New Sandy Bridge owners: What power draw are you idling at?

[Zap]

Been bench testing mine in preparation for using it to upgrade my wife's computer.

Idle power draw from the outlet measures at 62-64W (KAW type device).

This is with a GTX 470 installed and Turbo multiplier set to 45x. I really want to know what using an H67 chipset board and IGP idles at.

Full bench test parts list:
Core i5 2500K CPU
Cooler Master 212+ heatsink/fan
Asus P8P67 motherboard
ADATA 4GB DDR3-1333 low voltage 1.35v
MSI GeForce GTX 470 graphics card
Intel 80GB SSD (ADATA rebrand)
Rosewill RG630 PSU
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (fresh install)

I was actually stability testing it at 4.8GHz, but it needed somewhere around 1.44-1.48v to do that, so I backed off. Don't want to be the first kid on the block that kills one. After a bunch of testing, figured out that anything over around 4.5GHz starts requiring big voltage bumps - though it all stayed nice and stable as long as there was enough voltage. so, I settled for this as somewhat of a "safe" overclock:

Loading up four threads at 4.5GHz gets around 65°C CPU temps.

 

[Edrick]

I idle at 1.176v with LLC on. (specs below)

Load at 1.152v using Prime95.

 

[coffeejunkee]

Those numbers appear correct, 470 gets clocked way down in idle. I'm also assuming you have c-states enabled which makes cpu use almost nothing in idle, even when overclocked.

H67 boards use quite a bit less still:
http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/1949/13/5-intel-h67-moederborden-review-stroomverbruik

 

[aigomorla]

zap give me a load value on the KAW.

I want how much does it pull on something like linX, where ur gpu is not being factored in.

thank you in advance.

 

[Zap]

I idle at 1.176v with LLC on. (specs below)

Load at 1.152v using Prime95.

I meant the wattage draw from the wall, measured between the surge strip and your PSU.

For idle CPU voltage, mine dips under 1v.

I'm also assuming you have c-states enabled which makes cpu use almost nothing in idle, even when overclocked.

Yes. I see no reason to not allow CPU to idle as low as it can. This doesn't seem to affect the OC much when overclocked using the multiplier. I can see why people would disable that when using FSB/HTT/BCLK overclocking because the CPU will have an overclocked idle state and then idle voltage might be too low, but I can't think of any downsides here.

 

[Spike]

Dang, this is very interesting. My 6970 does not drop as low in idle as your 570 since I'm driving 2 LCD's and it stays at 500mhz but still. This begs the question... how much of a waste will it be to leave my BFG EX-1000 installed in my new SB build (building tomorrow) if it really is going to pull around 100w or so at idle? That's below the 20% threshold meaning my efficiency will be poor. Heck, at full load with an OC I doubt I will crack the 400 watt barrier.

The only reason I even bought this PSU was the $50 price tag for the refurb and I installed it just to test it out. I have many extra PSU's in the closet but the only modular is a NIB enermax 720w that I may sell. I think I'll leave it as I may want to get another 6970 for xfire someday.

 

[Markfw]

Mine has been at 100% since I turned it on... I may try a 100% load test...All c states disabled on mine.

 

[Ben90]

Being under the 20% threshold doesn't explicitly mean that your efficiency is terrible. While this is probably the most extreme example possible, an AX1200 is definitely more efficient at 100W than your Enermax 720.

*edit*
I read JonnyGURUs review of the EX1000 and the stuff Zap mentions below does in fact seem to work. It was managing 87.5% (really really good) efficiency at 168W.

 

[Zap]

This begs the question... how much of a waste will it be to leave my BFG EX-1000 installed in my new SB build (building tomorrow) if it really is going to pull around 100w or so at idle? That's below the 20% threshold meaning my efficiency will be poor.

No problems with the EX-1000. BFG had a USA exclusive on Andyson's "frequency conversion" technology. Basically it allows the PSU to stay efficient even at low power draws.

By using Frequency Conversion technology, the EX power supply can actually emulate virtually any size power supply and therefore be at least 80% efficient, even with loads as low as 10% of the unit's maximum capability.

 

[nyker96]

I think 4,5@1.32v isn't too bad, but 65C is a little surprising I'd thought it will be lower. 65W idling with 470 is great, you can probably take another 10-15W off if it's the on die gpu.

 

[Markfw]

ok, idle 91 watts (no c states enabled)

Load 160 watts 1.35 vcore, 4.4 ghz

kill-a-watt readings

I have a 6200 (smallest video card you can get)

 

[coffeejunkee]

Yes. I see no reason to not allow CPU to idle as low as it can. This doesn't seem to affect the OC much when overclocked using the multiplier. I can see why people would disable that when using FSB/HTT/BCLK overclocking because the CPU will have an overclocked idle state and then idle voltage might be too low, but I can't think of any downsides here.

Yes, leave them enabled, they do good stuff. Cpu will use only like 2W.

Also, I understood Sandy Bridge actually overclocks better with C1E and EIST enabled. Likely, this includes C-states as well. So go ahead Mark, enable them and save some trees.

But the power numbers are nice. For comparison:
my P55 system stock with 5750 idles around 75W and load 145W (Cinebench 11.5, in which it is obviously a lot slower than SB at 4.5 160W)

 

[IntelUser2000]

I really want to know what using an H67 chipset board and IGP idles at.

Wait a week and you'll know.

 

[RussianSensation]

There is no reason at all to keep C1, C3-C6, EIST disabled on modern motherboards. Even my Core i7 860 @ 3.9ghz goes down to 1674mhz at idle @ 0.96V without impairing the overclock. If the mobo cannot function properly with an overclock and power saving features enabled, if anything that's the first sign of inferior quality of the mobo.

 

[GZFant]

P8P67 Pro
Stock Intel Heatsink

Hope this helps.

 

[Zap]

I think 4,5@1.32v isn't too bad, but 65C is a little surprising I'd thought it will be lower.

Yeah, not too sure about those temperatures. They are what the Asus software reports. In Windows it will idle just around or under 1v at 1.6GHz, and temperatures will be somewhere in the 30°C range. However, as soon as I start up some load testing, temps will jump pretty quickly to the 60°C range. I'm pretty confident of my heatsink install, and it doesn't feel warm at all. In fact, the warmest part is the P67 chipset itself, and it doesn't even feel that hot (not like my little X58 inferno).

I guess I can dig out my IR thermometer for some readings.

 

[Spike]

No problems with the EX-1000. BFG had a USA exclusive on Andyson's "frequency conversion" technology. Basically it allows the PSU to stay efficient even at low power draws.

oooh, very nice to know, thanks for that!

My 2500k is sitting on my front porch right now... too bad I won't be leaving work for at least 4 more hours

 

[aigomorla]

161W off the wall with what gpu card?

Because these are most definiely higher values then ES's.

 

[Fjodor2001]

Anybody running a system with the 2500K, without overclocking it, and without a discrete GFX card?

In that case, what idle power consumption do you get?