Can we shut down the graphics card using a z77 mobo

[vishalaestro]

i download a lot of huge size stuffs so i run the system for a very long time .to save power can i switch off the discrete gpu and use the onboard gpu like on 2500k processor

 

[$hawn]

Yes, there is an option in the BIOS to disable the external GPU and use the built in one.

Only problem is that you got to make the changes in the BIOS everytime, plus you got to physically connect your monitor cable to the correct output port - not very convenient

PS:- Most modern GPU's can clock down on idle to save power, so i don't think u shud worry so much about it

 

[vishalaestro]

Yes, there is an option in the BIOS to disable the external GPU and use the built in one.

Only problem is that you got to make the changes in the BIOS everytime, plus you got to physically connect your monitor cable to the correct output port - not very convenient

PS:- Most modern GPU's can clock down on idle to save power, so i don't think u shud worry so much about it

for ex i switch on my system the whole night to download files..so i could definitely reduce my power by switching to the onboard card i also know that compared to the power consumption with a onboard gpu vs a discrete gpu ,discrete gpu will consume more power on idle so that i'm asking whether i could shut down the discrete card

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

It's not worth worrying about, honestly. We're only talking a few dollars a year at most saved by doing that.

 

[vishalaestro]

It's not worth worrying about, honestly. We're only talking a few dollars a year at most saved by doing that.

do u have any benchmarks to compare a onboard gpu vs a discrete card like gtx 560

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

do u have any benchmarks to compare a onboard gpu vs a discrete card like gtx 560

I can't find any specifically comparing those two, but it'll be about 10-15W less at idle (which is what it would be downloading files). It's REALLY not worth it for the time and energy spent changing all the settings every night. I mean, if you were truly worried about saving such a small amount of power, I'd just download the files at some point when you're using the computer and unplug it at night. That's the only way to make a dent in power savings.

Power savings from a computer is honestly the last thing you should worry about, unless you pay $2.00 per kW/h. I run my PC 24/7 365 though, and my power is relatively cheap, but even if it wasn't, I wouldn't really care about trying to get pennies of power savings from it. Again, it's just not worth it.

 

[vishalaestro]

I can't find any specifically comparing those two, but it'll be about 10-15W less at idle (which is what it would be downloading files). It's REALLY not worth it for the time and energy spent changing all the settings every night. I mean, if you were truly worried about saving such a small amount of power, I'd just download the files at some point when you're using the computer and unplug it at night. That's the only way to make a dent in power savings.

Power savings from a computer is honestly the last thing you should worry about, unless you pay $2.00 per kW/h. I run my PC 24/7 365 though, and my power is relatively cheap, but even if it wasn't, I wouldn't really care about trying to get pennies of power savings from it. Again, it's just not worth it.

in my state due to scarcity of electricity the government costs high per unit that's the reason i was asking..but from my knowledge i heard that in z77 board we can switch graphics so i thought why it would not be possible to shutdown the card and use onboard gpu..

 

[maximumdork]

in my state due to scarcity of electricity the government costs high per unit that's the reason i was asking..but from my knowledge i heard that in z77 board we can switch graphics so i thought why it would not be possible to shutdown the card and use onboard gpu..

The discrete power card will burn a LOT of power- usually much more than the CPU. My i5 3570 burns about 50w at idle (HD 4000 motherboard graphics, cpu, disks in idle via SMART and power management). The GPU (a new Nvidia 670) burns over 200W on top of this (4x what the CPU uses) so yes- yours is a good strategy If you are concerned about power:

1_ get the most efficient PSU you can by (85%+, some are low 90s). This can cut usage by 10-20%.

2_ at idle the 670 consumes about 30w (using a killawatt) but over 200 W when it's active/loaded using an overclock routine.

3. If you use Virtu MVP (your motherboard should support it) then you just set it to disable the discrete CPU when it's not needed (via profiles) and it idles the thing until your HD4000 can't take it the it enables the discrete GPU when it's needed- no cable switching etc.

It's a bit buggy IMHO and only worth using if you really want the power savings when you are using the machine (it won't help with idle power usage as the discrete GPU is still idling, MVP just allows it to idle more often).

 

[vishalaestro]

Best answer selected by vishalaestro.

 

[InvalidError]

Someone who really wants to put the axe into overnight download power draw could simply get a Bittorrent client for Android/iOS and run their downloads on their 2-7W phone/tablet over WiFi.

Not quite as convenient but it is an order of magnitude less power than some of the lowest-power PCs that can be put together using off-the-shelf parts without breaking the bank.

 

[vishalaestro]

good idea but i'm not having an android or ios mobile i'm just using a basic mobile..

 

[InvalidError]

good idea but i'm not having an android or ios mobile i'm just using a basic mobile..

Some of the fancier routers coming out these days have built-in bittorrent client and USB-drive/NAS support, throw in a thumb-drive or laptop HDD and you're golden for ~3W extra over the router itself. I have not looked into those myself but that seems awfully convenient.