[FAQ] Will using a high switching frequency converter affect my efficiency at higher loads?

Choosing a DC/DC Converter with a high switching frequencies is tempting, since design requirements such as output current ripple, output voltage ripple, and load transient can be achieved by using less inductance and output capacitance. This reduces solution size and decreases the total BOM cost of the power supply.

Now there may be trade-offs to be made between efficiency and switching frequency. However, losing efficiency when using high switching frequency converters doesn’t necessarily have to be one of them. For sure, operating at higher switching frequencies increases the switching losses of buck converters, but it can also decrease the conduction losses at higher load currents since it allows for the use of inductors with a lower inductance and as a result lower DCR.

The following application note describes in details, using TPS628512 as an example, why at higher loads operating at high-switching frequencies can have an efficiency benefit at higher currents:

"Improving Efficiency at Higher Loads with High Switching Frequencies"