The Power Saving Guide

[pschmid]

You don't have to buy the latest energy-efficient PC hardware to save energy and reduce heat dissipation. Small steps already can make a difference.

 

[chuckshissle]

Well did enable the feature in which to power off my storage drives if not in use in 10mins.

 

[rammedstein]

that was a bad example picture for the "vista has many different power management options" lol, showing only 2..

 

[Sythro]

"Use smaller displays instead of multiple smaller displays."

Does that statement mean to say to use one LARGER display instead of multiple smaller displays? Or use only one small display instead of multiple?

 

[coldmast]

If only we could harness the graphics card heat to cook food and make coffee
hmm?... :? Patent Pending

I like the power consumption chart, gives a general idea of the kind of PSUs these computers will need, slow moving toward having to use the Oven or Dryer power oulets to run computers... scary thought 8O .

 

[bkiserx7]

__Video Card_____2D__3D
GeForce 7600GT___89__131
Makes my fanless 7600GT look even sweeter 8)

 

[Darkk]

One piece of equipment I use alot is "Kill-A-Watt" off of ebaby for under $30. Very inexpensive piece of equipment to find out how much power it's consuming every hour. At first I thought my PC was using 400 watts of power and thanks to H.E. rating it's actually using 150 watts under normal load (non 3D) so I'm happy with it.

Darkk

 

[No1sFanboy]

I've recently been toying around with powersavings. Here is a thread where I described my own success at trimming 30 watts off of my non-3d desktop use. These power savings also have the added benefit of lower idle temps.

I've tested my system with just the computer plugged into the power meter and my UPS plugged in. My UPS has my monitor, router, cable modem and computer plugged in it. When my computer is off I'm still using 33-35 watts for the power to the computer, router, cable modem, monitor standby and ups. I think the ups is large part of it but I like using a ups for the safety and also because it cleans up the power from the wall.

 

[flasher702]

You forgot to mention screen brightness. If you lower the brightness on your monitor it saves power. So re-arranging a few things in your office to keep glare off your screen can save some electricity while also reducing eye strain. It's a common feature on laptops to have power saving features that adjust screen brightness. Would be nice to have that power savings quantified.

You also didn't bench the X1950 PRO. It's supposed to be a more energy efficient core.

Overall I would say it's an ok article. I do take issue with the "but it won't save much money so why bother when it really comes down to it?" attitude. If we save electricity first we can avoid having higher electrical rates which would disproportionately impact poorer people and cause me to have to save power in ways I don't want to if rates get too high. It's not just our computers that we'll start turning off if energy rates were to, for example, triple. It's our heat, AC, hot tubs, swimming pools, water heaters would be turned down, showers would be shorter... all these things that make our day-to-day lives pleasant. I don't want that and you shouldn't want it either so let's all do a little now, whether it makes a big difference on our monthly electric bills or not, so we can buy time to roll out new technology and energy sources and avoid a *real* power crunch. Don't say it can't happen, there are plenty of places in the world where it's happening already. If you're whining about things like buying CF light bulbs now because they can take 1-3 years to pay for themselves what makes you think you'll be happier about it when they can pay for themselves in 4-12months because the electrical rates have gone up??? 1-3years is a perfectly acceptable period for an investment to pay back. Maybe this doesn't apply to a computer that you only plan on keeping for 6-18months but realize the numbers for what they are, not some misguided concept that if it doesn't pay for itself in a few months it's not worth it.

I like using electricity. I use gobs of it :twisted: I live in Washington with some of the cheapest electrical rates in north america (and Seattle Electric is greenhouse gas neutral for whatever that's worth). I like this situation and I don't want it to change!

I just build my first solar cell this weekend for a cost of $15 Just a little one but a fun project that I think us geek types could really dig into. I used it to charge up some AA and AAA Ni-MH cells (for my cordless keyboard and mouse. I mostly got tired of having to run to the store when I needed new batteries) and to power the TFT display from my DIY projector I made and used it with ambient light. Next project is to build an LED lamp and see if it can run for 4+ hours a day with enough brightness to matter.

 

[rockowastaken]

Thems a whole lot of words just to tell me to go into stand-by whenever possible.

 

[flasher702]

Thems a whole lot of words just to tell me to go into stand-by whenever possible.

We're geeks. We don't do something just cuz they tell us too

You were also supposed to glean the suggestion that when choosing components, at least when you're buying new hardware anyway, you should consider energy consumption as inefficient devices can cascade into AC cooling load, case cooling cost, component life expectancy reduction and noise pollution problems and "suspend" doesn't really cover any of those points.

 

[db101]

Pretty good article -- nice reminders for us who are looking for new hardware parts.

This just makes me want to move away from CRT even more. Ugh, this room is always the hottest in the house, I'm betting a more efficient screen would help lower my room temps a bit.

 

[caamsa]

Another way to conserve power.....turn the dang thing off when you are not using it.

 

[HotFoot]

I think that considering how frequently people go through computers - especially the enthusiasts - the easiest thing to do is to make sure you get a high-efficiency PSU. My media centre's PSU from SeaSonic is around 80% efficiency, which is much better than the "industry average" 65%. It can easily make sense to pay a few extra bucks for a high efficicney PSU.

Otherwise, if you're running at stock frequency, CPUs can usually be undervolted. I've shaved about 8W (load) off my X2's consumption by going from 1.2V to 1.1V. I might try getting as low as 1.0V and seeing if it's still stable. I imagine the same can be tried with GPUs and memory.

I really want to get a watt meter and see just how much my computers use - both idle and when running folding@home. I think my media centre, with a high-efficiency PSU, undervolted X2 3600+, and integrated graphics probably takes about a third or less of the power as my desktop with an older PSU, discrete graphics, and an overclocked PD820. The latter computer definitely heats up the room in the summer (not such a bad thing in the winter though).

 

[joex444]

I agree with the above post, but am not sure that THG included anything on PSUs.

Suppose your PC requires 400W at load, that is 350W coming out of the PSU.

HE 80% under load requires 500W at the wall (what you pay for).
Avg 65% efficiency requires 615W at the wall.

Save 115W by going to a higher efficiency PSU. Simple! Why bother with replacing a HD to save 10W...

For those of you in the UK, the 230V PSUs can reach 90%, whereas 120V US PSUs can only do 80-85 tops. I would venture a guess that no name PSUs are around 55% or so.

 

[No1sFanboy]

I really want to get a watt meter and see just how much my computers use - both idle and when running folding@home. I think my media centre, with a high-efficiency PSU, undervolted X2 3600+, and integrated graphics probably takes about a third or less of the power as my desktop with an older PSU, discrete graphics, and an overclocked PD820. The latter computer definitely heats up the room in the summer (not such a bad thing in the winter though).

Canadian Tire has a watt meter for 24.99. I don't know if the link will work the way their site works.
CDN tire watt meter

 

[bkiserx7]

I really want to get a watt meter and see just how much my computers use - both idle and when running folding@home. I think my media centre, with a high-efficiency PSU, undervolted X2 3600+, and integrated graphics probably takes about a third or less of the power as my desktop with an older PSU, discrete graphics, and an overclocked PD820. The latter computer definitely heats up the room in the summer (not such a bad thing in the winter though).

Canadian Tire has a watt meter for 24.99. I don't know if the link will work the way their site works.
CDN tire watt meter

24.99 USD at xoxide.com http://www.xoxide.com/p3-kill-a-watt.html

 

[HotFoot]

I think it's time to go shopping.

 

[smelly_feet]

I thought a good power bar also cleans the power to the computer.

I thought the only difference between a UPS and a good power bar is the battery backup.


unless i am mistaken

 

[No1sFanboy]

You've got me there, I honestly am not certain. I'd have to research it but I don't know how a power supply can compensate if the power dips like a brown out.

 

[randomizer]

My power board is some cheap $20 one, doesnt cause me problems.

 

[smelly_feet]

I dont want to get off topic with the UPS vs powerbar. That would be a good toms article though to clarify what the differences are and exactly what kind of protection they provide.

My dfi board with barton sempron proc has a jumper to force the fsb from 133mHz to 100mHz. I wonder if the system will run cooler this way. I dont know any other way to cool down these older systems.

cheers all

 

[flasher702]

I thought a good power bar also cleans the power to the computer.

I thought the only difference between a UPS and a good power bar is the battery backup.


unless i am mistaken

A surge protector with RF filters will not protect you from brownouts and voltage spikes will likely cause it to simply turn off. Also, the power coming from the inverter of a UPS is not necessarily very clean. It takes extra circuitry and filters to make it clean that not all UPSs have. And, of course, all those extra circuitry and filters to clean up the power and the inverter itself all reduce efficiency.

The really good solution is to eliminate the inverter and run the computer directly off DC voltage (ex: 12v). Maintaining clean voltage supply then becomes much easier and the UPS and the PSU are both a lot more efficient. I don't think there are any products for this available that are targeted at consumers though. Intel was talking about it for data centers an IDF or two ago. I'm going to try and make one since I can use my solar array to provide some of the power.

For a low-end computer drawing <50w on average being used ~8hours a day you could power it off a <$300 +45w solar system and never have to plug in again (at this point you wouldn't have a "UPS" you'd have "a battery with solar panels hooked up to it"). At that rate it would take about 20 years to pay for itself vs. plugging it straight into the wall (400wh per day at $0.10 per kWh USA average). If you factored in another 25% efficiency for a 12v PSU and a small voltage regulator/monitor instead of a UPS you're still looking at ~15years with the potential of a cloudy week seriously cramping your style. Yeah, photovoltaics kinda suck at cost efficiency right now but I don't think more expensive grid electricity is a good solution to that problem. Saving electricity so we don't have to buy really expensive power generation systems is a much better plan

 

[HotFoot]

I thought a good power bar also cleans the power to the computer.

I thought the only difference between a UPS and a good power bar is the battery backup.


unless i am mistaken

I think what you're thinking of is either a power conditioner (commonly used for home theatre systems to allow the cleanest sound and picture - I have one by Monster) or a voltage stabiliser. The latter use either large capacitors or batteries, but are quite different from a UPS.

 

[VinceJohn]

Seen quite a few good articles by Schmid and Roos lately, and this is one of them. Good for insight, if nothing else. People tend to overlook the impact of things like power consumption in areas other than how long their laptop-battery lasts.