU has better voltage regulation and ripple suppression.
Why it's wrong here
While higher-tier 80 Plus certified power supplies often incorporate superior internal components that can lead to better voltage regulation and ripple suppression, the 80 Plus certification itself primarily measures power conversion efficiency. It does not directly test or guarantee the quality of the DC output in terms of voltage stability or the suppression of electrical noise (ripple). These aspects are determined by the PSU's specific design and component quality, which are separate from its efficiency rating.
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The Gold-rated PSU will automatically fix the random lockups.
Why it's wrong here
Random system lockups can be caused by a multitude of factors, including software issues, driver conflicts, overheating components, or failing hardware such as RAM or the motherboard. While a failing or insufficient power supply can certainly contribute to system instability, simply upgrading to a more efficient Gold-rated unit does not inherently resolve all potential causes of lockups. A thorough diagnostic process is required to identify the actual root cause of system instability.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.