F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop With identical fans, heat generation remains consistent, so temperature stays stable regardless of power use.

With identical fans, heat generation remains consistent, so temperature stays stable regardless of power use.

With identical fans, heat generation remains consistent, so temperature stays stable regardless of power use.

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IceJay24
Member
185
09-29-2025, 01:33 PM
#1
No, not all electrical energy turns into heat. Some is lost as sound, light, or used for computation. Even with identical cooling solutions, temperature depends on factors like workload, efficiency, and design differences between CPUs. Power usage alone doesn’t fully dictate temperature.
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IceJay24
09-29-2025, 01:33 PM #1

No, not all electrical energy turns into heat. Some is lost as sound, light, or used for computation. Even with identical cooling solutions, temperature depends on factors like workload, efficiency, and design differences between CPUs. Power usage alone doesn’t fully dictate temperature.

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arrowhead20k
Junior Member
5
09-29-2025, 04:20 PM
#2
Their internal systems handle energy conversion uniquely, meaning temperature isn't solely set by power use.
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arrowhead20k
09-29-2025, 04:20 PM #2

Their internal systems handle energy conversion uniquely, meaning temperature isn't solely set by power use.

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Ailinie
Member
160
09-30-2025, 02:45 AM
#3
Yes, but keep in mind that heat generation and power use aren't the same as performance. They can increase together in one CPU, making it hard to compare two different CPUs using just that metric. Just because a processor uses more power and creates more heat doesn't guarantee it's doing more work than another. You should look at various benchmarks to understand the difference.
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Ailinie
09-30-2025, 02:45 AM #3

Yes, but keep in mind that heat generation and power use aren't the same as performance. They can increase together in one CPU, making it hard to compare two different CPUs using just that metric. Just because a processor uses more power and creates more heat doesn't guarantee it's doing more work than another. You should look at various benchmarks to understand the difference.

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chris66072
Member
156
09-30-2025, 06:59 PM
#4
not quite, but a significant amount of it in such a way that you can mention power usage equals heat from CPUs made differently, designed, and sized—though other elements also influence temperature, such as heat density, packaging methods (solder vs paste vs direct die), etc.
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chris66072
09-30-2025, 06:59 PM #4

not quite, but a significant amount of it in such a way that you can mention power usage equals heat from CPUs made differently, designed, and sized—though other elements also influence temperature, such as heat density, packaging methods (solder vs paste vs direct die), etc.

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Sk1T_Lindsey
Junior Member
32
10-05-2025, 03:57 AM
#5
All electrical power from a CPU ultimately turns into heat. The amount required changes based on factors like clock speed, which adjusts automatically according to workload. Faster speeds usually demand more energy and generate more heat, but they also finish tasks quicker, allowing the system to cool down sooner and potentially reducing overall heat output.
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Sk1T_Lindsey
10-05-2025, 03:57 AM #5

All electrical power from a CPU ultimately turns into heat. The amount required changes based on factors like clock speed, which adjusts automatically according to workload. Faster speeds usually demand more energy and generate more heat, but they also finish tasks quicker, allowing the system to cool down sooner and potentially reducing overall heat output.

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136
10-05-2025, 06:33 AM
#6
Here’s a rephrased version of your notes:

Power consumption is closely linked to clock speed. A 20% rise in clocks means a 20% increase in power use. Voltage changes follow an exponential pattern—adding more voltage leads to a faster jump in power. Every incremental change in voltage contributes to the overall increase. For example, raising voltage by 5% results in roughly a 10% boost in power. Similarly, increasing transistors by 10% also raises power consumption proportionally. The relationship between process technology and power is still somewhat understood, though exact formulas are hard to pin down. Generally, a one-to-one connection exists; reducing transistor count from 14nm to 7nm could cut power by about half. However, manufacturing nuances have shifted significantly over time, making these simple assumptions less reliable.
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TurboN_GGA9000
10-05-2025, 06:33 AM #6

Here’s a rephrased version of your notes:

Power consumption is closely linked to clock speed. A 20% rise in clocks means a 20% increase in power use. Voltage changes follow an exponential pattern—adding more voltage leads to a faster jump in power. Every incremental change in voltage contributes to the overall increase. For example, raising voltage by 5% results in roughly a 10% boost in power. Similarly, increasing transistors by 10% also raises power consumption proportionally. The relationship between process technology and power is still somewhat understood, though exact formulas are hard to pin down. Generally, a one-to-one connection exists; reducing transistor count from 14nm to 7nm could cut power by about half. However, manufacturing nuances have shifted significantly over time, making these simple assumptions less reliable.

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Kaldeo
Member
226
10-05-2025, 07:20 AM
#7
Ideally, electrical power is transformed into useful work without any waste, but in reality there is some inefficiency that results in heat being produced instead.
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Kaldeo
10-05-2025, 07:20 AM #7

Ideally, electrical power is transformed into useful work without any waste, but in reality there is some inefficiency that results in heat being produced instead.

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mrjaja38
Junior Member
16
10-05-2025, 11:47 AM
#8
What does "compute energy" refer to? It seems to challenge conventional physics rules. Energy must be transformed or transferred—it cannot appear out of nowhere. When you input 100W, it needs to shift into another form like light or heat, or be turned into motion such as spinning a fan. Different processors handle heat differently; some spread it wider due to larger areas or materials, while others manage it more compactly. The same applies to the IHS. They emit the same total heat, but by spreading it out or moving it faster through better contact with cooler surfaces, they can feel cooler even if the actual output stays the same. In cases where liquid metal replaces standard cooling materials, the heat moves more efficiently away from the chip, allowing the CPU to run cooler without reducing power.
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mrjaja38
10-05-2025, 11:47 AM #8

What does "compute energy" refer to? It seems to challenge conventional physics rules. Energy must be transformed or transferred—it cannot appear out of nowhere. When you input 100W, it needs to shift into another form like light or heat, or be turned into motion such as spinning a fan. Different processors handle heat differently; some spread it wider due to larger areas or materials, while others manage it more compactly. The same applies to the IHS. They emit the same total heat, but by spreading it out or moving it faster through better contact with cooler surfaces, they can feel cooler even if the actual output stays the same. In cases where liquid metal replaces standard cooling materials, the heat moves more efficiently away from the chip, allowing the CPU to run cooler without reducing power.

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170
10-08-2025, 07:32 PM
#9
Essentially, all electric power turns into heat due to certain processes. Heat reflects the system's average temperature. Many factors affect this value. For instance, if one processor has a smaller die size than another yet produces identical heat, the smaller one will run hotter under the same conditions because it offers less surface area for cooling. Temperature isn't solely set by power use; it depends on how efficiently heat is managed. Power usage only indicates the amount of energy released as heat.
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xxSuperSweetxx
10-08-2025, 07:32 PM #9

Essentially, all electric power turns into heat due to certain processes. Heat reflects the system's average temperature. Many factors affect this value. For instance, if one processor has a smaller die size than another yet produces identical heat, the smaller one will run hotter under the same conditions because it offers less surface area for cooling. Temperature isn't solely set by power use; it depends on how efficiently heat is managed. Power usage only indicates the amount of energy released as heat.

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Tymats
Junior Member
30
10-08-2025, 09:24 PM
#10
Not every electric power turns into heat. Multiple elements play a role, not just fans and thermal paste. For instance, some processors use solder on the CPU die to the metal base, while others (like Intel nowadays) rely on thermal paste, which reduces heat transfer to the cooler. The chip size influences how well heat moves away. Manufacturing methods can create chips that perform better at higher temps, whereas others may lose more energy as temperatures rise—such as 7nm versus 14nm. There are subtle variations in how heat travels through the CPU pins and sockets; some designs let more heat escape via those connections, while others don’t. A CPU with more pins in the socket might slightly improve heat dissipation through the base into the motherboard.
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Tymats
10-08-2025, 09:24 PM #10

Not every electric power turns into heat. Multiple elements play a role, not just fans and thermal paste. For instance, some processors use solder on the CPU die to the metal base, while others (like Intel nowadays) rely on thermal paste, which reduces heat transfer to the cooler. The chip size influences how well heat moves away. Manufacturing methods can create chips that perform better at higher temps, whereas others may lose more energy as temperatures rise—such as 7nm versus 14nm. There are subtle variations in how heat travels through the CPU pins and sockets; some designs let more heat escape via those connections, while others don’t. A CPU with more pins in the socket might slightly improve heat dissipation through the base into the motherboard.