No, because of my background as an electronics technician, I pay attention to those things. So not surprised - "if" I know what and how many power consuming devices are in there. And yes, 8 fans, pumps and many drives all do add up quickly. But still,
at idle over 200W is a lot - even if all the fans are running at full RPM. And it is that "idle" power consumption that is what surprised me. I don't disbelieve it, however. I have seen higher idle consumption - especially with big water cooling setups.
BTW, I generally don't guess at PSU requirements and instead, use the
eXtreme Power Supply Calculator to determine minimum and recommended power supply unit (PSU) requirements. This is by far the best and only calculator I recommend. Like all calculators, it still pads the results to ensure it does not suggest an under-powered PSU, but it is by far, the most conservative. And because it has a regular staff of researchers keeping it current, it is by far the most accurate too.
But if I quickly want a
rough idea how much a typical component might consume, I refer to this
Power Consumption of PC Components in Watts page as it has a nice breakdown, including that of many different size fans. It is getting a little outdated, but still good for a quick "rough" idea.
Well, I generally recommend every computer go through a "good" UPS with AVR and I note many of those have small, but very informative LCD status displays. But it should be noted they display status for the entire UPS, not the individual components connected to it. As I said above, I have 2 monitors and my network gear connected too, not just my computer. Of course I could temporarily isolate my computer if I had the desire but I am more concerned with my entire consumption.
Note too that many UPS come with monitoring software. PowerChute for APC UPS is even more informative than the LCD panel as it keeps logs and can be used to calculate costs. But of course, the computer, Windows and at least one monitor has to be awake to see that.
Surge and spike protectors are little more than fancy and expensive extension cords. And I quickly add, it is the AVR (automatic voltage regulation) feature of a "good" UPS that makes them so valuable. Backup power during a full power outage is just a minor bonus.
That said, a basic
electricity usage meter (kilowatt meter) can be had for little money and is much more convenient for measuring other devices in the house. These cheap budget models are not "
precision measuring instruments", but close enough for these purposes.
Yeah right.
Residential Electricity Rates & Consumption in California You can plug in your city (and state) to see what they charge. And yes, you certainly are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
And once again, your CPU is just one component in your computer and it is highly unlikely it is running at 100%, 24/7/365. And again, we all agree a more power hungry CPU burns more electricity and typically generates more heat. Just not enough more to be a key justification for paying more for a new CPU.
No body is picking on you BTW, killster. We are just sticklers for the facts.
Well, certainly
very subjective.