We all have a computer, and apart from a few marginal cases based on alternative solutions, it runs on electricity. However, depending on the use of your computer, and therefore the machine you choose, the power consumption will not be the same. Here are some things to consider before giving your younger brother a gaming PC who just wants to play Minecraft.
Laptop: SSD or HDD Hard Drive?
For more nomadic uses and practical questions, laptops have become essential. Although commercial use has contributed greatly to their development in homes, it is not rare to find them today in place of desktop computers.
The main element to take into account the power consumption of a laptop computer is the nature of the hard drive that makes it. It is used to operate computers, store data, or launch applications and software. Indispensable for device performance. You will be able to choose between SSD or HDD hard drive for your laptop.
There are two different technologies behind these yogas:
- SSD (solid state drive) uses flash memory, is more and more widespread.
- HDD (hard drive disk) is a traditional, mechanical disk that was traditionally found in large computers.
At a consumption of hundred watts (W) when the computer is running, it is difficult to detect whether the SSD consumes 1 or 0.1 W. We have found that, for example, the 512 GB SATA SSD consumes only 0.075 watts, while the HDD consumes 6.8 W. These figures give an idea of the difference in consumption but should be taken with caution.
Gaming PC: Choosing the Right Graphics Card
If you need a high-performance computer to play video games, an important consideration in your machine's power consumption is the graphics card, also known as a video / 3D card. It is the most energy-intensive element.
In the NVIDIA brand, for example, one of the main suppliers of processors, cards, and graphics chips for gaming consoles and PCs, it will take between 120 and 250 W of consumption, depending on the model.
For comparison, a part is often placed in a laptop PC such that the integrated Intel HD video chip consumes about 25 W.
Desktop Computer: Software Consumption
Depending on what it contains, a desktop PC requires a power supply of between 100 and 500 watts. If you want to calculate the consumption of hundreds of computer parts while working together, a power supply calculator is a great calculator. Some drop down menus later you will have a good estimate with this site.
There are other solutions that allow you to see your computer consumption in real time, such as free HW monitor software that you can install quickly.
Average power consumption of different computers
Depending on the configuration of the computer, its consumption can go from over 60 watts in office automation to more than ten times for gamers' PCs. Be careful, not just any gaming PC, a 3 GHz quad core type with the latest generation 3D graphics card, at least. Before you take out the hammer to destroy your animal's competition in a fit of fraudulent consumer guilt, remember that computers rarely run at full power during their entire duration of use.
What to remember about computer power consumption
In short, let's be clear, there is no question of stopping using your computer or playing video games. The most important thing is to identify the components that contribute to the energy consumption of your equipment so that they can be adapted to your usage habits. The type of hard drive, graphics card, or software used, including the factors that need to be taken into consideration before purchasing. This will prevent you from increasing the energy consumption of your home. And above all, regardless of the equipment chosen, we should not forget the basic maintenance or habits that are common knowledge.
It is all these little things put together that will bring a big change towards the end of your overall power usage.
With everything we've told you, you have all the keys at hand to wow the most geeks of your friends and do something for the planet!
And don't forget, doubt about your consumption? Report your light electrical or ask us questions that we may not have answered!
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