performance trends across CPU generations in terms of energy use
performance trends across CPU generations in terms of energy use
A fivefold improvement represents a massive advancement! Remember, don't try to match a high-performance game chip with a server chip that was never meant for such efficiency.
It's not surprising to see such expectations, though I anticipate around 20% per generation. While Gen5 (Broadwell) through 10th Gen (Comet Lake) reached 14nm, I mostly remember the jokes about stagnation from that era. This could be the reason?
They only achieved the smallest improvements possible to keep sales moving. The 5995X Threadripper stands out, delivering impressive results. With a 280W to 14K for just 135W, you see a jump from 104 to 340 points per watt—about three times the efficiency! Check it out here: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/283...PRO-5995WX
Exactly, probably what I was trying to find is if the stagnation of progress extended to energy efficiency too. Which it probably did. This means that if you can get the old Broadwell Xeon platforms for cheap, you might still be very well off for a few years at least. However, that only considers Intel. Let's try to look at some AMD CPUs in this sense. (Only the consumer and prosumer ones since AMD doesn't make smaller than EPYC server CPUs) AMD has disrupted that stagnation and according to Passmark at least: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/283...en-7-3700X If the 3700X has a power draw of 140W: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-r...0x/18.html it's points per watt goes about 162 And the 5700X a power draw of 126W: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-r...0x/18.html for points per watt of 212 Now we got to the MASSIVE difference I was trying to find. Over 2x the efficiency just like that, even though the processor is from 2022. This means that if you're willing to go AMD, the ZEN3 architecture packs an incredible punch for efficiency and if you enable ECO mode it only gets better. Might actually be worth spending more for this if power draw is a concern, although you have to remember it is only one part (a big one though) of a PC and other parts may have a larger power draw than you think.
I wouldn't wager on C-states. Newer CPUs tend to use less power during light usage. For gaming, yes—though I’d opt for a newer I3 or R3 instead. They’re surprisingly efficient, save power, and offer solid upgrades (especially with AMDs’ AM5 plans). That’s impressive. I tested my R5 1600AF against a 5600X and was surprised by how much they’ve improved.
I was close to sharing this, but it looks like AMD made a strong move. Intel seemed slow, letting AMD pull ahead. The 5700X costs around 210€, while the E5-2667 v4 is about 40€. Motherboards are another challenge—new Chinese X99 boards start near 100€, with cheaper options down to 75€. AM4 B450 boards fit in the same price range, so the CPU is the main constraint. At 140W running six hours daily, the electricity bill would be roughly 123€. If the 5700X actually uses half as much power, it would drop to about 61.5€. That means you’d save around 61.5€ annually by choosing AMD. Of course, this is just a scenario; it might not be realistic, but it could pay off if electricity costs are high. Otherwise, efficiency gains aren’t the main motivation for upgrading now.
C states represent a completely different approach, but at the moment I aimed to highlight raw performance for simplicity. That’s accurate—what really matters is avoiding e-waste by delaying used Xeons. Yes, there’s not much more to say about Zen 3 beyond that wow factor. It turns out they’re becoming quite affordable now, which makes sense if your workload demands high power and costs are a concern. If you’re looking for a solid choice, AMD ZEN 3 definitely stands out.
It's reasonable to purchase them in the lower mainland where electricity rates are more favorable. You can find power around 9.5 cents per kWh there, compared to higher prices in your area. Those models used to be quite affordable—around 100€ for the R5 5500 and 140€ for the R5 5600X—making them great deals back then. Whether they're cheaper now depends on current market conditions.