Power consumption and efficiency in gaming: AMD vs Intel

[jigger]

It definitely isn't off by a factor of 3, I've tested the Zalman with known loads it is reasonable indicative even at low wattages.

The UPS isn't to improve efficiency just saying it is hooked up via that now - I'm using a DIY modified Eaton 3S Mini - I put quite a bit of time and testing into this setup including modifying the UPS with an ATTiny85 controller and writing custom software for it - part of which has been measuring the power draw under various different circumstances to make sure the UPS was suitable:

Spoiler

Definitely is strong word. There is no way that system is pulling two watts from the wall, especially with that box of tricks sat in between.

Why did you pick protected ICR cells BTW? To drop the management system?

 

[Rroff]

Why did you pick protected ICR cells BTW? To drop the management system?

The Eaton has a flaw in its battery management system, over discharge protection basically doesn't work at all, and will drain unprotected cells completely, killing them.

 

[jigger]

The Eaton has a flaw in its battery management system, basically doesn't work at all, and will drain unprotected cells completely, killing them.

So that other board to the right is responsible for changing/managing the cells?

 

[Rroff]

So that other board to the right is responsible for changing/managing the cells?

No just monitoring so I can shutdown the connected hardware when the battery is getting low, the UPS has no remote monitoring functionality itself.

 

[jigger]

No just monitoring so I can shutdown the connected hardware when the battery is getting low, the UPS has no remote monitoring functionality itself.

This UPS sounds super crapola, I’m not even sure UPS is the correct term TBH.

DC-DC power supply with a AC charger tacked on?

 

[Rroff]

This UPS sounds super crapola, I’m not even sure UPS is the correct term TBH.

DC-DC power supply with a AC charger tacked on?

It fully works to seamlessly transfer power when mains is lost and I don't need a full size UPS for this setup. It is more designed for things like routers but with a low spec mini PC can cope - I just had to DIY it to work around some flaws and add the ability to shutdown connected equipment.

To be honest when all was said and done I'd have been better off designing and building the whole thing from scratch myself though.

 

[jigger]

It fully works to seamlessly transfer power when mains is lost and I don't need a full size UPS for this setup. It is more designed for things like routers but with a low spec mini PC can cope - I just had to DIY it to work around some flaws and add the ability to shutdown connected equipment.

To be honest when all was said and done I'd have been better off designing and building the whole thing from scratch myself though.

Yeah, unless it was dirty cheap I wouldn’t bother and no way is that thing fitting in a 2 watt total budget.

It sounds next to useless, probably because it’s been made under contract in China by the absolute lowest bidder possible. I’m pretty sure I open my drawer of dream and build something much better within the hour.

 

[Rroff]

Yeah, unless it was dirty cheap I wouldn’t bother and no way is that thing fitting in a 2 watt total budget.

It sounds next to useless, probably because it’s been made under contract in China by the absolute lowest bidder possible. I’m pretty sure I open my drawer of dream and build something much better within the hour.

Not a 2 watt budget - just saying I can tune this mini PC I'm using for NAS duty down to that when idle if I want - I don't tend to run it that way under nominal circumstances it is around 4 watt or so idle.

Eaton are a reasonable brand they just seem to have dropped the ball a bit on the 3S Mini and not properly tested it, I got one when they were on sale for other duties but ended up adapting it for this use as I don't need a full UPS sitting there for it.

 

[jigger]

Not a 2 watt budget - just saying I can tune this mini PC I'm using for NAS duty down to that when idle if I want - I don't tend to run it that way under nominal circumstances it is around 4 watt or so idle.

Eaton are a reasonable brand they just seem to have dropped the ball a bit on the 3S Mini and not properly tested it, I got one when they were on sale for other duties but ended up adapting it for this use as I don't need a full UPS sitting there for it.

Honestly, I question the measurement equipment and this conversations direction of travel has changed somewhat. I think we can safely say the system isn’t able to run at 2 watts from the wall even if shutdown.

 

[Rroff]

Honestly, I question the measurement equipment and this conversations direction of travel has changed somewhat. I think we can safely say the system isn’t able to run at 2 watts from the wall even if shutdown.

You'd be wrong - as I said it can be tuned to sub 2 watt idle (probably about 1.86 watt average), that isn't how I normally run it but it is still very low power - you can check the reviews on these kind of J4125 systems to see what other people have measured without any special tuning.

 

[jigger]

You'd be wrong - as I said it can be tuned to sub 2 watt idle (probably about 1.86 watt average), that isn't how I normally run it but it is still very low power - you can check the reviews on these kind of J4125 systems to see what other people have measured without any special tuning.

I’m not, because unless you have invented some losses conversion circuit I can’t be. The power supply and conversion aspects alone prove this is a measurement error.

 

[Rroff]

I’m not, because unless you have invented some losses conversion circuit I can’t be. The power supply and conversion aspects alone prove this is a measurement error.

Beelink GKmini Review - An Intel Celeron J4125 mini PC reviewed with Windows 10 Pro, Ubuntu 20.04 - CNX Software

Beelink have recently released another small form factor (SFF) design similar to the traditional Intel ‘NUC’ called the GKmini which they have provided

www.cnx-software.com

Scroll down to the power consumption part - measured 3.4 Watts at the wall with Ubuntu idle and that is without them going to any special lengths.

(Different mini PC to the one I have but basically same setup - that one has active cooling the one I have is fully passive)

 

[jigger]

Beelink GKmini Review - An Intel Celeron J4125 mini PC reviewed with Windows 10 Pro, Ubuntu 20.04 - CNX Software

Beelink have recently released another small form factor (SFF) design similar to the traditional Intel ‘NUC’ called the GKmini which they have provided

www.cnx-software.com

Scroll down to the power consumption part - measured 3.4 Watts at the wall with Ubuntu idle and that is without them going to any special lengths.

Again at this level I’d question the measurement equipment.

 

[ooStevo]

Well thanks you two, I'm off to revise the three times table.
And maybe watch Back to the Future.

 

[Quartz]

Power consumption features in this video:

The article they rip to pieces is here.

 

[humbug]

Power consumption features in this video:

The article they rip to pieces is here.

I'm 23 seconds in to it, someone wrote an article, let me guess, User Benchmark?

 

[humbug]

No.... XDA, lol....

 

[humbug]

Right so stretch what little truth there to the point of absurdity.
Hyper focus on what are new platform teething issues as if inherent to the brand problems and pretend Intel don't have new platform teething issues.
Flatout lie about other aspects.
Take the one thing people do care about when choosing a CPU, which just happens to be advantage AMD and claim no one cares about it at all. Thanks for telling me my critical thinking in my choices didn't actually happen.

The author is either a ranging Intel fan with a lot of internalised AMD hate, or this is a paid hit piece by an Intel either trying to divert attention away from its actually current problems, and / or are about to release a CPU they know is riddled with problems, IE "its bad here but worse on the other side you know...."

 

[jigger]

Right so stretch what little truth there to the point of absurdity.
Hyper focus on what are new platform teething issues as if inherent to the brand problems and pretend Intel don't have new platform teething issues.
Flatout lie about other aspects.
Take the one thing people do care about when choosing a CPU, which just happens to be advantage AMD and claim no one cares about it at all. Thanks for telling me my critical thinking in my choices didn't actually happen.

The author is either a ranging Intel fan with a lot of internalised AMD hate, or this is a paid hit piece by an Intel either trying to divert attention away from its actually current problems, and / or are about to release a CPU they know is riddled with problems, IE "its bad here but worse on the other side you know...."

Could be Nvidia getting upset again. The DIY gamer end of the market is pretty much irrelevant to Intel.

 

[humbug]

Could be Nvidia getting upset again. The DIY gamer end of the market is pretty much irrelevant to Intel.

I don't think it is, i think Intel will fight tooth and nail for every penny in every segment.

Nvidia have no skin in this.