+5VSB...what's it for ?

[Trillock]

I notice that the amps on this rail are increasing with newer power supplies.
I think it used to be about 2A my HX620 has 3A and other higher power units have 3.5A.
I am just wondering over a mug of tea, as to which components are requiring this higher amperage ?
Yup, silly question I know, but.................

 

[penguin]

5VSB is a 5 volt rail that's always on even when the PSU has no AC power. I really don't have a clue why they would be raising the amperage on it.

 

[Trillock]

Cheers. That bit I knew, but still wondering why the amps on offer are going up and why ?

 

[drizzt81]

5VSB is a 5 volt rail that's always on even when the PSU has no AC power. I really don't have a clue why they would be raising the amperage on it.

I believe you meant to say "when the PC is turned off". Without AC power the PSU cannot supply any significant amount of current in the long run.

The standby rail is used for some applications, such as facilitating the Wake-on-Lan, Wake-on-keyboard, Wake-on modem features. The gigabyte iRAM "abuses" the Vsb rail to refresh the content in the DRAM cells it uses for data storage.

Add: USB may be able to supply devices with current from the standby rail so that they can wake up the PC.