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.
Test System | 2D Without Load | 3D Full Load | 2D Average | 3D Average |
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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.
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%.
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 |
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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 |
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 |
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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 |
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 |
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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 |
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 |
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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 |