Is there a way to tell how much wattage your computer is using at any point in time?

[AyashiKaibutsu]

My UPS software measures the load on it by percentage. Max load is 900 watts. It's usually between 20-25 percent. That's for my computer monitor and speakers.

 

[sharkeeper]

Lab tests done by Dell show that an [average] PC running Microsoft Office uses 42.7 watts

I wish! My friggin' notebook uses 150W when charging the battery and playing TW2004 at the same time!

If I power it from an automotive system, the vehicle must started every hour to prevent killing the cranking battery. Thank goodness boats don't have this problem!

Cheers!

 

[0roo0roo]

if one lowers clock speed but not voltage using crystalcpuid or similar program, will that lower power use? i ask because i can with my mobilebarton, but my m/b not equiped to do the voltage change in o/s.

oh yea guys with the kill a watt(i so want one ) how much power does your system use in standby?

 

[0roo0roo]

eh fiddling with clock seems to lower cpu temp hmm. only question is if cpu at low clock + high voltage = damage? running at 670~mhz now. max speed of 2.2ghz. 8c drop. wish there was software powernow control.

 

[0roo0roo]

400mhz, 10c drop!

 

[eno]

APC UPS software will tell you what you are currently running at. Haven't tried the software without my UPS though.

 

[RalfHutter]

My gaming rig (P4 3.0, 9600Pro, 1HDD, other specs in system rigs) idles in the low 80W area and under full load (2xCPUBurn, 3DMark, burning a CD, huge data transfer with HDD) it uses around 160-170W. Whoopee!

 

[boomerang]

Ummmm, so why are we all buying these 430W Power Supplies?

 

[eno]

With my UPS software my system reads 311 on idle and 346 full fan power w/ 21" Sony. Thats with the fans on there lower settings and the lights on. Look under my systems to see what I have.

 

[eelw]

Received my Kill a Watt today. Nice little device. And the price is amazing. All other Watt Meters that I have seen are well over $100. Well need to go and start measuring power requirements of various devices around the house.

 

[Squisher]

BTW - these Kill A Watt meters can be had on ebay for $27.95 + $5 shipping rather than $34.95 + $6.99

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: AncientPC
Is there a way to tell how much wattage your computer is using at any point in time?

Any way to tell?

Sure.

Exactly,

Unplug it . . . it is using ZERO watts
(i think that covers your "any point in time" criteria)



:roll:









Sorry . . . i saw this topic for days . . . and up till now . . .



. .. i have refrained from commenting.

Sorry.



(thanks for the post, up till now it has been interesting)

Originally posted by: boomerang
Ummmm, so why are we all buying these 430W Power Supplies?

nVidia is working together with power supply manuacturers to encourage us to get a 480w PS.

i did.

i am set for the next TWO upgrade cycles.

 

[vegetation]

Originally posted by: Squisher
BTW - these Kill A Watt meters can be had on ebay for $27.95 + $5 shipping rather than $34.95 + $6.99

Yes, so buy one and post your results! Maybe we can get a database going somewhere.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: vegetation

Originally posted by: Squisher
BTW - these Kill A Watt meters can be had on ebay for $27.95 + $5 shipping rather than $34.95 + $6.99

Yes, so buy one and post your results! Maybe we can get a database going somewhere.

I did buy one. I have a daughter who refuses to turn off her computer. I figured I'd sneak in and plug it in when she wasn't home. Then confront her with the results.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: boomerang
Ummmm, so why are we all buying these 430W Power Supplies?

An average passenger car can cruise at freeway speeds on 15 to 25 horsepower. So why are we all looking for the 180hp V6 engine when shopping for a new passenger car?

 

[hahher]

you could just go to tom's and compare your comp to measurements they've made so far

 

[Mavrick007]

Probably cause of the freakish power requirements of new hardware, such as nVidia's card.
Not to mention alot of the lower wattage and cheaper PSUs don't have enough molex
connectors without splitting them.