Warning: AMD performance drops significantly when idle CPU usage rises.
Warning: AMD performance drops significantly when idle CPU usage rises.
Reading a PDf or minimal activity? 30-40w. Full capacity? 90-120w. i5 2-310: running bf3 - 45w i5 idle: 5-10w. Is this correct? AMD power efficiency is good, but it can't drop below 3GHz.
many programs and their mix can unexpectedly use a lot more CPU speed than needed. additionally, the way you measure power usage might vary, which could affect the results slightly.
Mine isn't much better. 12% of 540 watt = 65 watts for just the CPU. As you can see, all cores are asleep except for 2, one at 778 mhz and one at 274 mhz. Part of the reason is the large amount of RAM, at 3600 mhz. This I understand requires more frequent refreshes, and having 64 gigs means there is more memory to be refreshed. My previous skylake system when on an integrated GPU with 16 Gb of RAM would idle at 30-40 watts at the wall.
it runs quietly at 3 to 6 watts, showing about 102 watts total on the power meter. The desktop setup has a lot of RGB lighting in the background.
I believe the variation stems from how AMD and Intel handle reporting data. The user notes similarities between HWInfo and their own experience, where AMD's "CPU Package Power" reads about 30W, while their setup draws less than a comparable Intel system. Their system details—R9 5900X, RTX 2060 Super, cooling components, SSDs, and a 750W PSU—show idle power use between 82-89W as measured by UPS. The key distinctions are a less powerful graphics card, absence of an HDD, and no AIO pump, which likely explain the ~15-20W difference at idle.
I highlighted the reported package power and then compared it to the actual system usage. For me, the 102w includes six RGB fans (3.6w each for the lights), an AIO pump, a RGB mouse and keyboard, a USB headset, and charging for USB earbuds. Most systems typically draw between 75 and 150w when idle.
The Z590 chipset states a TDP of 6 watts, but that figure can vary. Most components include heatsinks, so power use should be higher than the stated number. We estimate around 15 watts for safety. Adding keyboard, mouse, RGB fans, SSDs, and hard drives brings the total to roughly 80 watts. Including memory modules and USB charging, the overall load could reach 102 watts. At such low demand, the power supply efficiency drops, making the numbers seem accurate. Of course, these calculations are based on assumptions and may not reflect real performance.