I've been using a gaming PC that's about ten years old, and it's pretty clear that it's a power hog. I'm planning to upgrade soon, and I'm wondering if I should expect a noticeable drop in my electricity costs with a new desktop computer. Have modern gaming computers become more energy-efficient over the past decade?
4 Answers
A decade back, high-wattage power supplies were less common, and GPUs didn't use as much power. Now, you can easily find 1000W PSUs at your local stores, and many new GPUs are over 300W! Efficiency in IOPS per watt has improved but newer games demand more performance, which can lead to higher energy use overall.
While it's true that gaming PCs today are generally more efficient than they were ten years ago, total power consumption has also increased. You might find that modern graphics cards and CPUs draw more power even though they perform better. So, prepare for potentially higher overall usage despite increased efficiency.
If you really want to cut down on power, consider undervolting your new CPU and GPU. This can help you get about 80-90% of their stock performance while using 25-35% less power. It's a win-win!
I've been tracking my power usage with a smart plug, and it's eye-opening! Just my gaming desktop uses a massive amount of energy. In one year, I've already seen 105 KWh, not even factoring in the monitor. So, watch out!
Yeah, that's a fair point. I've seen my gaming rig use over 3KWh some days, which is wild! It's all about those new demands from the latest games.