DC stabilized power supplies are widely used in various electronic devices where compactness, light weight, and energy efficiency are strongly required. Consequently, switching-type power supplies have become the mainstream, replacing the conventional linear type.

Because they switch power at high speeds, they tend to generate noise and are inferior to series regulators in terms of stability and response speed. However, with proper shielding and other countermeasures against noise, they can be used without problems in most applications.