System Energy Loss: When Cool’n’Quiet Mode Doesn’t Function
by
Bert Toepelt
The complete system’s energy loss is similar to that of all the different CPUs. But additional losses occur with motherboard components like the Northbridge and voltage regulator, because when higher processor clock rates and increased computing power is demanded, more voltage is required, and therefore more power.
Our test system needs up to 24.5 watts more without Cool’n’Quiet mode; in the worst case, the motherboard needs about 3 watts more. Even when the PC is not being used, a lot of energy is wasted if the energy saving function is not available. This can be compared to room lighting generated by energy saving bulbs. The BE processor’s losses are not substantial, at 4.7 watts.
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my media centre based on a 3700+ (S939, single core san diego, 1MB, 2.2GHz) only uses 56-58W while running rosetta@home! That's including 1.25GB DDR (3 sticks), a freeview TV tuner, and a 2GB compactflash card on a Seasonic S12 330W PSU. It's undervolted as far as it'd go though...
What about performance per watt comparisons, which would have been the best comparison you could have made in such an article.
If you had a system that consumed 300W of power (forget about idle and full load differences for this question!!) with a 500W PSU, what would your power consumption be for the purpose of energy bill calculation?
Am I correct in believing that the rating of your PSU is the maximum power it can supply, and that it only actually draws what the system asks for? So in this case, your overall system power use would be 300W?
So, if you install a much more powerful PSU than you currently need (for the sake of future SLI upgrades) you wouldn't be wasting electricity?