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FYI - Power Draw from Computer!!!

Forum CPU & Components : CPUs - FYI - Power Draw from Computer!!!

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RichPLS   12-25-2005 at 06:47:39 PM

I just got a device called Kill-a-Watt.
It measures electrical device power draw while running.
Anyway, I tested my Prescot PC and here are specs/results.
Prescott 3200
Gigabyte 3D-Cooler Pro
2-gigs DDR RAM - Corsair 2-2-2-5
ATI X800XT-PE
Gigabyte Mobo GA-8KNXP Ultra-64
Raptor 74gig drive
Maxtor 250gig drive
Plextor 712 DVD Burner
ATI TV-Wonder Pro
PCMCIA reader PCI-card
Antec TruePower 430watt PSU
4-80mm case fans
Advent PC speakers - pair
19" Viewsonic PF-790 CRT display
21" Hitachi CRT display
D-Link 604 Router
Panasonic Radio Tele-Phone Base unit
Motorolla Digital TV Tuner Cable Box Converter

All this plugged in and powered up, and running, and I am watching TV on one monitor and browsing internet on other.

All this going on, and the TOTAL POWER DRAW was 480 watts!

That is incredibally low, imo, considering that is less than output by my new PC's 550watt PSU!

I plan on testing further to see what just the PC draws, this is just preliminary results.

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liquidpaper007   12-25-2005 at 09:34:10 PM
- 0 +

that sounds cool whered you get it from?

Reply to liquidpaper007
philderbeast   12-26-2005 at 12:47:10 AM
- 0 +

nice little tool there.... i suggest putting hte system under maximum load on boath the GOU and the CPU and see how close you get to your max load as what your measureing is only a idle load realy (neither of the tasks your doing is particularly stressfull on the pc ;))

then come back and tell us about your wonderfull power readings :)

Reply to philderbeast
xall   12-29-2005 at 04:28:33 AM
- 0 +

That is not surprising. Actually modern system does not take load as big as people always think. The quality of a PSU is not about their total power, but also their power distribution.

The tool you have is only counting the total power of your sistem plus its inefficiency. I estimate that your PSU efficiency is 75%, so the total power of your system is 75% of 480W = 360W. Surprise?

No.


I have the system that only take 90W (measured) at full load:

AXP 1700 Tbred-B
256MB PC2700
Ati R9700
Seagate 80GB 7200rpm
1 DVD Drive
1 CDRW Drive
TV-cards
NIC
Internal Modem
3 Controlled Fans (Tt)
Tt 480W PSU, with Total watts Viewer.

And the load from the plug outlet = 1/(65%) x 90W = 138W

That's why the characteristic & spesification of a PSU is more important than its claim of total power.

I have loss 2 HDD because i skimped on a PSU (Cheap $15 Generic 400W PSU).

Also, if you put the PSU outside the case, its efficiency tends to be better.

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