Does adding CPU cores really affect power consumption?

Generally, adding cores doesn't significantly increase power usage—maybe just a few extra watts. However, TDP isn't a good measure for typical power consumption; it can be misleading. It's best to look at benchmarks from independent sources to get accurate power draw information for the specific CPUs you're considering.

The actual power usage heavily depends on the specific models rather than just core counts. In a perfect situation with the same architecture, more cores might lead to slightly higher wattage, but this isn’t a strict rule. For a rough estimate, you could calculate wattage by dividing total power consumption by the number of cores. Just keep in mind that real-world usage varies with different tasks and CPU designs.

When idle, many modern CPUs use under 1 watt per core and the overall power draw can be more about your system's configuration. If you're looking for efficiency, undervolting can help a lot. But remember, if you're not gaming, the GPU usually draws more power, so it's best to focus on that aspect as well.

More cores typically mean higher power draw, but it varies depending on usage. If you're doing tasks that can utilize more threads, like video rendering, it can increase power usage. However, if your workload is light, the difference is negligible. TDP is more about cooling needs than actual power drawn when idle or under standard loads.