80 Plus Ruby: A New PSU Efficiency Tier Lands Above Titanium
Seasonic's Prime Enterprise RX-1600 becomes the first ATX power supply to earn 80 Plus Ruby, now the highest efficiency tier in the 80 Plus program.
The 80 Plus program has a new top tier. On August 18, 2026, Seasonic's Prime Enterprise RX-1600 became the first ATX power supply to earn 80 Plus Ruby certification at 115V, according to certification body CLEAResult. Ruby now sits above Titanium in the efficiency hierarchy — the first time the program has added a tier above Titanium since that rating launched in 2014.
What Ruby requires
The new standard tests efficiency at five load points: 5%, 10%, 20%, 50%, and 100%. Ruby minimums are 85% at 5%, 91% at 10%, 93% at 20%, 95% at 50%, and 91% at full load. The Seasonic RX-1600 cleared all five by a margin: 88.9% at 5% load, 95.4% at 20%, and 95.3% at 50%. Previous tiers started measuring from 20% load. The 5% threshold is new and targets systems that spend extended time at near-idle draw: workstations left on overnight, always-on home servers, NAS boxes running continuous backups.
Titanium (the former peak) requires 92% at 20%, 94% at 50%, and 90% at 100%. Ruby raises each bar by roughly 1-2 percentage points and adds the 5% floor. Platinum sits below Titanium at 90%, 92%, and 89% respectively. Gold, which covers the majority of mainstream consumer PSUs, requires 87%, 90%, and 87%.
What it means for builders right now
The RX-1600 is a 1600W enterprise unit with no announced retail price or ship date, so it is not a realistic purchase for most PC builds. Gold and Platinum remain the right targets for gaming and workstation builds: a Seasonic Focus GX-650 or a Corsair RM850e delivers 87-91% efficiency at typical gaming loads with a 10-year warranty. The longer-term effect is that Ruby sets a new benchmark that premium consumer PSUs will eventually target. When Ruby-rated units reach the 750-1000W retail market, probably in 2027, the certification will replace Titanium as the shorthand for best-in-class efficiency. Until then, Titanium remains the practical ceiling worth paying for in a high-end build.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 80 Plus Ruby certification?
80 Plus Ruby is the highest efficiency tier in the 80 Plus program, introduced in 2026. It requires 85% efficiency at 5% load, 91% at 10%, 93% at 20%, 95% at 50%, and 91% at 100% load (tested at 115V). Those thresholds sit 1-2 percentage points above 80 Plus Titanium across the board, and add a new 5% load requirement that previous tiers did not test.
Does 80 Plus Ruby matter for a gaming PC?
Not yet. The only Ruby-certified ATX power supply as of August 2026 is the Seasonic Prime Enterprise RX-1600, a 1600W enterprise unit with no announced retail price. For gaming builds, Gold and Platinum PSUs deliver 87-92% efficiency at typical loads and carry 5-10 year warranties. Ruby will matter once the certification filters down to consumer wattage ranges, likely in 2027.
What is the difference between 80 Plus Titanium and Ruby?
Titanium (at 115V) requires 92% efficiency at 20% load, 94% at 50%, and 90% at 100%. Ruby requires 93% at 20%, 95% at 50%, and 91% at 100%, plus an additional 85% minimum at 5% load. Ruby is the stricter standard in every category Titanium covers, and adds the near-idle 5% measurement.