Why do inefficient linears still exist?
Despite being bulky and inefficient at converting power, linears are popular because they have become very cheap to manufacture. Until recently, under 5 W switch-mode power supplies haven’t been competitive in cost and since product manufacturers don’t have to pay the electric bill, there hasn’t been an incentive to prioritize energy efficient designs. It’s only been in recent years that governments and environmental agencies have started to develop standby energy policies that reward, or in some cases, mandate energy efficient designs.
