CPU vs. GPU Power Consumption -- Are We Barking Up the Wrong Tree?

[RussianSensation]

Intro
It was time to temporarily leave the heated videocard forums ahead of the Fermi launch. I admit, I found myself a bit disappointed over the GTX480's rumoured ~70-95 watts disadvantage over 5870's maximum TDP. But was I overreacting? Is it really such a big deal?

CPU vs. GPU Power Consumption
In case you forgot, the real Pig is still an overclocked Core i7 CPU. :twisted:

The Pig Stares at You and Laughs

Source: http://www.technic3d.com/article-1047,10-intel-core-i7-980x-gulftown-zu-sechst-an-die-spitze.htm

Findings
While our attention and energy are diverted at GPU power consumption levels, the Pig (Core i7 860 3.7ghz processor) slowly sips away more than 70 Watts of power at Idle and a jaw-dropping +181 Watts at Load over its stock sibling.

Surprisingly more so, a stock Core i7 860 system with a GTX480 will still consume less power at load than a stock Phenom II X4 965 system coupled with a ATI HD5870.

Conclusion
And on that bombshell, GTX480 and 5870 will hug each other on launch day, with smiles all around, while an overclocked Core i7 will be left alone in a corner! :sneaky:

Leo

 

[LoneNinja]

Did you really not know you dramatically increased your cpu's power consumption when overclocking to it's limits?

 

[Rezist]

Look at OC'd w/o extra voltage added....

 

[RussianSensation]

Did you really not know you dramatically increased your cpu's power consumption when overclocking to it's limits?

Of course I did. Just wanted to remind everyone with Core i7 rigs being upset over Fermi's higher power consumption.

 

[GlacierFreeze]

Did you really not know you dramatically increased your cpu's power consumption when overclocking to it's limits?

Seriously this. Everyone wants to know this.

 

[RussianSensation]

Look at OC'd w/o extra voltage added....

Ok but you can hardly get to 3.9-4.0ghz on Lynnfield on stock voltage. I am only running 1.312V which isn't too much higher than a 920 system will do.

 

[Rubycon]

Watts the point here?
I have a box on the table (in the works) with 3000W.

 

[Apocalypse23]

i've got a feeling the thubans will rock the price/perf/power ratio...i guess its still nice to get a used i7, i wouldn't spend a dime on anything brand new (i7/i5)..power consumption is a clear caveat..not to mention you'd need a hog of a psu if you plan to tri crossfire...(speaking of which I might need a 950W to conduct my i7 oc+ 5970+5850+5870 test...)

 

[RussianSensation]

i've got a feeling the thubans will rock the price/perf/power ratio...i guess its still nice to get a used i7, i wouldn't spend a dime on anything brand new (i7/i5)..power consumption is a clear caveat..

Also don't forget 12 cores.

AMD Magny-Cours X12 6136 will have 12 cores clocked at 2.4ghz and 18MB of cache and consume 105W, which is pretty impressive if you ask me.

 

[zerocool84]

Of course I did. Just wanted to remind everyone with Core i7 rigs being upset over Fermi's higher power consumption.

The only people that are saying heat isn't a big deal are the fanbois defending Fermi. More heat means more need to get that heat away from the card which in turn means more noise. It's a lot easier to change the HSF on a processor and there are much quieter ones then there are for GPU's.

 

[GlacierFreeze]

Ok but you can hardly get to 3.9-4.0ghz on Lynnfield on stock voltage. I am only running 1.312V which isn't too much higher than a 920 system will do.

So? Wattage still increases with clock speed bump, regardless if you bumped voltage at all.

You made a thread about something we already know like it's a new discovery.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Last I checked a TDP of 250 W > TDP of 130W...

If you want to overclock it's down to you.

You are also quoting power draw from the socket...

 

[RussianSensation]

You made a thread about something we already know like it's a new discovery.

I am just saying that people are complaining about a 90 Watt differential for a videocard at load, yet they are also running overclocked 4.0ghz+ Core i7 rigs. These CPUs produce an extra 160-200 watts of power at load over a stock 920/860 processor and in fact provide little to no benefit in games where one would actually require a 5870 or GTX480 (i.e., normal resolutions with AA). So it's being hypocritical to an extent.

At the same time, there are users on this forum with 5850s overclocked to 950/1000 mhz complaining that Fermi is a hot running pig. That's funny because those 5850 overclocked to 1000mhz required 1.3V+ on the GPU and pump out 270+ Watts of power. Power consumption metrics only matter for stock running parts. Once you overclock, you can throw the power efficiency argument out the window.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/gpu-power-consumption-2010_4.html#sect0

 

[Rubycon]

Wallplug values don't show what the CPU is using too...

I have a Logitech G15 and use the CPU utilization gauge. Most of the time while the 3D card is in use the CPU use is in the single digits.

 

[RussianSensation]

Wallplug values don't show what the CPU is using too...

Tom's Hardware, Guru3D have also shown that an overclocked Core i7 produces well in excess of 165W under load compared to stock. No matter how you want to measure it, the power consumption of an overclocked Core i7 will trump any differences between high end single-GPU cards.

 

[aigomorla]

now u see why my Nadeshiko is a FAT POWER HUNGRY PIG of a system.

980X + HD4870X2 x 2!!!

 

[Markfw]

OK, well, here is my take. I had 12 quads all overclocked, over 3 ghz @100 % load 24/7 (F@H) Power bill was just over $100/month. Added 22 9800GTx+ (average) video cards to the same systems, and they are both @100 % load 24/7. Electric bill went up to $325/month.

So it looks like real average power usage is the same for one quad(OC'ed) or one videocard(stock)

Real rough numbers mind you.....

 

[Rubycon]

now u see why my Nadeshiko is a FAT POWER HUNGRY PIG of a system.

980X + HD4870X2 x 2!!!

You want to see numbers go up?
Add lots of FBDIMMS AND 15K Spindles. Those four platter 15K MAX drives were killer on power. 150W for every 10 drives AVERAGE. Push the box to the wall with i/o and you were sitting at a quarter kilowatt - just for the drives!

A heavily o/c SR-2 system with dual 5970s running o/c will pull rather ridiculous numbers too.

Kill-A-Watt devices are only single pole (120V) devices limited to 15A so no good with these systems. Pulling close to 9A at 230VAC btw.

p.s. What's more satisfying than ANY kind of hardware upgrade out there is the thrill of seeing the lights dim when you start LinX.

 

[Hacp]

Ok you already have a heat problem and the solution is: add more heat? WTF are you smoking!

 

[aigomorla]

Ok you already have a heat problem and the solution is: add more heat? WTF are you smoking!

lol i can say within 99.9999% confidence, if i have a heat problem, then we got big problems....

And not on a small scale, either. More like major design flaw to the MAX!

I think i have the highest ranked, non-sub ambient cooling system on the entire forum.
Nadeshiko uses 4 radiators, on 5 ddc pumps, split into 3 independent closed loops.

Someone wanna 1 up me?

 

[RussianSensation]

now u see why my Nadeshiko is a FAT POWER HUNGRY PIG of a system.

980X + HD4870X2 x 2!!!

hehe Aigo that's a beast. Those 4870s X2s consume even more power than 5970. Whats the PSU of choice?

 

[dcavici]

lol i can say within 99.9999% confidence, if i have a heat problem, then we got big problems....

And not on a small scale, either. More like major design flaw to the MAX!

I think i have the highest ranked, non-sub ambient cooling system on the entire forum.
Nadeshiko uses 4 radiators, on 5 ddc pumps, split into 3 independent closed loops.

Someone wanna 1 up me?

O_O wow. I would like to see your setup, it must be massive

 

[aigomorla]

hehe Aigo that's a beast. Those 4870s X2s consume even more power than 5970. Whats the PSU of choice?

Right now there running on a Ultra 1600W which isnt that bad.
It was recomended by ruby.

I used to have them on a PCnC 1kw SR, but my classified does not like that psu at all.

O_O wow. I would like to see your setup, it must be massive

Bottom Chamber:

Rad Chamber:

Gpu loop is done on 2 MCR320's... yes it was major overkill, but i was playing with stacked radiators.

Its a Mountain Mods U2 + pedistool for the rad chamber.

LOL everytime someone comments on my load temps, mark always has to remind them, its not possible on air.

 

[Rubycon]

The Ultra X3 1600W is a good PSU once you get past the piece of crap cables. I know, I burned mine up. I don't monitor voltages but my RAID card does and I was greeted with beeps with +3.3V at +2.65 volts!

PSU still works but resistance is too high on pins. Have to make new ones.
TT 1200W working fine now with really good voltages.

I guess I should not complain about 70s at 4.45GHz 980X temps - on AIR!

 

[Ben90]

lol i can say within 99.9999% confidence, if i have a heat problem, then we got big problems....

And not on a small scale, either. More like major design flaw to the MAX!

I think i have the highest ranked, non-sub ambient cooling system on the entire forum.
Nadeshiko uses 4 radiators, on 5 ddc pumps, split into 3 independent closed loops.

Someone wanna 1 up me?

IDC uses phase change