tool to display overall power drain?

Rimsy · 23 Sep 2020 at 12:16

I'm sure this has come up before but unable to locate anything with search.
Just wondering if there is a tool you can download to show power drain (so if you were thinking of upgrading GFX card you could see if you needed to replace PSU or not)
Thank you!

EsaT · 23 Sep 2020 at 16:53

No software can show power draw of all PC components.
Best you could do is monitor CPU's and GPU's power draw and estimate form that.

Slinky69 · 23 Sep 2020 at 17:03

You would need some sort of plug device to measure the total power draw from the wall, I believe.

Akagi · 23 Sep 2020 at 17:04

Slinky69 said:
You would need some sort of plug device to measure the total power draw from the wall, I believe.

Yup. Then find out your PSU's efficiency specifications and do a calculation based on that, and the reading at the wall.

andy_mk3 · 23 Sep 2020 at 17:44

Be far easier to tell us what hardware you have and what you want to upgrade to

Akagi · 23 Sep 2020 at 17:47

no idea what said:
Be far easier to tell us what hardware you have and what you want to upgrade to

Most people on here have no idea how much power hardware actually uses though, just what is recommended.

Most people would tell me I need 900W+ for my PC and PSU calculators say over 1KW.

It actually only needs a 750W, which is what I have.

andy_mk3 · 23 Sep 2020 at 17:52

Acme said:
Most people on here have no idea how much power hardware actually uses though, just what is recommended.

Most people would tell me I need 900W+ for my PC and PSU calculators say over 1KW.

It actually only needs a 750W, which is what I have.

But if the OP has a cheng-zen 800w blue led psu we know to tell them to replace it

Most recommendations come with a decent buffer though, as you're efficiency tends to peak around 50% load, so if you're drawing 400w then a 750-800w psu would be both efficient and gives you a safe buffer.

Akagi · 23 Sep 2020 at 17:56

no idea what said:
But if the OP has a cheng-zen 800w blue led psu we know to tell them to replace it

Most recommendations come with a decent buffer though, as you're efficiency tends to peak around 50% load, so if you're drawing 400w then a 750-800w psu would be both efficient and gives you a safe buffer.

Mmm that makes sense.

Jay85 · 23 Sep 2020 at 18:12

I use one of these:

Yes its old school but it gives you me a rough idea on what the pc is drawing from the wall. got mine from Maplins before they shut down (rip)

Akagi · 23 Sep 2020 at 18:15

Yep I use one of those too. I got it from Amazon. Well, a cheaper looking equivelant.

pp111 · 24 Sep 2020 at 08:17

Most computers use far less than their owners think. Wall plug watt meter is the best idea.

KompuKare · 24 Sep 2020 at 08:34

EsaT said:
No software can show power draw of all PC components.
Best you could do is monitor CPU's and GPU's power draw and estimate form that.

On caveat to that: those digital PSUs with power reading like the Corsair i-series (RMi, HXi), Thermaltake digital, and similar.
These have an onboard USB interface which gets connected to an internal header

and then come with software to install:

(that's from a Corsair AX1600i review, the other picture from a Thermaltake unit).
Obviously not what the OP was looking for, but I always though those digital PSUs would be nice for some amateurish hardware reviews. Not the same as what the professional reviewers do, but no need to buy and use scopes, expensive meters with accurate amp readings in various wires etc.

pp111 · 25 Sep 2020 at 10:06

KompuKare said:
On caveat to that: those digital PSUs with power reading like the Corsair i-series (RMi, HXi), Thermaltake digital, and similar.
These have an onboard USB interface which gets connected to an internal header

and then come with software to install:

(that's from a Corsair AX1600i review, the other picture from a Thermaltake unit).
Obviously not what the OP was looking for, but I always though those digital PSUs would be nice for some amateurish hardware reviews. Not the same as what the professional reviewers do, but no need to buy and use scopes, expensive meters with accurate amp readings in various wires etc.

LOL! I never knew that they had a "power in" reading on them. That's really handy.

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KompuKare · 25 Sep 2020 at 10:18

pp111 said:
LOL! I never knew that they had a "power in" reading on them. That's really handy.

I think the software allows graphing as well.
Like I said, amateur hardware review sites with fancy power graphs on the cheap*.
*Cheap being a relative thing, as I think the Corsair AXi start at over £250 and are still only Flextronics, while the cheaper RMi and HXi are only CWT.

pp111 · 25 Sep 2020 at 11:28

According to some figures I have seen, a 3080 uses about 330W. The general recommendation seems to be that a good quality 650W PSU will be fine with the 3080 and 750W with the 3090. If you overclock then you need more.