Will lowering the frames per second in games conserve energy?
Will lowering the frames per second in games conserve energy?
I now have a solid configuration. 12700KF 32gb DDR5 @7200mhz, paired with an RX 9070. My TV supports up to 144mhz. I used to run at 30fps, but with 100+ fps it doesn’t really help much or seems unnecessary. I also heard that above 80 fps is just extra flair you don’t really notice physically.
My question is, if I lower the maximum fps in games to around 60hz, will I save on electricity costs?
I haven’t received my first bill yet because of the new build, but I’m really worried—this will definitely be better than my old setup with the 8700k and RTX 3070.
I can either listen to experts or try it myself. The latter would take about two months, though I can check my usage online regularly.
It might be worth considering if power consumption is your main issue. Adjusting the GPU's power limits or reducing the clock speeds for both the CPU and GPU could be more beneficial. Your GPU might have a "Silent BIOS" option to easily lower power usage based on the task.
Minor variation expected.
More noticeable difference would come from a more efficient power supply unit. For instance, if you're playing 80+ Gold titles, switching to 80+ Titanium would create a difference regardless of load (as long as the PC is on). Would you like to try it in about five minutes?
You can download and run HWinfo64 from this link: https://www.hwinfo.com/download/
In Sensors mode, HWinfo64 displays the GPU's power usage. "GPU Power" is its label.
Play your games at full settings while HWinfo64 runs in the background. Record the peak wattage displayed on the GPU power meter. Optionally, log the average as well.
Close HWinfo64 and restart it so previous readings are cleared. Set your in-game FPS cap to 30 or 60 and restart the game. Check if your GPU actually used less power.
The current power usage of your PC is the actual measured wall power, not any approximations.
It relies on how frequently you use it and the amount it consumes. You can lower your GPU voltage and cut frames, which will save power but the relationship between performance and energy use isn’t straightforward. Reducing your usage to 60% instead of 100 might save 20W, and potentially up to 70W. To save 1KWH you’d need about 14 hours of gameplay at that saving rate.
You can determine the power usage at the wall using a kill a watt meter in this way:
https://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Ele...ocphy=9011555&hvtargid=pla-2281435179978&th=1
It's possible you accidentally overclocked your 12700 by choosing the optimized defaults in the BIOS.
Lowering graphics settings will reduce the load on the GPU.
Overall, I wouldn't expect significant improvements from your actions.
Other devices also consume electricity that you charge for. Most of my power usage goes toward heating water, cooking, boiling water, using a microwave, storing food in the fridge or freezer, running a washing machine, and operating central heating fans. A small amount of electricity is needed to power my main computer, which can reach up to 400W. At around US $0.33 per kWhr, that’s quite a bit of cost.
I don’t have any of those things.
It’s a basic unit with a small top freezer. I don’t use the air conditioner much. I get free hot water. I cook with gas every day, maybe twice a month in the microwave. I spend most of my time watching TV and playing games. With a 65qn90daf and a Denon receiver, the PC is the biggest energy consumer. But reading all the comments shows A) it’s too much effort to even try the theory, and B) I really sounded cheap with my question.
Having a $90 power bill instead of my current about $45 is probably not a big deal. I guess I was more interested in being curious than saving a couple of drinks each month.
But thank you for the tips—I’ll experiment with the suggested tools anyway. It’s nice to see how things function and try out new stuff.
Also, after looking up 8700k & 12700kf and RTX 3070 & RX 9070, the total difference is just 50W… and that’s almost nothing. That’s when both run at full speed, and I rarely see the CPU hit 100% while playing most of my games.
Thanks again for the suggestions and insights.