PC power draw/consumption calculator

[jamgyu]

Found this great FREE utility on the web today...

has very detailed options on how much power each component in your computer is using... it even factors in overclocking

also it has a list of components that is updated with all the current hardware that's available

great for figuring out what power supply you should buy when building a new rig or adding new parts to your computer



http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp



:)

[tridium]

As with just about anything these days, you should take the number it spits out at you with a grain of salt. Read this article (http://www.overclockers.com/articles1452/) for an eye-opening discovery of how much power does an overclocked power system use (hint: he ran it off an Antec 380W PSU).

[dmdsoftware2]

Linux tells you exactly how much power you are consuming. My X60 has clocked as little as 11Ws while in use. A breadth of relief compared to some desktops that consume > 800Ws just on idle.

[board123]

No desktop will consume 800W on idle. Don't know where you got that from.

[matkun]

It overcalculates.

It reccomended a 562 Watt PSU for my system, which I ran fine on a 400W and am currently running on a 500W one.

[dmdsoftware2]

No desktop will consume 800W on idle. Don't know where you got that from.

My friend has an Octane computer on his desk. Looks something like ... http://hal.chem.uwm.edu/nmr/pictures/octane.jpg or these http://www3.shopping.com/xPP-pc_desktops--sgi___monitors . It is considered a workstation - not a server.

And yes, he confirms that it draws over 800Ws while idle, so he tries to get into the habit of leaving it turned off when he isn't using it.

[tridium]

My friend has an Octane computer on his desk. Looks something like ... http://hal.chem.uwm.edu/nmr/pictures/octane.jpg or these http://www3.shopping.com/xPP-pc_desktops--sgi___monitors . It is considered a workstation - not a server.

And yes, he confirms that it draws over 800Ws while idle, so he tries to get into the habit of leaving it turned off when he isn't using it.

What's in that machine?! I'm still very skeptical about this 800W idle power consumption...

[matkun]

Except Octanes are built as Render workstations for specialized video/audio work.

What you said is exactly like saying:

"I'm glad my Prius gets ~45 MPG. Some cars get 3 MPG!"

While neglecting to mention the 'cars' that you are referring to is a Formula 1 race car.

[matkun]

What's in that machine?! I'm still very skeptical about this 800W idle power consumption...

As far as I know, a proprietary CPU and GPU rendering units.

http://sgistuff.g-lenerz.de/hardware/machines/octane.php

[edgedamage]

Get a kill a watt.
http://www.powermeterstore.com/index.php?cPath=112&products_id=4578&s=GA&gclid=CNiyyZS3rI0CFQKuQAodYDGwug

[board123]

My friend has an Octane computer on his desk. Looks something like ... http://hal.chem.uwm.edu/nmr/pictures/octane.jpg or these http://www3.shopping.com/xPP-pc_desktops--sgi___monitors . It is considered a workstation - not a server.

And yes, he confirms that it draws over 800Ws while idle, so he tries to get into the habit of leaving it turned off when he isn't using it.
I wouldn't consider that a "desktop".

[CoinSaver]

Go to your local library (yea, the place with the books) and borrow a "Kill a Watt". It's a device you plug into the wall, then plug your device into it. It will tell you how much you really use. Many (maybe not all) library systems have this.

[SKYMTL]

I have found that Kill A Watts are not as accurate as the UPM power meters you can get at Canadian Tire for about $30.

[dmdsoftware2]

Go to your local library (yea, the place with the books) and borrow a "Kill a Watt". It's a device you plug into the wall, then plug your device into it. It will tell you how much you really use. Many (maybe not all) library systems have this.

Might help if you note your location so people also in your city can borrow one. Mississauga library system DOES NOT carry these.

Good hunting for one.

[edgedamage]

I have found that Kill A Watts are not as accurate as the UPM power meters you can get at Canadian Tire for about $30.
for $24.99 looks like I might get my own.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444327 9714&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672790&bmUID=1184810161065

[dmdsoftware2]

for $24 looks like I might get my own.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444327 9714&bmForm=form_add_to_cart&bmFormID=1184771590399&bmSubmit=check_inv&bmUID=1184771590399&bmHash=774a6f93159496e18387db9f825c4a1c56c2eeab

Link doesn't work - takes you to to a clearance page. Further, a search for "upm" and "power meter" returns no results. Perhaps their website is just that lame? This is not the first time their search function has been acting stupid.

[CoinSaver]

Might help if you note your location so people also in your city can borrow one. Mississauga library system DOES NOT carry these.

Good hunting for one. I actually did borrow one from the Mississauga library. Central library actually, they had it on the podium just as you enter.

[edgedamage]

Link doesn't work - takes you to to a clearance page. Further, a search for "upm" and "power meter" returns no results. Perhaps their website is just that lame? This is not the first time their search function has been acting stupid.

Fixed:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444327 9714&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672790&bmUID=1184810161065

[SKYMTL]

Yup, that's the one. The only thing it doesn't show is Power Factor.

[df329]

No desktop will consume 800W on idle. Don't know where you got that from.

my computer is probably one of the closest things but I don't think it's half that.

all I need is a quad core Oc'd :lol:

(for regular desktop computing)

[SKYMTL]

Believe it or not, I have found in my tests that any AMD Windsor-based processor above the 5200+ will consume MORE power than a QX6700 at stock speeds. When you run up into the 6000+ area, power consumption increases to a point where a 6000+ overclocked to 3.2Ghz consumes more power than a Q6600 at 3.4Ghz.

This is all while under load of course....

[dmdsoftware2]

I actually did borrow one from the Mississauga library. Central library actually, they had it on the podium just as you enter.

The lady at the Lakeview branch had no idea what I was asking for. I'll try central.

[matkun]

Believe it or not, I have found in my tests that any AMD Windsor-based processor above the 5200+ will consume MORE power than a QX6700 at stock speeds. When you run up into the 6000+ area, power consumption increases to a point where a 6000+ overclocked to 3.2Ghz consumes more power than a Q6600 at 3.4Ghz.

This is all while under load of course....

Yep.. If you look at any recent power drain benchmarks, AMD processors tend to drain less power on idle, but tend to drain more on full load.

Which one uses less power depends on how idle/loaded your computer is most of the time.