Does desktop CPU power consumption matter to you?

[rgallant]

"I use CFL's"
-should be banned IMO_ used 5 x 100watt cfl= 500watts. turn them off then on only to see the in rush current light up the light switch and hear the snap. [15amp breaker\switch @120v =1800 watts]
-had some banned in ont.CA for glue melting and hanging by their wires[had some electrical work inspected so I pointed it out to him] if they were made in US or Canada they would maybe cost $50.00 each with the plants biohaz \requirements\REAL cost.
-out of sight , no problem for green incentives. [VOTES ]

 

[cytg111]

Honestly, if my fan isn't noisy, and if I can get a good, stable overclock, power consumption on the desktop doesn't matter *too* much. How about for you guys? Are there any real reasons that you prefer lower power consumption (electric bill, perhaps? Does it even make a real difference when you're running a gaming desktop?)

I always figured that perf/watt was much more of a notebook thing.

Hell no! Double the performance and quadruple the power consumption? I'd be all over that!

 

[bononos]

Non-western countries may have relatively cheap electricity rates but because of their currencies' poor purchasing power, it can be still be very expensive for their citizens. I remembered an old post somewhere saying that electricity prices in India are 10x US after factoring in the purchasing power disparity.
It just makes sense to save electricity on the pc when every other large household appliance is also going green, 50% savings from inverter tech for instance.

And its not just the electricity savings, its being able to get along with a smaller case, less fans, less noise, smaller psu and less hassle overall instead of dealing with a cpu which doesn't follow its own specs and gobbles up 200W+.

 

[Torn Mind]

Indirectly in terms of reduced heat output and longer life of components. Not a first priority though. That low power Atom netbook we have really fucking pisses me off despite its low TDP. Plus it runs damn toasty anyway...

 

[Puppies04]

I don't care how much power my CPU uses as long as I get more performance.

 

[RyanGreener]

Most people who don't care about power consumption are the ones that don't really pay the electricity bill....

 

[bgt]

here a 2 person household with about 8 pc's/laptops, mostly not all powered on @the same time, and a monthly payment of 70-80 euro on electricity. So no big deal. Kwh price 0,35 euro. All bulbs@tubes are LED lamps. Fridges/LCD screens are all super low energy types. Audio systems are all Class D Hypex amps with SMPS.

 

[meloz]

Does desktop CPU power consumption matter to you?

Yes, it matters a lot to me.

My Xubuntu desktop stays on 24 X 7, since I seed torrents after downloading content (I only download content legally, of course, no laws violated). I only reboot when necessary for certain system updates, which is very rare.

Curiously, idle power consumption is more important to me than load / peak, since my PC is in 'idle' condition for >90% of the day.

Even now as I type this reply in Aurora, with torrents seeding in background and music playing in DeaDBeeF, the cores / threads stay below 5% with one core or thread peaking at 30% occasionally. So, if only my PC could shut off all cores bar one and run that one core at <10 watts in such 'idle' conditions, that would be terrific.

The benefit for desktop is not only in terms of reduced energy wastage and lower bills. It also means lower fan noise when PC is idle because then all the fans -CPU, case and PSU- can run at low RPMs. In fact, at very low power consumption when PC is idling the PSU essentially behaves like a fanless unit, totally quiet. No fan will always be quieter than a fan running at low RPM.

Also, lesser volume of air moved through the case for cooling means that lesser dust accumulates inside, thereby extending the interval after which I have to do a thorough vaccuming. Instead of being yearly exercise, it could become an olympic or world cup.

I am very much looking forward to improvements in performance / watt on desktop.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Same here. I drive my Prius, I pay a premium for 100% wind-powered electricity for the home, etc.

But no way can I figure out how to get to your kind of power consumption

I figure at least since my electrons are coming from 100% renewable then at least I'm doing less harm with my pig'ish power consumption as a household. (my Feb power bill was $500 )

Did you check the consumption of your fridge and freezer? They can be some of the biggest powerhogs.

All our appliances are from 2008 or later and A/A+ rated. It could be better with A+++

 

[Puppies04]

Most people who don't care about power consumption are the ones that don't really pay the electricity bill....

Actually I would imagine that considering the cost of high end rigs that actually gobble up huge amounts of power that your observation is incorrect.

Most people who don't care about power consumption really don't care if they spend an extra $10 a month on electricity because $10 really doesn't matter to them.

It would be like shopping for supercars and basing your purchase on MPG, it just doesn't happen in the real world.

 

[frozentundra123456]

only concern is heat and the fan noise required to dissapate it.

the sad truth about worrying about saving the world is that for every gram of CO2 emmissions you try to reduce there is a megacorporation trying to increase CO2 emissions in the name of cost savings, a marketing department trying to obfuscate the nature of the emissions, a thinktank selling anti-science and a government backing them all up...hook, line and sinker. Until we fix that hot mess (and it is not looking good friends) the little we can possibly do to cut back on power consumption will merely amount to a feel-good gesture

...that is notthecase however for tangible benefits like less noise, a cooler PC corner in the summer, etc

No, you cant save the world, but you can do what you can to reduce energy consumption. I am not saying one should run a low power machine necessarily, but that you should run one that uses the least power for the performance level that you need. Why not do that??

 

[RyanGreener]

Actually I would imagine that considering the cost of high end rigs that actually gobble up huge amounts of power that your observation is incorrect.

There's a difference to me if you have a powerful rig that consumes lots of power, and a powerful rig that can consume even MORE power. People go with ridiculously high voltage overclocks that increase power consumption even more for such little benefit, etc. Then there's the whole AMD vs Intel debate and power consumption on that end too (generally how AMD people say they've saved money when they're really not going to). Either way, my "observation" was just a generalization that I've noticed. It's not going to be 100% correct, but it's usually the case.

 

[scannall]

I do. Mostly because of heat and noise. That's the main reason I will build a Haswell rig this year. Lower power means less heat and less noise to cool it. I always use air cooling since the thought of liquid inside the case makes my skin crwl.

 

[Vinwiesel]

I pay the electric bill, and I care, but mainly because of noise and heat. I always go overkill with the cpu heatsink, run a silent fan, and only overclock without adding much voltage. If I can make a power saving upgrade that will pay for itself in less than 2 years, I'll go for it. If not, it doesn't make sense. I still have an Athlon 5200 in use as an HTPC, because it would take over ten years of electricity savings to pay for an efficient upgrade. I replaced the 8800GTX with a GT520 since it saved 50W and was only $15. It will pay for itself in just over a year, and doesn't heat up my room as much in the summer.

I run CFL's only, and for the most part they last a very long time. I have about 20 of them, and 1 or 2 a year dies on me. My fridge/freezer is 30+ years old, but is surprisingly efficient. Definitely put a kill-a-watt on an appliance to be sure before assuming it is inefficient and replacing it.

On monitors, turning down the backlight brightness can also drop the wattage and reduce heat significantly. On my korean 1440P monitor it was at full brightness by default, but by turning the brightness down it went from 70W to about 45 (worst case on a white screen), without making much difference in the picture. You can then turn up the brightness in video settings without there being much difference.

My electric bill averages $25 a month.

 

[Idontcare]

Actually I would imagine that considering the cost of high end rigs that actually gobble up huge amounts of power that your observation is incorrect.

Most people who don't care about power consumption really don't care if they spend an extra $10 a month on electricity because $10 really doesn't matter to them.

It would be like shopping for supercars and basing your purchase on MPG, it just doesn't happen in the real world.

IMO the only people who can truly afford to burn through money like it was nothing to them are the limited few people who can actually afford to burn money.

Otherwise I'd be willing to bet those folks who talk the talk have financial situations that don't really hold up under scrutiny. They have mortgages on houses they can't really afford, car loans, student loans, questionable job security to fund the payments for the duration of the debt, combined with implausible assumptions regarding their retirement savings.

America is setup to make people feel like they are rich so they will spend today rather than save for tomorrow. The list of bankrupt lottery winners speaks to that.

Just because you are ok with burning $10 doesn't necessarily mean you aren't a fool for doing so. Our country's economy is based on separating fools from their money.

 

[WilliamM2]

Don't really concern myself with power usage. I do turn my desktop off when I'm not using it though.

But it's such a small percentage of total household energy usage as to not be worth worrying about.

 

[Arachnotronic]

IMO the only people who can truly afford to burn through money like it was nothing to them are the limited few people who can actually afford to burn money.

Otherwise I'd be willing to bet those folks who talk the talk have financial situations that don't really hold up under scrutiny. They have mortgages on houses they can't really afford, car loans, student loans, questionable job security to fund the payments for the duration of the debt, combined with implausible assumptions regarding their retirement savings.

America is setup to make people feel like they are rich so they will spend today rather than save for tomorrow. The list of bankrupt lottery winners speaks to that.

Just because you are ok with burning $10 doesn't necessarily mean you aren't a fool for doing so. Our country's economy is based on separating fools from their money.

Wisdom.

 

[Gikaseixas]

Most people who don't care about power consumption are the ones that don't really pay the electricity bill....

Work hard for my money but I don't think that paying 5 or so more dollars is that unreasonable.

 

[Puppies04]

IMO the only people who can truly afford to burn through money like it was nothing to them are the limited few people who can actually afford to burn money.

Otherwise I'd be willing to bet those folks who talk the talk have financial situations that don't really hold up under scrutiny. They have mortgages on houses they can't really afford, car loans, student loans, questionable job security to fund the payments for the duration of the debt, combined with implausible assumptions regarding their retirement savings.

America is setup to make people feel like they are rich so they will spend today rather than save for tomorrow. The list of bankrupt lottery winners speaks to that.

Just because you are ok with burning $10 doesn't necessarily mean you aren't a fool for doing so. Our country's economy is based on separating fools from their money.

For most of us this is a hobby idontcare, assuming you end up saving money by running your CPUs lapped and with the optimal TIM how many decades will they need to run to offset the cost of the many tubes of TIM and sanding pads you have bought? I would bet my house on the fact that they will never offset that cost but I don't accuse you of "wasting your retirement money" by posting the results.

 

[Piroko]

I care about idle power usage most, with longevity a close second one. Idle power usage because my PC is idling about 90% of its time, longevity, because, well, *takes a deep breath*:

I only ever replace stuff if it's broken, ridiculously old, or if it's obvious that I'm able to save money by buying new. Everything else won't be good for the enviroment either. And when I buy new, I research what to buy.
Up until recently I had a 80+ non-bronze PSU. It got dodgy, thus it got replaced. Replacing it early would have cost me money and created more hazardous waste with barely any impact on my power bill. But when I bought new, I went for a branded 80+ gold (platin was still rare).

I'm still sitting on an Phenom2 x3 because its idle power is rather decent and its heavily undervolted. Replacing it early for no other reason but to save a bit more electricity would definitely be a waste of money and resources, no matter how I look at it. And that's with electricity prices of > 0.3$ per kwh. But if I'll buy new, it'll probably shave off another 10-20 Watts of idle power (even if I might pay extra for it).

My last car ran for 13 years until it started to break down. When buying new I decided for a Golf TSI: I can literally commute the 20 miles to and from work without breaking once. A hybrid car couldn't make good use of its recuperation system and if not for that it's just a heavy car.
Also, the Golf is a lot of cheap fun compared to, say, a Prius

I still have some incandescent lightbulbs in lamps I hardly use. If a CCFL gets too dim in one of the other rooms I replace one of those lightbulbs with it, but switching all bulbs to CCFLs just because I can? Money waste and, well, more waste.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Its all about making the right buying decision. Rather than radically change your life.

Is the fridge/freezer old and wasteful? Replace it, its economic viable.

Is your house leaking heat or cold? Insulate it. It will pay itself back.

Need a new appliance. One is 200W the other 500W and result is the same? Get the 200W.

We dont turn of the TV and lights because we go 20mins to shop in the supermarket. We just make sure it doesnt use that much power in the first place. 85W for a 55" LED Smart TV for example. Instead of say a 500W Plasma TV or 250W CCFL LCD TV.

 

[CHADBOGA]

Yes I care about CPU Power Consumption.

For this reason, I never considered getting a Socket 1366 Nehalem processor and waited for Lynnfield instead.

Having said this, it doesn't mean that I would be prepared to sacrifice performance for greater power consumption efficiency from where I am now, as my inner treehugger is quite comfortable with Ivy Bridge's power consumption.

 

[Magic Carpet]

or you can turn everything off and spend the weekend outdoors. trekking, fishing, whatever you fancy. you want to go green, start with yourself. your mind/body needs it more. Keep it balanced.

 

[2is]

After IDC's power consumption thread it's pretty important to me. Particularly after buying a Kill-A-Watt and measuring all day usage and calculating costs. It's still a secondary concern next to overall performance (which is why I OC) but more important that it has been in the past, which is one reason why my OC is rather mild.

 

[Krazy4Real]

I'm not really concerned, but I turn it off at night.