This application note provides a high-level comparison between Texas Instruments’ switching buck controllers and buck converters best suited for 24V, 36V, and 48V systems. These high-voltage rails typically require wider input voltage devices to provide safe voltage margins and handle voltage transients up to 65V or 80V. This report discusses design considerations and tradeoffs between buck controller and buck converter designs for higher current applications, highlighting the value proposition of each device along with a side-by-side comparison of electrical performance, PCB design size, and design considerations. Texas Instrument's new 80V 8A Buck converter LM70880-Q1 can be used as an example comparison against similar high-voltage controllers, LM5148-Q1, LM5149-Q1, and LM5146-Q1.