Help with picking a low power PC.

[XDroidie626]

I am looking at this device http://www.cclonline.com/product/185758/GB-BXA8G-8890/Barebone-PCs/Gigabyte-BRIX-Gaming-Ultra-Compact-PC-Kit/BRB0409/ for a low powered PC.
But I am unable to work out how much it will cost per year on power.
We pay 0.11p per kW/h but I am unable to work out what it will cost me, the device uses 135W I believe.

Many Thanks

[nctnico]

What do you want to do with it? Does it need to run 24/7? A laptop with a low power CPU and graphics card may be a good choice.

[XDroidie626]

What do you want to do with it? Does it need to run 24/7? A laptop with a low power CPU and graphics card may be a good choice.

Mainly play wow for raiding which my lappy cant do

[Monkeh]

We pay 0.11p per kW/h but I am unable to work out what it will cost me, the device uses 135W I believe.

0.135 * 8760 (hours in a year) * 0.11 = 130.086

However, I doubt you'll run it 24/7/365, and even if you did it wouldn't be at full load. Let's pick a more reasonable 80W or so for say, four hours a day, and that's probably excessive (at least on consumption..).

0.08 * 1460 * 0.11 = 12.848

[XDroidie626]

So it will cost £12 if I am reading your method correctly?

[Monkeh]

So it will cost £12 if I am reading your method correctly?

If it pulls 80W under gaming load and you use it like that 4 hours per day.. yes.

Whether that's what it will actually pull, and how much you'll use it..

There is a lot of guesswork here. But it's going to cost less than I pay every month for internet.

[XDroidie626]

right, well with your method on 500w it costs £80 p/y to run, but is it worth it lol

[Tim F]

I wouldn't get too hung up on just what the 'PC' uses. You have to look at all the other peripherals and devices you are using while you're at your PC. My dual monitors (29" + 24", with brightness set to about 15%), modem/router, 8port ethernet switch and two 20Watt desk lamps account for over 150Watts.

If you really want to save power, you need to look toward a laptop. And sit in the dark.

[ivan747]

I am looking at this device http://www.cclonline.com/product/185758/GB-BXA8G-8890/Barebone-PCs/Gigabyte-BRIX-Gaming-Ultra-Compact-PC-Kit/BRB0409/ for a low powered PC.
But I am unable to work out how much it will cost per year on power.
We pay 0.11p per kW/h but I am unable to work out what it will cost me, the device uses 135W I believe.

Many Thanks

I would advise against AMD processors and graphics if you care about power consumption and disssipation.
Get something with an Intel and, if neededn an nVidia graphics card. nVidia has released the GTX 750 some time ago, and for $120 and 60W it matches the current consoles in quality and frame rates.

 It's still not up to the expectations of the current PC gamer market but for the p rice and power, it's pretty good. The GTX 950 uses 90W and should be quite good for gaming.

I made this list for you. Building PCs is easy. If you have any questions, just tell me. It's a compact case, a nice system and has lots of room for hard drive expansion. Has built in wifi, a surround sound card and takes 150W, using an efficient power supply. You could downsize he power supply I think. The best thing is that it's upgradable. You can save $60 if you go for the dual core Pentium G3258 gamers like it 'cause it's $60 and can be overclocked like crazy. The downside is that some games are becoming optimized for quad cores (or hyperthreaded dual cores), although this is happening too slowly. Two games refuse to run on dual cores but there are patches out there to fix that.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Ivan747/saved/v6gfrH

[nctnico]

Isn't WoW available for a game console like PS3/4 / Xbox / whatever? Playing games on a PC is such a hassle.

[Monkeh]

Isn't WoW available for a game console like PS3/4 / Xbox / whatever? Playing games on a PC is such a hassle.

 

[nctnico]

Isn't WoW available for a game console like PS3/4 / Xbox / whatever? Playing games on a PC is such a hassle.

Not WTF. On a PC you have to rely on drivers, latest videocards, dual/quad cores (see above), etc. On a console you just pop the disc in and play. No dissappointments with unsupported hardware etc. I have seen it with my kids. Sometimes my wife would buy PC games for them but only very few worked for various reasons (needing administrator privileges, new/different directX drivers, etc). Since then the rule is to play games on a console. Nowadays they play several browser based games and steam seems to work OK as well.

[Monkeh]

Isn't WoW available for a game console like PS3/4 / Xbox / whatever? Playing games on a PC is such a hassle.

Not WTF. On a PC you have to rely on drivers, latest videocards, dual/quad cores (see above), etc. On a console you just pop the disc in and play. No dissappointments with unsupported hardware etc. I have seen it with my kids. Sometimes my wife would buy PC games for them but only very few worked for various reasons (needing administrator privileges, new/different directX drivers, etc). Since then the rule is to play games on a console. Nowadays they play several browser based games and steam seems to work OK as well.

Some people really seem to have difficulty using computers.

I buy a game. I install it. I play it. No mucking around. And I get to use real controls.

[Zero999]

two 20Watt desk lamps

Perhaps you should fit those with LEDs to save more power.

[Delta]

Why not get a life and save loads of electricity?

[rdl]

I remember a time when PC games were difficult to get running, I think it was called the nineties. Funny thing, best I remember personal computers in general had a tendency to be finicky, pain in the ass things back then.

[Galenbo]

I am looking at this device ... for a low powered PC.

Mainly play wow for raiding which my lappy cant do

Low power = low spec + low usage.
A low power PC is good at games in 640x480 /256colors, for high spec games in 1080p you need a high power PC

But I am unable to work out how much it will cost per year on power.
We pay 0.11p per kW/h but I am unable to work out what it will cost me, the device uses 135W I believe.

First measure and read used energy for 1hr gaming, multiply with gaming hours/year.
 

[crispy_tofu]

Why not get a life and save loads of electricity?

Ooft harsh words 

[ivan747]

Why not get a life and save loads of electricity?

Then you start to spend on fuel, tickets and booze.

[ccs46]

While we are on the subject of  power supplies for computers, a 1200W PSU isn't consuming 1200 watts constantly even though the computer not using the power right?

[Galenbo]

While we are on the subject of  power supplies for computers, a 1200W PSU isn't consuming 1200 watts constantly even though the computer not using the power right?

right. Apart from the efficiency(%) vs load(%) graph (not a single number) every PSU 300W, 2400W consumes the same, given the PC does the same task.

so it's important to look at your personal nominal use, choose a PSU that's higher than max, but has its best efficiency at nominal

[Delta]

Why not get a life and save loads of electricity?

Then you start to spend on fuel, tickets and booze.

I spend most of my money on booze, birds, and cars.  The rest I just waste...

(with credit to the late, great, Mr G Best)

[Tim F]

Why not get a life and save loads of electricity?

Accidentally logged into EEVBlog.com instead of Bodybuilding.com?

[Delta]

Right, sorry if my tonque in cheek comment caused any offence!  I am proudly an engineering geek, but I just don't get computer gaming.  Each to their own!

[ivan747]

Why not get a life and save loads of electricity?

Then you start to spend on fuel, tickets and booze.

I spend most of my money on booze, birds, and cars.  The rest I just waste...

(with credit to the late, great, Mr G Best)

Not that it's a bad lifestyle, if done responsibly.


On the power supply question, get a power supply that has at least EPA ratings. It guarantees certain efficiency at certain loads and power factor. The minimum certification is 80% efficiency. These power supplies tend to be built MUCH MUCH better than the generic crap you find in the PC market.