Why is a Switch Mode Power Supply significantly lighter than a Linear Regulated Power Supply of comparable power capacity?
Answer
It replaces large 60 Hz transformers with smaller high-frequency transformers
A Switch Mode Power Supply achieves a lighter weight because its high-frequency operation allows for the use of small, lightweight transformers. Linear Regulated Power Supplies, by contrast, require large, heavy transformers to handle the line voltage frequencies, which contributes to their substantial size and weight.
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History of Computer Power Supplies - YouTube
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