What is your desktop power usage while browsing these forums?

[Idontcare]

I've done a few Win8 installations and every single one required an email address to complete the setup/sign-in procedure.

Really? That is strange. I wonder how I managed to avoid that. I activated the installation, put in the code and all that, but no email. None.

I know I didn't have to put in an email address because of one reason - I NEVER use my real email address for anything, I create disposable emails for everything I ever register. And I didn't make one (didn't need to) for my Win8 box.

Now a couple things that might make a difference there - I don't use the roaming/remote profile. My profile is a local profile. Does that make a difference?

I just checked the setup right now and sure enough there is no email address registered for my user. It asks me to put one in but doesn't require it, no nagging popups or anything.

 

[2is]

I'm sure it probably makes a difference, I haven't played with it enough. My main OS is still Win7, my HTPC is Win8 and I've setup a couple Win8 retail computers which I just went through all the default options on.

 

[Homeles]

Really? That is strange. I wonder how I managed to avoid that. I activated the installation, put in the code and all that, but no email. None.

I know I didn't have to put in an email address because of one reason - I NEVER use my real email address for anything, I create disposable emails for everything I ever register. And I didn't make one (didn't need to) for my Win8 box.

Now a couple things that might make a difference there - I don't use the roaming/remote profile. My profile is a local profile. Does that make a difference?

I just checked the setup right now and sure enough there is no email address registered for my user. It asks me to put one in but doesn't require it, no nagging popups or anything.

Yeah, you're not required to. Not sure about roaming vs. local though.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

You can do local user without an e-mail.

 

[lakedude]

People hate on Win8 because they hate change, and the learning curve that comes along with change.

Perhaps true in some cases but a ridiculous notion in mine.

I've used dozens of operating systems and usually enjoy checking out the new versions. W8 has been an exception.

1) Had trouble with W8 on the network, W7 works perfect.

2) Had trouble with W8 backup, Macrium Reflect works perfect.

3) Knew in advance how to turn off the computer but why did they find the need to hide the software off button?

4) Edge Swipe with a touch-pad is the worst! If you don't use a touch-pad you don't really know how annoying W8 can really be. I disabled Edge Swipe and life instantly got much better.

5) Unless you tick the "always on top" box for Task Manager BEFORE you have a problem, Task Manager puts itself to the back making it useless for killing a misbehaving program. Sure one click fixes the issue but this is a very annoying issue, especially combined with all the other issues.

Sorry for going OT BTW...

 

[Ajay]

You can do local user without an e-mail.

Yeah, I think that is only required if you want to use the Windows 8 Store :sneaky:

If I wanted another iOS device, I would've bought one...

 

[bononos]

This thread makes me think that AT reviews should include power consumption for 1-thread (browsing/video) loads instead of only idle (c3/6 state) and 100% (linx/ibt/gaming).

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6396/the-vishera-review-amd-fx8350-fx8320-fx6300-and-fx4300-tested/6

Like how xbit has the 1-thread test.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/fx-8350-8320-6300-4300_8.html

 

[Mark R]

My system:
i7-3770K @ 4.5 (+0.17V offset)
P8Z77-M
32G RAM
MSI 2G Radeon 7970
3x 3T Seagate 7200-14 drives
1x 160G Intel G2
1x BD-ROM
1x DVD-multiRW drive

Pic of my power consumption:

Phase 1: Getting ready, loading chrome ready for idle browsing (semi-idle)
Phase 2: Idle (power saving profile) 67W
Phase 3: Idle (high performance profile) 73W
Phase 4: (only just visible) Idle (balanced profile)71W
Phase 5: Loading crysis3 122W
Phase 6: Playing crysis3 242W
Phase 7: Crysis running in background window (while posting this message) 220W

 

[Idontcare]

My system:
i7-3770K @ 4.5 (+0.17V offset)
P8Z77-M
32G RAM
MSI 2G Radeon 7970
3x 3T Seagate 7200-14 drives
1x 160G Intel G2
1x BD-ROM
1x DVD-multiRW drive

Pic of my power consumption:

Phase 1: Getting ready, loading chrome ready for idle browsing (semi-idle)
Phase 2: Idle (power saving profile) 67W
Phase 3: Idle (high performance profile) 73W
Phase 4: (only just visible) Idle (balanced profile)71W
Phase 5: Loading crysis3 122W
Phase 6: Playing crysis3 242W
Phase 7: Crysis running in background window (while posting this message) 220W

Cool :thumbsup: What manner of data-logger are you using there?

 

[Deders]

I turn hardware acceleration of for browsers so it doesn't interfere with games, hence when I load my browser my graphics card is at it's lowest clock (50MHz)

 

[2is]

I turn hardware acceleration of for browsers so it doesn't interfere with games, hence when I load my browser my graphics card is at it's lowest clock (50MHz)

Can you elaborate on that? I've got 100 games via Steam alone and no "interference" that I can notice.

 

[Deders]

I'm still using a 560TI with 1GB Vram (soon to be upgraded to an Asus 670 direct CU II), So I disable things like windows themes and hardware acelleration on browsers t o allocate more resources to games.

I'll switch themes (and therefore aero, around 50MB of Vram) back on when I'm not gaming.

I also find myself alt tabbing to check on Facebook or forums etc so the least confusioon for the cards the better.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Set the turbo-v power setting to 'optimized' either in BIOS or in the asus software- it should drop power consumption some more. I am running a 3570K on a P877M with LV ddr3 and a gold-rated PSU: it idles below 29W @ outlet.

I just put together a new 3770k desktop which is a work-box and I am sitting here looking at the power draw at the wall according to kill-a-watt and am just astounded that the system (sans the screen) draws a mere 43W from the wall

That is not the idle power per se, that is what it is drawing while I am typing this post in addition to having eight (8) instances of MetaTrader 4 open in the background constantly polling and pulling forex data from the internet for nearly 300 currency pairs simultaneously (some are redundant currency pairs but are polling from multiple brokers).

I am so use to seeing low-activity power draw in the 80-90W range with my other rigs, I about fell out of my chair when I saw how low it is with this setup.

And the hardware is not exactly impressive in terms of high efficiency. The PSU for example is a $20 budget series Corsair CX430 PSU that is rated as being a mere "80 Plus Bronze". (I traditionally go for the Gold or Platinum certified PSU's, but couldn't pass up the deal for $20 shipped w/MIR).

This got me wondering - maybe I've just been in the dark all this time as to how low of power usage most people see with their systems in non-compute intensive applications (I'm usually focused on the "full load" power numbers myself)

So, what is your power consumption at the wall for your rig when you are posting/browsing this forum without much else going on in the background for your computer?

I prefer your numbers to be measured at the wall, without your screen, with a hardware tool like kill-a-watt just to make this be as apples-to-apples as possible.

Also, please list your specs just so we get a sense of what is driving the power consumption higher or lower.

My specs:

• i7-3770k (stock, but mobo runs it @3.9GHz all cores)
• mobo - ASUS P8 Z77-V LK
• ram - 4x4GB DDR3-1866 GSkill 1.5V
• video - HD4000 (iGPU, stock)
• SSD - Samsung 840 250MB
• PSU - Corsair CX430 (80plus bronze)
• fans - 3x120mm Cougar PWM + 1x140mm LEPA PWM

^ this nets me ~43W at the wall while doing "desktop" work. When I fire up LinX and push to full load the power usage increases to 144W (nothing unusual there, it is the 43W of "active idle" power that I find surprising)

 

[Elfear]

Is bitcoin mining profitable at those power consumption levels?

Sorry for the late reply. Mining is still profitable, especially with coins going for $65-70. After electricity costs, profit is around $240/month.

I like the premise of your thread by the way. Interesting to see how low people can get their browsing power usage.

 

[Idontcare]

Set the turbo-v power setting to 'optimized' either in BIOS or in the asus software- it should drop power consumption some more. I am running a 3570K on a P877M with LV ddr3 and a gold-rated PSU: it idles below 29W @ outlet.

Unless I'm thinking of the wrong parameter, I already have it set to "optimized" in the bios.

My true idle runs me 35-36W. A bit higher than yours but my PSU is probably the difference at that point.

Would be interesting to throw it on my platinum plus PSU (96% efficiency?) to see if it gets into the twenties for idle power.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Would be interesting to throw it on my platinum plus PSU (96% efficiency?) to see if it gets into the twenties for idle power.

Those aren't as efficient at lower loads, you might see an improvement , but I doubt it will be anything more than 5w. Try it

 

[AtenRa]

Just measured my mini-itx HTPC,

AMD Llano A8-3870K (default)
GiGabyte A75N-USB3
2x 4GB Kingston 1866MHz DDR-3
256GB Vertex 4
Slim DVD-RW Sony-Optiarc AD7740H
Case CoolerMaster Elite 100

Idle = 24W
Browsing Firefox = 29-35W
Movie Playback (VLC) : Battleship 1080p DTS-HD = 41-45W
Gaming : Civ V = 75-88W

Not bad for 100W APU.

 

[Idontcare]

Just measured my mini-itx HTPC,

AMD Llano A8-3870K (default)
GiGabyte A75N-USB3
2x 4GB Kingston 1866MHz DDR-3
256GB Vertex 4
Slim DVD-RW Sony-Optiarc AD7740H
Case CoolerMaster Elite 100

Idle = 24W
Browsing Firefox = 29-35W
Movie Playback (VLC) : Battleship 1080p DTS-HD = 41-45W
Gaming : Civ V = 75-88W

Not bad for 100W APU.

Oh I like the sound of that from a HTPC perspective. And correct me if I am wrong but AMD's APU GPUs don't have any weird hitching or stutter with 24fps material like the Intel iGPU, right?

I don't have experience in the HTPC side of things, but I have to imagine the prospects of 65W TDP Richland-based HTPCs have got to have those folks all smiles right now.

 

[Obie327]

I don't have any fancy power meter stuff but my battery backup APC unit shows an average rating with monitor and speakers of 95 watts with an I5 3570k overclocked to 4.0 ghz and Msi gtx 660. I'm also running a 600 gig Raptor and 8 gigs of corsair 1866 memory. But this reading is just on this site with media player in background at this very moment.

 

[bgt]

Movie Playback XMBC : 1080p HD = 38W on my HTPC(A4-5300)
No stutter at all.

 

[bononos]

Oh I like the sound of that from a HTPC perspective. And correct me if I am wrong but AMD's APU GPUs don't have any weird hitching or stutter with 24fps material like the Intel iGPU, right?

I don't have experience in the HTPC side of things, but I have to imagine the prospects of 65W TDP Richland-based HTPCs have got to have those folks all smiles right now.

Its my understanding that the SB/IB 24fps bug is overblown because it only affects people who are playing back video on tv/displays that can accept and output native 24p instead of the usual 60p. Blu ray videos typically go through the 3:2 pulldown process to sync to 60hz on tv/displays.

And according to the link in this thread, there is a s/w workaround for sb systems which would minimize the judder bug to the same level as nvidia/amd discrete cards.

 

[Idontcare]

Its my understanding that the SB/IB 24fps bug is overblown because it only affects people who are playing back video on tv/displays that can accept and output native 24p instead of the usual 60p. Blu ray videos typically go through the 3:2 pulldown process to sync to 60hz on tv/displays.

And according to the link in this thread, there is a s/w workaround for sb systems which would minimize the judder bug to the same level as nvidia/amd discrete cards.

That is good to know.

So would it be fair to assume that with the advent of APU/iGPU that basically no HTPC uses a discrete video card?

I'm wondering if my 2600K would make for an acceptable HTPC with its iGPU. I understand the CPU itself would be overkill, but I already own the CPU and am just looking for a home for it. If it can be converted into a low-power HTPC then that is a win for me.

 

[AtenRa]

That is good to know.

So would it be fair to assume that with the advent of APU/iGPU that basically no HTPC uses a discrete video card?

I'm wondering if my 2600K would make for an acceptable HTPC with its iGPU. I understand the CPU itself would be overkill, but I already own the CPU and am just looking for a home for it. If it can be converted into a low-power HTPC then that is a win for me.

I would sell the 2600K and buy a nice mini-itx FM2 board + the A10-5800K or wait for the 6800K.

 

[SPBHM]

That is good to know.

So would it be fair to assume that with the advent of APU/iGPU that basically no HTPC uses a discrete video card?

if you use madVR, SVP and other video related things, the HD 3000 is probably not enough.

 

[Tsavo]

Forgot to press the go button on my Amazon order last week. Killawatt should be here Friday, which will ruin a good portion of that day for me.