How Much Power Does Your Graphics Card Need?

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Power Consumption--Graphics Cards And Electricity Costs

In the following tables, the consumption of the test system was subtracted from the overall total to yield the approximate power consumption of the graphics card. The actual values fluctuate depending on the performance class of 3D graphics chips, which is why we made our calculations with average values. Note that for SLI with Nvidia graphics cards, the nForce 780i chipset from Nvidia is used; this component requires about 50 watts more than the X38 chipset from Intel.

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Test System 2D Without Load 3D Full Load 2D Average 3D Average
X38 Chipset 52-68 Watts 80-120 Watts 64 Watts 104 Watts
780i Chipset 114-125 Watts 142-158 Watts 119 Watts 150 Watts

Again, this measurement was made at the outlet, and serves only as a basis for the calculation of the electricity cost. As examples, the 2D operation was estimated with both 8 and 24 hours a day and the 3D operation with 8 hours daily use. The power cost was estimated at 20 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

With the GeForce GTX 260 and 280, you can easily see how the new graphics chips slow down in 2D mode—the older GeForce 8800 Ultra running 8 hours a day uses up almost double the electricity. The cost of a double-chip card (Radeon HD 4870 X2) is pretty intense; if you let the PC run on the desktop for two years continuously, the electricity cost adds up to the purchase price of the card.

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If you compare the Radeon HD 4870 X2 and HD 4870 Crossfire, you can easily see that you could save up to 20 watts per HD 4870 card in 2D mode, if only AMD clocked down the single chip card as well. Generally, you should not use a double-chip card, SLI or CrossFire for a computer to remain in use 24 hours a day—a more modest graphics solution can reduce the electricity cost by at least 50%.

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Power Consumption Nvidia Graphic Cards 2D Desktop Watts (socket) 3D Full Load Watts (Socket) 2D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 8 Hours 2D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 24 Hours 3D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 8 Hours
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) 53 248 31 93 145
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) 47 232 27 82 135
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) 109 264 64 191 154
GeForce 9800 GTX (512 MB) 55 153 32 96 89
GeForce 9800 GTX (512 MB) 62 160 36 109 93
GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB) 38 83 22 67 48
GeForce 9600 GT (512 MB) 42 104 25 74 61
GeForce 8800 GTS OC (512 MB) 63 173 37 110 101
GeForce 8800 GTS (512 MB) 62 165 36 109 96
GeForce 8800 GT (1024 MB) 39 94 23 68 55
GeForce 8800 GT (512 MB) 51 135 30 89 119
GeForce 8800 Ultra  (768 MB) 90 209 53 158 122
GeForce 8800 GTX (768 MB) 82 192 48 144 112
GeForce 8800 GTS (640 MB) 74 152 43 130 89
GeForce 8800 GTS (320 MB) 63 136 37 110 79
GeForce 8600 GTS (512 MB) 34 74 20 60 43
GeForce 8600 GTS (256 MB) 29 68 17 51 40
GeForce 8600 GT (256 MB) 25 56 15 44 33
GeForce 8500 GT (256 MB) 21 36 12 37 21
GeForce 8400GS (256 MB) 19 32 11 33 19
GeForce 7950 GX2 (2x512 MB) 56 134 33 98 78
GeForce 7950 GT (512 MB) 35 79 20 61 46
GeForce 7900 GTX (512 MB) 41 102 24 72 60
GeForce 7900 GTO (512 MB) 40 98 23 70 57
GeForce 7900 GT (256 MB) 29 59 17 51 34
GeForce 7900 GS (256 MB) 31 60 18 54 35
GeForce 7800 GTX (512 MB) 41 131 24 72 77
GeForce 7800 GTX (256 MB) 41 104 24 72 61
GeForce 7800 GT (256 MB) 31 79 18 54 46
GeForce 7600 GT (256 MB) 24 48 14 42 28
GeForce 7600 GS (256 MB) 20 33 12 35 19
GeForce 7300 GT (256 MB) 20 29 12 35 17
GeForce 7300 GS (128 MB) 18 28 11 32 16
GeForce 6800 Ultra  (256 MB) 58 98 34 102 57
GeForce 6800 GT (256 MB) 52 81 30 91 47
GeForce 6600 GT (128 MB) 26 57 15 46 33
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Power Consumption Nvidia Graphic Card (SLI) 2D Desktop Watts (Socket) 3D Full Load Watts (Socket) 2D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 8 Hours 2D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 24 Hours 3D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 8 Hours
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) 84 390 49 147 228
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) 92 460 54 161 269
GeForce 9800 SLI (512 MB) 116 312 68 203 182
GeForce 9600 SLI (1024 MB) 63 152 37 110 89
GeForce 8800 GTS SLI (512 MB) 111 295 65 194 172
GeForce 8800 GT SLI (1024 MB) 65 176 38 114 103
GeForce 8800 GT SLI (512 MB) 84 242 49 147 141
GeForce 8800 Ultra 3SLI (768 MB) 269 565 157 471 330
GeForce 8800 Ultra SLI (768 MB) 175 430 102 307 251
GeForce 8800 GTS SLI (320 MB) 115 270 67 201 158
GeForce 8600 GTS SLI (256 MB) 45 127 26 79 74
GeForce 8600 GT SLI (256 MB) 36 103 21 63 60
GeForce 7950 GX2 SLI (4x512 MB) 106 106 62 186 128
GeForce 7950 GT SLI (512 MB) 51 134 30 89 78
GeForce 7900 GT SLI (256 MB) 42 106 25 74 62
GeForce 7900 GS SLI (256 MB) 36 102 21 63 60
GeForce 7800 GTX SLI (256 MB) 68 190 40 119 111
GeForce 7800 GT SLI (256 MB) 43 139 25 75 81
GeForce 7600 GT SLI (256 MB) 26 82 15 46 48
GeForce 7600 GS SLI (256 MB) 18 85 11 32 32
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Power Consumption AMD Graphic Cards 2D Desktop Watts (Socket) 3D Full Load Watts (Sockets) 2D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 8 Hours 2D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 24 Hours 3D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 8 hours
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) 138 326 81 242 190
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) 83 184 48 145 107
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) 58 133 34 102 78
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) 17 69 10 30 40
Radeon HD 4550 (512 MB) 17 31 10 30 18
Radeon HD 3870 X2 (2x512 MB) 68 246 40 119 144
Radeon HD 3870 (512 MB) 31 112 18 54 65
Radeon HD 3850 (256 MB) 24 88 14 42 51
Radeon HD 3650 (512 MB) 25 63 15 44 37
Radeon HD 3470 (256 MB) 26 36 15 46 21
Radeon HD 3450 (256 MB) 21 28 12 37 16
Radeon HD 2900 XT (512 MB) 78 206 46 137 120
Radeon HD 2600 XT (512 MB) 22 66 13 39 39
Radeon HD 2600 XT (256 MB) 32 68 19 56 40
Radeon HD 2600 Pro (256 MB) 18 47 11 32 27
Radeon HD 2400 XT (256 MB) 18 34 11 32 20
Radeon HD 2400 Pro  (256 MB) 17 26 10 30 15
Radeon X1950 XTX  (512 MB) 38 134 22 67 78
Radeon X1950 XT (256 MB) 41 150 24 72 88
Radeon X1950 Pro (256 MB) 38 94 22 67 55
Radeon X1950 GT (256 MB) 36 84 21 63 49
Radeon X1900 XT (512 MB) 43 158 25 75 92
Radeon X1900 XT (256 MB) 37 129 22 65 75
Radeon X1900 GT (256 MB) 42 101 25 74 59
Radeon X1800 XT (512 MB) 48 107 28 84 62
Radeon X1800 XT (256 MB) 45 111 26 79 65
Radeon X1800 XL (256 MB) 41 70 24 72 41
Radeon X1800 GTO (256 MB) 36 59 21 63 34
Radeon X1650 XT (256 MB) 36 71 21 63 41
Radeon X1650 Pro (256 MB) 28 54 16 49 32
Radeon X1600 XT (256 MB) 28 52 16 49 30
Radeon X1600 Pro (256 MB) 29 47 17 51 27
Radeon X1300 XT (256 MB) 30 54 18 53 32
Radeon X1300 Pro (128 MB) 34 36 14 42 21
Radeon X1300 XT (256 MB) 22 32 13 39 19
Radeon X800 XT (256 MB) 29 78 17 51 46
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Power Consumption AMD Graphic Cards (CrossFire) 2D Desktop Watts (Socket) 3D Full Load Watts (Socket) 2D Operation  Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 8 Hours 2D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 24 Hours 3D Operation Cost in Dollars 365 Days x 8 Hours
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) 178 356 104 312 208
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) 113 263 66 198 154
Radeon HD 3870 X2 CF (4x512 MB) 135 506 79 237 296
Radeon HD 3870 3CF (3x256 MB) 98 360 57 172 210
Radeon HD 3870 CF (512 MB) 60 219 35 105 128
Radeon HD 3850 CF (256 MB) 47 175 27 82 102
Radeon HD 3650 CF (512 MB) 48 131 28 84 77
Radeon HD 2900 CF (512 MB) 158 436 92 277 255
Radeon HD 2600 XT CF (512 MB) 41 142 24 72 83
Radeon HD 2600 Pro (256 MB) 34 94 20 55 55
Radeon X1950 XTX CF (512 MB) 82 274 48 144 160
Radeon X1900 XT CF (512 MB) 85 300 50 149 175
Radeon X1600 XT CF (256 MB) 58 105 34 102 61
Radeon X1600 Pro CF (256 MB) 54 89 32 95 52
129 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Inktfish
    Could you please add the Radeon 4830? :)
    Reply
  • sepuko
    Took the words right out of my mouth.
    Reply
  • since Core i7 920 has TDP = 130W, how can it consume 85W only?
    Reply
  • 1.21 Jigawatts !!!
    Reply
  • nukemaster
    This article was due. No more you need an 800 watt psu for the 4870 , core2 quad ad 1 hard drive anymore :p

    Guest11since Core i7 920 has TDP = 130W, how can it consume 85W only?The TDP is more of a design thing. Almost all of Intels initial Core2 line had a TDP of 65 watts yet many took much less power. Intel gives a worst case of that type number and does not measure every cpu.

    AMD does the same thing. They listed almost all the initial Athlon 64's at 89 watts yet many did not take that or give off that amount.

    zxv9511.21 Jigawatts !!!You act like you would need a small fusion reactor or maybe a bolt of lightning to get that?
    Reply
  • neiroatopelcc
    So my system actually has a too big power supply to be effective?
    I'm running a 3,4ghz c2d with 5x500gb sata drives, a dvdrw and a 4870 on a p35 board.
    According to the article that's not going to draw the ~400W needed to get within effective range of my corsair 620 ....
    Reply
  • cynewulf
    There's a mistake in the power under load for the 3870X2. It shows the same as the idle consumption. If only that were true! :D
    Reply
  • Inneandar
    The TDP (thermal design power) is meant to be a guideline for the cooling solution, not the power consumption. To qualify for a cpu with a TDP of 120W, a cooler must be able to dissipate 120W. Practically, of course, this means it is an upper bound to (sensible) power consumption.

    also small note: Is it just me or is it strange to see the 260 SLI consume more than the 280 SLI. maybe in need of a beefier test scene...
    Reply
  • zodiacfml
    nice collection of data. i hope many learn from this and avoid recommending too powerful supplies.
    Reply
  • roofus
    better off with too much power supply than not enough. at least if you over-spec the power supply you leave some breathing room for any additional components.
    Reply