Power Consumption, Noise Level, And Temperature
The power consumption in watts refers to the whole test platform. The 2D value is the normal Windows desktop without load or Aero interface (minimum value); the 3D value is measured when the CPU and graphics card run at maximum load (peak value). Thus, the start-up screen of Mass Effect (using the UT3 engine) is used at 1920x1200 pixels without anti-aliasing, and the CPU reaches a load of 100 percent.
Because all measurements were taken at the power outlet, you will have to multiply the measured power consumption (in watts) by the efficiency factor of 0.83 to get the true power supply load.
Power consumption in watts | 2D (Vista Desktop) | 3D (Mass Effect) |
---|---|---|
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 239 | 633 |
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 203 | 540 |
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 154 | 375/395 |
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 117 | 352 |
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) QX@3.67 | 236 | 664 |
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) X68@2.93 | 211 | 610 |
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) QX@3.67 | 154 | 366/375 |
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) X68@2.93 | 111 | 336 |
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) QX@3.67 | 211 | 415 |
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) X68@2.93 | 173 | 368 |
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 163 | 303 |
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 119 | 257 |
Radeon HD 4870 X2 4CF (4x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 295 | 775 |
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 202 | 480 |
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 202 | 475 |
Asus HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) Top OC QX@3.67 | 202 | 485 |
Asus HD 4870 X2 Top OC with Smart Doctor QX@3.67 | 202 | 475 |
MSI HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 201 | 465 |
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 201 | 470 |
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 202 | 468 |
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 202 | 430 |
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 280 | 505 |
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 242 | 460 |
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 189 | 324 |
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 147 | 288 |
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 220 | 420 |
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 177 | 367 |
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 165 | 283 |
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 122 | 237 |
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 81 | 173 |
The combination of Asus with Catalyst 8.10 plus Smart Doctor gives several values for noise level and temperature, which are caused by the erroneous fan profiles mentioned earlier in the article. The given results all appeared, depending on the fan speed when starting the full load test.
Noise level measurement (1m) | 2D dB(A) | 3D dB(A) |
---|---|---|
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 39.2 | 47.9-48.5 |
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 39.0 | 48.8-49.4 |
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 38.7 | 44.5/48.8 |
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 37.7 | 54.5-54.7 |
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) QX@3.67 | 39.5 | 55.7-56.0 |
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) X68@2.93 | 39.6 | 55.1-56.0 |
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) QX@3.67 | 38.8 | 53.7-54.2 |
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) X68@2.93 | 38.1-44.2 | 53.5-54.0 |
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) QX@3.67 | 38.4 | 53.4 |
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) X68@2.93 | 38.4 | 53.6-54.1 |
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 36.9 | 39.8-40.4 |
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 37.1 | 39.8-40.4 |
Radeon HD 4870 X2 4CF (4x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 38.3 | 55.0 |
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 37.5 | 48.8-50.0 |
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 37.5 | 48.8-50.0 |
Asus HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) Top OC QX@3.67 | 37.0 | 48.8-50.0 |
Asus HD 4870 X2 Top OC with Smart Doctor QX@3.67 | 46.2 | 48.8/54.1/56.3 |
MSI HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 52.2 | 52.2-62.2 |
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 37.5 | 49.0-50.0 |
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 37.5 | 48.0 |
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 37.5 | 48.7 |
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 39.7 | 48.1-50.0 |
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 41.8-42.4 | 53.7-54.5 |
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 37.6 | 40.8-42.5 |
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 35.5 | 45.5-46.0 |
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 37.2 | 45.5 |
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 36.3 | 46.0 |
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 37.5 | 40.4 |
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 36.3 | 41.2 |
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 37.5 | 37.8 |
For SLI and GX2 you will find several values, which refer to each GPU. For Crossfire, we’ve put the value of the primary, hotter GPU into the table.
Temperature in degree Celsius | 2D (Vista Desktop) | 3D (Mass Effect) |
---|---|---|
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 49/47 | 85/86 |
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 48/50 | 82/83 |
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 46 | 83 |
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 53 | 85 |
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) QX@3.67 | 46/50 | 100/98 |
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) X68@2.93 | 49/64 | 101/105 |
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) QX@3.67 | 46 | 90/105 |
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) X68@2.93 | 45-49 | 105 |
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) QX@3.67 | 63/65 | 86/82 |
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) X68@2.93 | 68/71 | 87/91 |
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 48 | 78 |
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 49 | 78 |
Radeon HD 4870 X2 4CF (4x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 76 | 91-92 |
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 72 | 95 |
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 72 | 92 |
Asus HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) Top OC QX@3.67 | 78 | 89 |
Asus HD 4870 X2 Top OC with Smart Doctor QX@3.67 | 45 | 74/96 |
MSI HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 43 | 76-80 |
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 | 66 | 84-86 |
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 | 64 | 86-87 |
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) X68@2.93 | 72 | 92 |
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 80 | 88-90 |
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 63 | 73 |
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 76 | 84-85 |
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 76 | 83-85 |
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 79 | 87-88 |
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 80 | 83-85 |
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) QX@3.67 | 74 | 86 |
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 78 | 83-85 |
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) X68@2.93 | 38 | 85 |