A power converter includes an output circuit and a control circuit. The output circuit has an upper switching device connected to a direct-current power source and a lower switching device connected in series with the upper switching device. The output circuit supplies power to a load from a connection point between the switching devices. The control circuit supplies pulse-modulated control signals to the switching devices to turn ON and OFF the switching devices. The control circuit variably sets a switching speed and a dead-time of the switching devices in such a manner that as the switching speed becomes slower, the dead-time becomes longer.