How much energy does a PC consume?

[Diceman Cometh]

I never had to think about this while living with my parents, but now that I am moving out to Buffalo for law school and living in a university town house complex that does NOT come with free utilities, I need to know just how much it costs to actually run my PC. It has a 600-watt power supply (I know, its a monster, but trust me, my graphics card needs that power).

So, how much does it cost to run my PC for, say, a full 24 hours?

By the way, does my PC actually use all 600 watts constantly, or only when my graphics card and CPU is working hard? How much do you suppose it's consuming when I'm just surfing the net?

[anotherdumbname]

Computers waste like no energy, you should worry more about your light bulb then a computer. See how much more light is coming from the bulb then from the computer screen? More energy produces more power. Same goes with tvs, you can leave your tv on all day and it won't even come close to wasting as much energy as leaving a light on all day.

[d0uche_n0zzle]

Use compact fluorescents they cost more initially, but use far less electric and last longer too.

[Sack of Chisels]

I don't have a definitive answer, but I know the less CPU you use, the less energy you consume. Putting your PC into standby mode at night would help greatly, even though it's probably true they use about as much as light bulb.

Mines been running 24/7 for the last 4 or 5 years, and I haven't noticed any spike in the electric bill compared to before it was on all the time. I also worry more about the toll it takes on the hardware rather than the electric.

[BCH]

Watts = Volts * Amps. 120 Volts * 5 Amps = 600 Watts You Get Charged By The Killowatt Hour. Or One Killowat Of Energy Consuption For One Hour. Run your 600 Watt Power Supply For 2 Hours = 1200 Watt/Hours or 1.2 Killowatt Hours. Killowatt Hours cost somwhere around 15 cents each. 1.2 * 24 = 28.8 Killowatt Hours Per Day * 31 = 892.8 Killowatt Hours Per Month. * .15 or so = $133.92 a month if running at max load and left on 24/7.

Insert Your Utility Company's Per KWH Rate Where I used .15.

Just in case you couldn't read all that, This it THE WORST CASE SCENARIO. Your Whole machine with the CPU Running at 100% Probably uses less than half that.

[Diceman Cometh]

Computers waste like no energy, you should worry more about your light bulb then a computer. See how much more light is coming from the bulb then from the computer screen? More energy produces more power. Same goes with tvs, you can leave your tv on all day and it won't even come close to wasting as much energy as leaving a light on all day.


:icon_eek: I had no idea

[Diceman Cometh]

Someone told me a long time ago that the act of actually turning on the computer generates a huge power surge that eats up the equivalent of a few hours of electricity used by the PC while it is on. So they told me that if you are planning on using your computer within the next four hours, don't bother turning it off, because the next surge you'll cause by turning it on again will negate the point of turning it off to save energy. Any truth to that? Does the same apply for lightbulbs too? The person who told me this aint all that bright, so maybe he was talking out of his ass.

[Diceman Cometh]

Watts = Volts * Amps. 120 Volts * 5 Amps = 600 Watts You Get Charged By The Killowatt Hour. Or One Killowat Of Energy Consuption For One Hour. Run your 600 Watt Power Supply For 2 Hours = 1200 Watt/Hours or 1.2 Killowatt Hours. Killowatt Hours cost somwhere around 15 cents each. 1.2 * 24 = 28.8 Killowatt Hours Per Day * 31 = 892.8 Killowatt Hours Per Month. * .15 or so = $133.92 a month if running at max load and left on 24/7.


I think your math might be a little off, unless I'm not seeing something. I think it should be 1.2 Kilowatts x 12 hours, not 24.


(I know, I triple-posted, my mistake - sorry mods.)

[Hummercash]

it takes 1.2 niggawatts to get black to the future...

[Shaggz]

it takes 1.2 niggawatts to get black to the future...
ding ding.... ding

[blazin]

I highly doubt youre computer is using 600W. The PSU will only supply the computer with the power it needs, UP TO 600W.

Keep your monitor off when the computer is not in use and you shouldnt have anything to worry about.

Heres a good link to calculate how much power your PC uses:

http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/

[BCH]

I think your math might be a little off, unless I'm not seeing something. I think it should be 1.2 Kilowatts x 12 hours, not 24.


(I know, I triple-posted, my mistake - sorry mods.)

Right. .6 Killowatts * 24 Hours. I am a wrong multiplier using douchebag. So Half the Cost at the end. Plus energy is most expensive where I live

It's a good thing I'm not at work at 11:30 at night.