I thought I would start a thread dedicated to how much power our PC's consume.  I know not everyone has the equipment to do this so I might not get that many people posting.


Rules:

1)  First, you need to plug your computer into something like this http://www.newegg.com/Pro...x?Item=N82E16882715001

2)  Then.....the highest score wins!  Use whatever you want....games, folding, benchmarks.....anything, but take a picture of the highest wattage you draw from the wall and post it here.

3)  Only plug your PSU into the meter if you can help it.  I would like to limit the test to your PC only and not your monitor, stereo system, gaming consoles, printer/fax/scanner etc.

Please use the following template, just copy and paste it into your post and input your specific info.  Make sure to include a picture.

CPU:  Q9550 @ 3.825GHz
Vcore: 1.294V
RAM: Mushkin DDR2 @ 1080MHz
RAM Voltage: 2.05V
GPU(s): GTX285 @ 740/1700/2850
Hard Drive(s):  2x 1TB WD Caviar Black, 1x 30GB OCZ Vertex
Optical Drive(s): 1x SATA Samsung DVD burner
Fans/Cooling: 6x 120mm LED case fans, 1x 120mm heatsink fan, 1x 200mm LED case fan.
Additional PCI: Auzentech Forte
PSU: Corsair HX620
Max Watts:  TBD  (Now to find my meter!)
Max Watts attained using:  TBD

I'm doing this so people can get a general idea of the power their PC actually consumes.  Maybe we can dispel some of the false claims some people have about power.......the claims that a heavily OC'd i7 and Quad GTX295's need in excess of 1200W or less than 600W, or that a single GTX285 needs at least 550W with SLI needing at least 750W........I say let's prove it!!

Remember that your meter is only giving you the power consumed at the wall.  The power being drawn from your PSU will be less.

I hope I get some good data from a wide range of people.  Single stock CPU/GPU's, to SLI, TRI, QUAD, or even an OCTO-GPU Folding rig.  Running LN2, No Problem!  Liquid helium, Sure!  EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

richj44

This is going to be an interesting thread. 

If I get the time tonight after work I'll try to capture a screen shot, but I've checked this not too long in the past.  Just going off my memory my system draws about 500 watts max, with the monitor included.  This was based on the APC UPS that I have everything plugged in to, and running Furmark and Prime 95.  System is straight stock, nothing overclocked, so the ram is 1.8v and the Q6600 is whatever it is when not overclocked. 

Will try to verify everything tonight and post back...

Thanks for the post Rich.  So if the 500 watts is as you remember then we can minus 42 watts for the monitor and x 85% for your PSU's approximate efficiency at that power level, according the the 80Plus Report for your PSU.

458W x 0.85 = 389.3W Max load from the PSU.  Nice!

CPU:  C2Q Q9300 @ 3.4 GHz
Vcore: 1.38V
MB: EVGA 750i FTW  
RAM: 4GB OCZ DDR2 @ 800 MHz 
RAM Voltage: 2.1V
GPU(s): GTX 260 (55nm) @ 720/1548/1269
Hard Drive(s):  3x 500GB WD Caviar Black (RAID 5) 
Optical Drive(s): 1x SATA LG DVD burner
Fans/Cooling: 2x 120mm case fans, 1x LED 120mm case fan, Corsair H50 w. stock 120mm PWM fan.
Additional PCI: Rosewill Wireless-N card 
PSU: PC P&C Silencer 750 
Max Watts:  475 watts x 84.39 % = 401 watts
Max Watts attained using:  Kill-a-watt meter, in OCCT PSU test 
  
 

CPU: q6600
Vcore: 1.42V
MB: EVGA 680sli 
RAM: 4GB mushkin 
RAM Voltage: 2.1V
GPU(s): GTX 260 65nm 691/1458/1215
Hard Drive(s):  1tb wd black, 750g wd black 
Optical Drive(s):  1x liteon dvd burner, 1x dvd drive
Fans/Cooling: 6x 120mm antec tricool, 1x 80mm, 1x pci cooler, 2x evercool nb/sb coolers
Additional PCI: sb x-fi pro gamer, saber tv tuner
PSU: pc power cool 750w
Max Watts:  390 x 83 % = 323.7w
Max Watts attained using:  Kill-a-watt meter,  prime 95
 
idles around 230w
 

Afterburner

While the process has many flaws..... I am so liking this idea!!! I plan to participate... "Searching" for my crap now

Yeah it's flawed but it should be within +/- 5% or so.  I thought of the best and easiest way so that everyone could participate with nothing more than a $20 meter....and over simplified math.  I am happy to see that you are going to participate!

corpsmaker

Hello kaninja,
 
This is a great thread, with some great infomation going to come out of it slightly flawed or not.  Since you are finding out the amount of watts (max) used I was wondering if we could add something in relation to this figure and that would be how much does it really cost to run your computer for either a month or year (cost). Lets call it cost of ownership. I think this would also show some real good information.  I do regret that I do not have this tool available to see what my max watts would be.  I think this would be some good information for everyone.
 
CorpsMaker

Kind of abandoned my own thread, sorry everyone.  Thanks for the suggestion CorpsMaker.  If anyone wants to include their estimated annual cost for their PC that would be great.  I'll leave that up to each individual though as everyone's $/kWh is different depending where they live.

I also think I should be more trusting of everyone so the photo of your peak number is optional.  I know most meters are not back-lit and almost all are under a desk in a dark corner, so I don't want to make this more difficult than it needs to be.  So no biggie.  As it turns out my meter is really hard to read, because I can't find it ANYWHERE!  I'm ordering a new one tonight because being the originator of this thread I kind of find it unacceptable that I haven't put my money where my mouth is.....stay tuned.

Sorry, no shots of peak on Killawatt, here's what's on my bench 
MB: Asus P5N-E SLI
CPU:  E6850 @ 3.6 GHz
Vcore: 1.344v ( cpu-z )
GPU: GTX260 c192 @ 626/1055 ( stock voltage )
Ram: 2x2 G Skill Pi Black 800 MHz 1.8v
HD's: 2 x 160gb WD Raid 0
OD: DVD/RW
Sound: SB Live
Cooling: Stock Intel cooler
               120 mm system fan ( .4a )
PSU: Gigabyte Odin GT 550 with Power Tuner software.
354 watts ( Killawatt, running Orthos and Furmark )
84.86% typ. eff. ( rounded up to 85% ) http://www.80plus.org/manu/psu/psu_reports/GIGABYTE-GE-S550A-D1-550W-Report.pdf
300.9 watts
Power Tuner shows a peak of 295 watts  ( 107w Total is after both tests have been exited )

i have quite a few results here for you all.
CPU:  i7 920 @ 21x191--> 4011ghz
Vcore: 1.300V
RAM: Mushkin 6GB DDR3 redline cs6 1600mhz
RAM Voltage: 1.65V
GPU(s): Quad SLI GTX 295 @ 710/1566/1210, 9800GT @ 700/1728/1000 physx
Hard Drive(s):  2x 1.5tb seagate, 1x 1tb WD green, 640 WD black
Optical Drive(s): 1x LG IDE DVD burner
Fans/Cooling: 3x120mm koolance 110cfm, 2x250mm blue led case fans, 1x120 60cfm rear exhaust
Additional PCI: NA
PSU: Corsair HX1000w
Max Watts:  1355w=1.355kw
Max Watts attained using:  Furmark+Prime 95+9800gt folding

here is a list of all the testing i did
Idle-360w
idle gpu oc-400w
gaming batman AA benchmark-640w
folding on 5 gpu-760w
vantage- ~870w
furmark on quadsli- 1125w
furmark + 9800gt folding- 1183
furmark + prime 95 + 9800gt folding - 1355w
*please keep in mind that these are taken from the wall the psu is only outputting about 82% of these values*

feel as though it would be a bit higher if i got my oc up to around 4.4ghz

so for all you out their wondering what kind of power usage a quad sli set uses here you go

here is the picture couldn't get a picture of it under the most heavy load since it is hard to time with the camera.

kaninja

Thanks for the great post ajr23.  That is some awesome data.  So far you have matched the highest output from the HX1000 I have seen....right around 1,100W.  That is one bad *** PSU indeed.  Where are you from?  Are you running 115VAC or 240?

You are the power consumption King so far!!  Now to find someone that can dethrone you.......hmmm, I'd like to see what Hallowen's numbers are.

Nice to have more proof to shove in peoples faces that folding is relatively light when power consumption is concerned.

Cheers,
K

currently im living in issaquah, wa i think power here is 8cents per kwh, and my computer is running off of a 120 volt outlet although i think i do have a 220volt outlet in my room i guess ill have to check the box later.  when i first got the watt meter i was surprised by how much power folding was using, i always thought that it was more especially with a quad sli setup. if you want me to run anymore test just send me a pm or post here in this thread.

Got my new Kill-A-Watt meter and was so excited to use it and post my numbers.  And it's DOA!!!!  Back to the Egg it went.  It will be a bit longer until I can give results.  Frustrating!!

Hey corpsmaker those look like some fancy numbers.  Seem a bit low to me, but then my power costs is way more.  Too tired from the flu to do math right now....thought I was going to die!