1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

PSU How many watts does your rig draw?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Parge, 10 Jan 2015.

  1. LennyRhys

    LennyRhys Fan Fan

    Joined:
    16 May 2011
    Posts:
    6,398
    Likes Received:
    887
    OK here are some figures for my current system -

    119W idle
    300W gaming (Borderlands 2)

    This is with a hexcore CPU (stock), GTX770 OC, 12GB ram and 3 HDDs. Not bad!

    I originally bought the 775W PSU with two considerations in mind: overclocking hexcore CPUs on the X58 platform, and SLI, both of which I've done many times over.

    A quick search of my email account shows that I bought this PSU in Oct 2010, so it's done me almost 4.5 years of daily use (and sometimes abuse) thus far. I'm very impressed and will certainly buy TT again if I ever change my PSU.
     
    Last edited: 11 Jan 2015
  2. Waynio

    Waynio Relaxing

    Joined:
    20 Aug 2009
    Posts:
    5,714
    Likes Received:
    228
    HTPC with 14TB storage & is good for sketchup design work & lo fi indy games, pulls 50w idle, 100w full load & hovers around 60w browsing internet & playing media, saves £200 a year on electric vs my gaming rig.

    42" 1080p smart tv 40w.
    27" 1080p monitor 30w, I use this for pc stuff & the TV for couch potatoing. :D
     
  3. wolfticket

    wolfticket Downwind from the bloodhounds

    Joined:
    19 Apr 2008
    Posts:
    3,556
    Likes Received:
    646
    Just tested:

    My System is:
    AMD A8 5600K FM2 APU
    AMD R9 270 GPU
    Enermax 425W MODU 82+ PSU

    Readings:
    50-60W idle
    100-110W playing HD video
    290W peak running Unigine Valley and Primes at the same time.
     
    Last edited: 11 Jan 2015
  4. Shirty

    Shirty W*nker! Super Moderator

    Joined:
    18 Apr 1982
    Posts:
    12,936
    Likes Received:
    2,058
    Precisely. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

    The rather flat efficiency curve on my chosen PSU was one of the bigger draws (other than the silence).
     
  5. Jim

    Jim Ineptimodder

    Joined:
    2 Sep 2007
    Posts:
    311
    Likes Received:
    7
    Finally got round to testing this today!

    I'm running a 2500K @ stock (3.3 GHz) and a GTX 760.

    In Windows it's around 100W, while gaming up to 250W. I've known for a while that my PSU is over the top, but it's ridiculous how little I actually need.
     
  6. Teelzebub

    Teelzebub Up yours GOD,Whats best served cold

    Joined:
    27 Nov 2009
    Posts:
    15,796
    Likes Received:
    4,484
    Mines about 300 but I should be able to get that to 400 at least :D
     
  7. Qazax

    Qazax Fap fap fap

    Joined:
    20 Aug 2012
    Posts:
    196
    Likes Received:
    7
    I need to dig my metre out to see what two x5670's, 192GB of registered RAM, and a GTX 690 are eating at full load...
     
  8. Chicken76

    Chicken76 Minimodder

    Joined:
    10 Nov 2009
    Posts:
    952
    Likes Received:
    32
    What CPU do you have on that AM1 mobo? And what PSU is powering it? My 5350 system draws more than 30+ watts, and that's without a harddrive.
     
  9. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    4 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    17,085
    Likes Received:
    6,635
    28W idle, 109W during GPU benchmarking, according to my UPS. Those won't be fully accurate figures, tho': anything below 29W reads as 28W until about 1W, at which point it reads 0W. Yeah, weird, I know. I do *have* a power meter, but can't quite remember where I left the thing...
     
  10. Parge

    Parge the worst Super Moderator

    Joined:
    16 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    13,022
    Likes Received:
    618
    AM1 5350. PSU is a Be quiet 350w SFX PSU. Seems decent! I have a SSD and 4tb hard drive in mine. I'm surprised you are pulling over 30w.
     
  11. wolfticket

    wolfticket Downwind from the bloodhounds

    Joined:
    19 Apr 2008
    Posts:
    3,556
    Likes Received:
    646
    Measured from the the plug with this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Energy-Saving-Insight-Monitor/dp/B003WK62WK, my new AM1/5350 system (with only an SSD) draws 13-15W idle and 28W or so under 100% load.

    Apparently PSUs can vary quite considerably in how efficient they are under very low loads.
    80+ certification only covers you for 20%+, and they tend to be most efficient around 50%. Obviously AM1 rigs typically won't get close to even 20% (unless using a Pico PSU).

    Here is a good group test: http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/468...which-one-is-the-most-efficient-225-watt-test

    I bought a Be Quiet Pure Power L8 350W on the strength of this and it seems pretty good judging by my results. Generally lower power is better, low load efficiency wise

    Pico PSUs taken as a whole (including the AC/DC adaptor) tend to be a bit more efficient than any ATX PSU at low loads, but comparing what I read with the aforementioned group test, not by a massive margin over the best.
     
    Last edited: 14 Feb 2015
  12. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

    Joined:
    30 Jan 2004
    Posts:
    10,961
    Likes Received:
    561
    The 3960X must be a thirsty beasty when OCed then. Around 200 Watts at idle. Not measured gaming yet... will do so later.

    It's worth noting whether your figures include monitor or not. My 30" monitor draws nearly 200 watts alone!


    [edit]

    Just measured running Valley benchmark, and it's pulling around 360 is all. That surprises me. Thought it would be more than that.


    [edit]

    Just run Intel Burn test on maximum memory use, and MSI Kombustor stress tests simultaneously. I can't imaging any game punishing the rig like that, and maximum power draw was 480 watts.


    Can someone remind me why I have a 1KW (Corsair HX1050) PSU again? Even when I was running 2x 670s... it wouldn't have got close to that. Next build will concentrate on maximum efficiency of PSU rather than capacity. Not that the HX1050 is crap.. it's 80Plus/Gold rated... but you can get better.

    Having said that.... it's between 50 and 60% capacity... which is the efficiency sweet spot if I recall from Corsair's blurb.
     
    Last edited: 15 Feb 2015
  13. elise_s1

    elise_s1 What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    26 Jan 2015
    Posts:
    130
    Likes Received:
    4
    first system listed below (mostly thanks to Seasonic Gold and MSI ECO ) is 20 watts @idle and 95 running prime95.
    second one (here is the notorious Red Wing to blame) is 35 W idleing and 130 during Prime95 tests
     
  14. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

    Joined:
    30 Jan 2004
    Posts:
    10,961
    Likes Received:
    561
    Ahh... just noticed my GTX970 was not clocking down at idle. Just re-installed latest drivers, and it now clocks down to 135MHz.

    Idle power draw now 130 watts... which isn't bad for such a rig.
     
    Last edited: 15 Feb 2015
  15. Shirty

    Shirty W*nker! Super Moderator

    Joined:
    18 Apr 1982
    Posts:
    12,936
    Likes Received:
    2,058
    Pookeyhead, I agree that a stunning 600W PSU would be preferable to a good 1000W unit. Problem is that they cost about the same! The biggest plus is the impressive efficiency curve on the high end units.

    The 460W unit in my build cost over £100 :eeek:
     
  16. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

    Joined:
    30 Jan 2004
    Posts:
    10,961
    Likes Received:
    561
    This corsair is non too shabby in the efficiency department now I read the specs again.. 94% @ 50% capacity... which it probably is running at most of the time while gaming.

    I think the criteria for PSU choice may be different for me next time I buy one though.


    I wish large capacity SSDs would hurry up and arrive.. and be cheap!.. I suspect the large amount of HDDs I have are not helping power figs. 4 of them in the server, and 3 of them in the main rig.


    I may seriously rethink my next rig now CPU power is no longer teh determining factor in gaming it used to be. I just don't want to compromise video rendering and PS performance.
     
  17. LennyRhys

    LennyRhys Fan Fan

    Joined:
    16 May 2011
    Posts:
    6,398
    Likes Received:
    887
    Just out of interest I fired up Task Manager when I was rendering a 1080p vid in Premiere Pro CC. I simply cannot believe how effectively it uses all twelve threads... I was getting a pretty steady 70-75% CPU usage throughout, which is amazing.

    And you're right about HDDs being power hungry. I also have three in my main rig and my idle is pretty close to yours at about 120W, however my PSU has nowhere near the efficiency performance of yours, coming in just below 87% at 50% load. I suspect if my CPU was anywhere near 4.7GHz it'd be a different story; for now it's at stock.
     
  18. Parge

    Parge the worst Super Moderator

    Joined:
    16 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    13,022
    Likes Received:
    618
    Higher efficiency is better, but even then what are we going to get.... a couple of watts saved a year..... Hardly seems worth it does it? :lol:
     
  19. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

    Joined:
    30 Jan 2004
    Posts:
    10,961
    Likes Received:
    561
    Yep... I'd HATE to lose those 6 cores for this reason. Ivy Bridge E was a waste of time as an upgrade path, and for sheer performance, so is Haswell E unless I go 8 cores, but there's some power saving to be had, and I'm all for that these days... hence ditching the 670s for a single 970.

    If it wasn't for the cost of a X99 mobo and DDR4 I'd swap over tomorrow... but I can hang on a bit longer. Performance wise, this 3960X is still a monster.


    Very true. Looks like I'll have this HX1050 for a while then really... maybe not a bad thing.. it's been utterly brilliant, and long may it continue to be.
     
  20. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

    Joined:
    24 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    63
    What?
     

Share This Page