new gen vs current gen: graphic card power consumption comparison

[cookerjc]

We not only focus on the 3D performance of a new graphic card, but also power consumption. Today we got about 8 cards to do this comparison, but it is a pity that we don’t have NV & AMD’s latest flatship: 8800 Ultra & HD 2900XT.

Remarks:

Except AMD’s reference HD 2600XT, all other cards are retail product.They all running at their default frequency and using stock cooler. We using Seasonic’s Power Angle to get the actual power consumption of the whole platform. Because all the cards are using the same platform so we believe the data we collect is trustful.

We got the results from two way:

1.idle in vista for 15minute

2.using ATI Tool’s show 3D view to simulate graphic card’s fullload.

Test bed：

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 (333MHzX9 Dual core)
MOBO: Foxconn MARS|EIST & C1E disabled
Cooling: Apack NV120 + Artic-Cooling 12CM Case Fan
HDD: Seagate 7200.10 160G
PSU: Acbel R8 607W
OS: Windows Vista 32bit



Because we don’t have 8800 Ultra and 2900XT today so Geforce 8800GTX turn out to be the highest power eating card.

Thanks to the 65nm & 55nm processing, the new-gen graphic cards have a impressive power concumption, no matter G92 or RV670. Because of the PowerPlay technology in RV670, HD 3800 series have obvious lower power consumption in idle mode. Because PowerPlay is only enable in idle, so when cards running in load mode the gap between G92 and RV670 are more smaller than idle.

When using ATI Tool’s 3D view, Geforce 8800GT and Radeon HD 3870 is very close, 8800GT even 2 watt lower than HD 3870. And comparing the load mode of the new G92-8800GTS with old G80-8800GTS also have 2 watt’s diference; but in idle mode, there is a 20 watt’s gap between them. I guess using the new 65nm processing to shrink GPU core only affect their idle power consumption.

Just for your information, G92-8800GTS engineering Sample’s power consumption is a bit higher than G92-8800GTS retail version about 2watt in idle and 5watt in full load. In the chart up there the G92-8800GTS is an retail version.

The release date is closing, and we getting more and more informations about G92-8800GTS. What’s more, we heard that Gigabyte already begin selling G92-8800GTS in Singapore at about $370. Hope guys there can get one and give another full review.

original post: Expreview.com

[The0men]

Us GTX users are certainly no Greenies :P

[hecktic]

meh.... i still want to see how G92 GTX and GTX ULTRA or GX2 will stack up against current G80 models

[xlink]

Us GTX users are certainly no Greenies :P

nor are the bulk of XS members, but let's not get technical

[madcho]

where is the R580 ?

[largon]

madcho,
X1950XTX eats ~20W less than 8800GTX @ load.

[X.T.R.E.M.E_ICE]

Nextgen isn't out yet. so i think you should wait for a compare!

[saaya]

too bad you didnt include the 2900 series and maybe even older cards

[BeardyMan]

ConsumptionMark i can see it for me already

Hey man i reached 12kw today lol noob 19kw here

[DMH]

the G92-GTS consumes almost as the G80-GTS because of more 128SP vs 96 of the G80-GTS and bigger clocks

[RPGWiZaRD]

I think the G92 power consumption is really nice when you compare that a 8800GTS G92 probably performs like G80 8800GTX+.

This is a sign that GeForce 9 series will be a monster performer as there's a nice headroom for bigger power consumption on 65nm. Slap on a 512bit bus and 1GB vidmem on a G92, there you'd have quite an upgrade already.

[SKYMTL]

I hate to interject here but the Seasonic Power Angel and the Kill A Watt that it is based off of have a fundamentally flawed design for peak power consumption numbers. Due to the VERY slow responed time of the unit (OVER 150ms I believe it is) it is virtually impossible to get a correct peak reading over the course of just one test.

[The_Beast]

the GTX is a power hog compared to the others

[Brother Esau]

too bad you didnt include the 2900 series and maybe even older cards

I was thinking the same thing Sascha