Real Power Consumption - 4870 X2 & GTX295 out of Spec!

[mibo]

So should we stop using Linpack and other tools which utilize CPU's to their full potential as well?

The GPU's were rated at a "working" power usage level which is fine by me, but to say that we cannot measure their full peak power draw because they never attain that doesnt sit right with me. Who's to say that some GPGPU application(s) might not use more of the GPU? What if a game comes out that uses the GPU more, are they going to have to write "idle" routines into the next driver release so you dont go over the allotted power draw (ie: Furmark renaming)?

I think two things should happen.

1: They should be rated at their peak.
2: More reviews should be done like this.

+1

The car manufacturer would only guarantee that his product works for "normal use".

That "normal use" is what we discuss about.

"normal use" of a cpu: run every software you want on it - and still the cpu will not exceed specifications. (prime, occt, ...)

"normal use" of a gpu: for me: run every software you want on it - and still the gpu does not exceed specifications.

[Jamesrt2004]

+1

The car manufacturer would only guarantee that his product works for "normal use".

That "normal use" is what we discuss about.

"normal use" of a cpu: run every software you want on it - and still the cpu will not exceed specifications. (prime, occt, ...)

"normal use" of a gpu: for me: run every software you want on it - and still the gpu does not exceed specifications.

wouldn't call burning programs to make the processor/GFX as hot as it can be "normal"

[Martijn]

+1

The car manufacturer would only guarantee that his product works for "normal use".

That "normal use" is what we discuss about.

"normal use" of a cpu: run every software you want on it - and still the cpu will not exceed specifications. (prime, occt, ...)

"normal use" of a gpu: for me: run every software you want on it - and still the gpu does not exceed specifications.

Exactly... If your car overheated everytime you pushed it to the max would you accept that as well? I don't think so.

[gOJDO]

Exactly... If your car overheated everytime you pushed it to the max would you accept that as well? I don't think so.

It's like you buy a scooter motorbike, designed for a city ride and you complain becouse it failed climbing on a rocky mountain.

[Humminn55]

Exactly... If your car overheated everytime you pushed it to the max would you accept that as well? I don't think so.

But that's not the problem here.......just pushing something to the max on occasion is not the issue.....the issue is how Furmark overworks the card(s) in an unrealistic scenario.

Take this analogy......you are looking at purchasing a used car and you have two Honda Civics to choose from.

The first is one owned by a middle-aged couple who used the car "sensibly," meaning while it was accelerated at WOT (wide open throttle) to merge onto interstates, etc., it spent the majority of its life "putting" around at under 75% of its max use.

The other Civic is owned by a "tuner." Wing, engine "massaged" internally with replaced pistons and head which raised compression ratio, Nitrous injection, and raced nightly for a year or so.

Which do you buy for longevity and hopefully the car won't need major repairs during your payments?

Naturally, you'd take the "sensible" Civic. Why? The "tuned" Civic has been thrashed within an inch of its life, has been run flat out so much that failure is inevitable. After all, the adage that the candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long applies to almost everything.....candles or computer components.

So, push a car to its limit ALL the time and a major failure will happen much sooner than one driven "easier."


What I really don't understand is the fascination a lot of "O'Cers" have in running Furmark or Linpack for hours and hours at a stretch, esp. in a heavily overclocked system.

True, overclocking can create instability, but to "test' for stability by running a system flat out for hours just to try to catch some sign of instability seems rather senseless to me.

I O'C for fun and to get a little "free" speed out of my system......don't we all here? On the other hand, I'm not running Linpack or Furmark for hours trying to get instability to show up......

If my O'C is unstable, it'll show up in a gaming situation....or it won't boot worth crap, or the system will freeze when opening programs....all signs the O'C is too high and I need to back off.

But, instead, you get those that obsess about running programs that run their components at the ragged edge for hours and then wonder why they get overheating problems, early component failures/death, etc.

What's that? You're depending on ultimate stability for something "mission critical," which is what I always hear as the reason for this obsessive testing..... To that I retort, if you're depending on an ultra stable system for things like CAD design or quality HD conversion, etc., run a fast but stock speed system. Seems to work for people who depend upon ultra stable systems for their work, like graphic artists at Industrial Light and Magic or Pixar. (You honestly think they'd take a chance using overclocked sytems that have the chance of data corruption? Not on your life..........)

Blaming the video card makers for having too much power, more than "advertised," being consumed running Furmark is akin, at least to me, to blaming a car manufacturer for your gas mileage sucking when you've been driving down the interstate for hours at 100mph.....


And if running Linpack and Furmark seems just dandy to you, try this test for stability on your own vehicle you've got parked outside your house.

Go start it up, leave it in neutral or park or whatever, block the wheels so it cannot move, and put a brick on the accelerator pedal so the engine is running wide open. Come back 6 hours later and see if your car is still running.......that's about what Furmark is doing for your video card.

Sorry for the ramble, but throwing around blame and astonishment that Furmark makes video cards draw more power than what the card makers say they do is silly.....Furmark, while a 3D program, is a wholly unrealistic test...it runs the card wide open without a single pause anywhere, something no game does, even Crysis. To not expect the video card to draw more than advertised power when running wide open without pause at all is an unrealistic expectation and should not surprise anyone.