Computer Power Usage?

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ssjheero_yuy99

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Hello, I am wondering if there is a way to determine how much power my computer is using. In watts if possible. (since thats how they measure power supplies).

Thanks!
 
Ya, i think WInBond Hardware monitor, i don't know the site, but it says temp and voltage of your hardware so it might be correct.
 
Can I ask why you care? At most, it's the max of your PSU. At least, it's zero. Inbetween, it's the sum of the average power consumption of each component. If you're looking to add more components and want to know how much more power you have, add up the stuff you got and see. Anything else is really irrelevant.
 
Thank you for your replies. I am a bit confused with your answer ShoobieRat. The reason that I am trying to figure it out is exactly what you said, to see how much my power supply is being used, so that I can know if i'm using 50% 60% or even 90% of my power supplies total output. The reason is one) my psu is throwing alot of hot air out, and two), It will help me determine exactly how much it costs per hr/day/week/month/year to leave my computer on.

Mostly i'm looking to figure out how to do so for my own use, and so that I can better advise my friends when they ask me what they need when they decide to buy/upgrade a computer.

Again, thanks for the replies!
 
Hot air is fine, and is less a determinor of power consumption as it is a factor of the type of PSU you have.

If you want to know how much power is being used, check the power requirements for each component in your system, including fans, and add it up. Then you can see how many watts, out of your total PSU, you're using.

You could put a meter on the PSU, but assuming you don't have one, that's an expensive thing to get.

Either way, unless your rig is TOTALLY specd out with SLI and tons of drives and all, chances are you aren't using more than 400 watts. That's like four lightbulbs running in your house...which isn't much in the way of $$.
 
My server (old MMX) uses 65 watts. It costs me about $90-100 per year to keep it running 24/7.

I didn't check my main computer's power usage yet, but my monitor uses 85 watts.
 
Thanks for your replies!

I'll try and add up the power consumption of my components. some might be hard, since its a factory build. but I'll see what I can do.

as far as i'm conserned, $90-100 a year is alot of money...

I downloaded speed fan and it lists the current voltage levels, does anyone know exactly how to convert the voltage levels over?

my current levels are below:
Vcore1: 1.52V
Vcore2: 1.50V
+3.3V: 3.23V
+5V: 4.92V
+12V 11.97V
-12V: -8.82V
-5V: -2.07V
+5V: 4.96V
Vbat: 3.07V

some of these are negative... that seems strange.

Again, thanks for the replies.
 
ssjheero_yuy99 said:
Thanks for your replies!

I'll try and add up the power consumption of my components. some might be hard, since its a factory build. but I'll see what I can do.

as far as i'm conserned, $90-100 a year is alot of money...

I downloaded speed fan and it lists the current voltage levels, does anyone know exactly how to convert the voltage levels over?

my current levels are below:
Vcore1: 1.52V
Vcore2: 1.50V
+3.3V: 3.23V
+5V: 4.92V
+12V 11.97V
-12V: -8.82V
-5V: -2.07V
+5V: 4.96V
Vbat: 3.07V

some of these are negative... that seems strange.

Again, thanks for the replies.

$90-100 is how much it costs me in my country; I don't know about your country.

The negative voltage values are normal. You can't use those voltages to calculate the power consumption, though.
 
I bought one of these a while ago http://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Elec...s_4/104-5306323-6411924?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

It's called the Kill-A Watt. You just plug it into the wall and then plug your computer or other device into the outlet on the Kill-A-Watt. It will measure voltage, watts, current. A great little tool not just for computers but for anything electric that you want to figure out how much power it's consuming.

The amount of wattage your PC uses also depends on what it is doing at the moment. Running idle with no apps open uses less wattage. If you are playing games or doing video editing, you will use more power because the CPU is working harder.

For instance, my laptop uses about 75 watts running idle. When I am editing video, it jumps up to just under 100 watts (99 actually).

In sleep mode, it measures about a quater of a watt.

But this is a great tool for any homeowner to have. You would be surprised how much juice your TV and cable box uses even when it is not on!
 
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