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How to check how much watts is my computer using?

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  • Power Supplies
  • Software
  • Power Consumption
  • Power
  • Computers
  • Components
Last response: in Components
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May 26, 2012 2:37:53 AM

I want to know if theres like a software that can detect how much power is my system using, because I am somehow curious about power consumption. Is there a software that can detect how much power is my system using? Or do I have to buy one of those power meters?

More about : check watts computer

a b ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 2:56:04 AM

If your intention is to measure power consumption in real time, I would say you would need the power meter. I know of no software that can measure but on the other hand, I haven't really looked yet. It is interesting if someone can give a good answer here.

In the meantime, you can use this to estimate but definitely its far from what you want:
http://extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine
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May 26, 2012 2:58:23 AM

I want the exact power consumption in real time, yes. So where can I get one for a cheap price? Can anyone put a link somewhere? Amazon, Ebay is okay.
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a c 163 ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 3:02:06 AM

I would recommend "one of those power meters" you refer to. Although the Kill-A-Watt meter will only read the wattage on the primary side of the PSU, the secondary side will be only slightly less than the reading you get (due to inductive and capacitive reactance). The Kill-A Watt meters are fairly inexpensive.
http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4400-Electricit...
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May 26, 2012 3:03:31 AM

clutchc said:
I would recommend "one of those power meters" you refer to. Although the Kill-A-Watt meter will only read the wattage on the primary side of the PSU, the secondary side will be only slightly less than the reading you get (due to inductive and capacitive reactance). The Kill-A Watt meters are fairly inexpensive.
http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4400-Electricit...


Do you any softwares that can detect power consumption? Thanks for the link.
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a c 163 ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 3:13:20 AM

ipwn3r456 said:
Do you any softwares that can detect power consumption? Thanks for the link.

No, I've never known of any. That doesn't mean there is none. It just means I never heard of any. Still, I would opt for the meter over any software that may/may not be available. Just keep in mind that the meter will show a slightly higher wattage than the computer is actually using. Plus, the meter will provide other interesting information pertaining to Amperage, Voltage, power cost, etc. And, you can use the meter on any outlet for other devices as well.
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May 26, 2012 3:16:41 AM

clutchc said:
No, I've never known of any. That doesn't mean there is none. It just means I never heard of any. Still, I would opt for the meter over any software that may/may not be available. Just keep in mind that the meter will show a slightly higher wattage than the computer is actually using. Plus, the meter will provide other interesting information pertaining to Amperage, Voltage, power cost, etc. And, you can use the meter on any outlet for other devices as well.


Are power meters usually accurate? Like how much percent?
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a b ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 3:26:36 AM

I know there was some program that caught my cpus amperage and voltage(in return, gets you wattage) from one of my installation cds but not the gpus consumption and the rest of the systems consumption
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a b ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 3:29:06 AM

ipwn3r456 said:
Are power meters usually accurate? Like how much percent?


its not enar 100% accurate, since one:

there is no psu in existence that is 100% efficient(even platinum rated psus are only ~90% efficient). efficiency depends on the different levels of loads. the reason why the wall wattage is higher is because the psu is accidentally turning some of the wattage into heat rather than electricity
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May 26, 2012 3:34:17 AM

dudewitbow said:
I know there was some program that caught my cpus amperage and voltage(in return, gets you wattage) from one of my installation cds but not the gpus consumption and the rest of the systems consumption


I already have a program that detects the power consumption of the CPU. That's why I really want to see if they actually have those softwares that can detects system power consumption.
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May 26, 2012 3:34:36 AM

dudewitbow said:
its not enar 100% accurate, since one:

there is no psu in existence that is 100% efficient(even platinum rated psus are only ~90% efficient). efficiency depends on the different levels of loads. the reason why the wall wattage is higher is because the psu is accidentally turning some of the wattage into heat rather than electricity


Nice to know that. Thanks.
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a c 163 ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 3:36:46 AM

ipwn3r456 said:
Are power meters usually accurate? Like how much percent?

The Kill-A-Watt meter has an accuracy of .2% as listed in the specs.
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May 26, 2012 3:39:30 AM

clutchc said:
The Kill-A-Watt meter has an accuracy of .2% as listed in the specs.


0.2% accuracy? That doesn't make sense at all. More like its 99.8% accuracy. I don't think power meters are not that low accuracy...
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a c 163 ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 3:43:20 AM

ipwn3r456 said:
0.2% accuracy? That doesn't make sense at all. More like its 99.8% accuracy. I don't think power meters are not that low accuracy...

My bad. I should have stated the accuracy was within .2%.
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May 26, 2012 3:54:50 AM

clutchc said:
My bad. I should have stated the accuracy was within .2%.


Oh. That makes ALOT more sense. Never thought those meters are that accurate. I was thinking like 90 - 95%... But i checked the item on amazon, it said up to 15 amps... computers use more than that... Will it works still on computers?
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a c 76 ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 4:15:24 AM

ipwn3r456 said:
Oh. That makes ALOT more sense. Never thought those meters are that accurate. I was thinking like 90 - 95%... But i checked the item on amazon, it said up to 15 amps... computers use more than that... Will it works still on computers?


That's 15 Amps AC not DC. A normal home power outlet can only provide 20 Amps AC, and any normal PSU would never pull that kind of amperage (I don't know of any normal consumer grade PSU's that DO actually).
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May 26, 2012 4:17:42 AM

DJDeCiBeL said:
That's 15 Amps AC not DC. A normal home power outlet can only provide 20 Amps AC, and any normal PSU would never pull that kind of amperage (I don't know of any normal consumer grade PSU's that DO actually).


So it does work with computers right? Sorry I am not good at stuff like these...
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Best solution

a c 76 ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 4:20:20 AM

ipwn3r456 said:
So it does work with computers right? Sorry I am not good at stuff like these...


Yep.
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May 26, 2012 4:21:49 AM

DJDeCiBeL said:
Yep.


Thanks for the help. Looks like I will have to get one of those later on...
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May 26, 2012 4:22:18 AM

Best answer selected by ipwn3r456.
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a c 76 ) Power supply
May 26, 2012 4:22:42 AM

ipwn3r456 said:
Thanks for the help. Looks like I will have to get one of those later on...


No problem. :) 

Although I really should defer BA to clutch, since he suggested it originally.
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