Beatrice Lang
With the rising energy costs, it is important to know how much power your PC is consuming. The PC itself does not know much about its power consumption and it is difficult to measure the exact power draw from the mains supply via software. However, there are several tools available to monitor this statistic. Some are built into your operating system, while others require a separate download or the purchase of an external device. The most accurate way to measure your PC's power usage is by using a wattage meter at the mains socket.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Software | HWiNFO, OuterVision Power Supply Calculator, Windows 11 Resource Monitoring |
| Hardware | Wattage meter, power meter, P3 Kill A Watt Electricity Monitor, ElmorLabs PMD-USB |
| Other | Internet research, smart plugs |
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What You'll Learn
Use a wattage meter at the mains socket
Using a wattage meter at the mains socket is the most accurate way to measure your PC's power usage. This method requires purchasing a wattage meter, such as the SURAILEC Watt Meter ($11, Amazon). Once you have the meter, follow these steps:
First, plug your computer's main power pin into the watt meter. Ensure that you plug the watt meter into the wall socket. This will allow you to measure the power consumption of your PC through the meter.
If you are using a desktop computer, remember to measure the power consumption of your monitor separately. You can do this by plugging the monitor's power pin into the watt meter and following the same process. To find the total power consumption of your system, simply add the wattages of your PC and monitor together.
You can also use software like HWiNFO to approximate the bulk of your PC's power draw. This software taps into the sensors on various hardware components of your computer. However, this method is not very accurate and only measures the power consumption of the CPU and GPU, excluding your monitor or laptop display.
Additionally, smart plugs can be used to measure power consumption remotely from your phone. These smart plugs can display live voltage, current, and power consumption, along with graphical displays of past kilowatt-hours (kWh). Smart plugs are a convenient and affordable option, usually costing around €5 each.
By using a combination of these methods, you can accurately measure the electric consumption of your PC and its components.
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Use software to measure power consumption
While it is difficult to measure the exact power draw of your PC via software, you can still use software to approximate your PC's power consumption. This method will only measure the two main power-drawing components: the CPU and GPU.
One such software is HWiNFO, which taps into the sensors on various bits of your computer hardware. To use it, simply head to the HWiNFO website, install and run the software, click on 'Sensors', and locate and check 'CPU Package Power' to view the total CPU consumption. You'll be able to see the current, minimum measured, maximum measured, and average measured consumption. This will change as you leave HWiNFO running and as you perform varying intensity tasks.
HWMonitor is another software that can help you predict the power consumption of your PC. It also provides other information such as temperature and clock speed. To use it, simply download the application from its official website. After that, the application will automatically extract all the required information and tell you the result.
Open Hardware Monitor is a free, open-source, and lightweight application that can be downloaded from its official website. This software can be used to monitor things like the clock, temperature, and power of your PC.
GPU-Z is a program that provides a clear picture of the power consumption of your graphics card.
Additionally, Outervision's official website offers an online tool to measure your PC's power consumption. This tool provides not only wattage but also the per-year energy cost. The 'Basic' mode asks you to input some details and will give you a pretty accurate result.
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Use a power calculator
While it is difficult to measure the exact power draw of a PC via software, you can use a power calculator to estimate the energy usage of your computer.
Firstly, you need to calculate the power needs of your PC's components, including the CPU, motherboard, GPU, RAM, and hard drives. You can then use a power supply calculator, such as Newegg's PSU wattage calculator, to determine the required wattage and amperage for your PC build. This will help you to avoid underpowering or overpowering your PC, which can lead to damage.
To use a power supply calculator, you will need to input the various components of your PC, and the calculator will estimate the wattage and amperage your PC build needs based on these components.
It is important to note that the power supply output is advertised as the maximum amount of watts a power supply can output, so choosing a PSU with a slightly higher wattage than your initial calculations is a good idea.
Additionally, the 80 PLUS Certification is a rating system that tells you how efficient your PSU is at turning electricity into usable power. It evaluates how your power supply converts AC to DC power, with Titanium being the most efficient rating.
By using a power calculator, you can estimate your PC's power usage and make informed decisions about your PSU to ensure your components are receiving the right amount of power and to potentially save on electricity bills.
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Use a monitor that plugs into a wall socket
If you want to find out your PC's power consumption, you can use a wattage meter at the mains socket. This is the most accurate way to measure your PC's power usage. Simply plug your computer's main power pin into the watt meter and then plug the watt meter into the wall socket. You can purchase a watt meter, such as the SURAILEC Watt Meter, for as little as $11 on Amazon.
If you have a desktop, you will also need to measure the wattage of your monitor and then add the two wattages together to calculate the total system draw. This is because the monitor is one of the two main power-drawing components of a PC, the other being the CPU.
Smart plugs with built-in energy monitoring are another way to measure the power consumption of your PC. These plugs can be controlled remotely from your phone and display live voltage, current, and power consumption, as well as graphical displays of past kWh usage. Smart plugs are typically affordable, costing around €5 each.
While it is possible to approximate the bulk of your PC's power draw by using software such as HWiNFO, this method is not very accurate. It only measures the two main power-drawing components, the CPU and GPU, and does not include the power draw of the monitor. Therefore, it is recommended to use a wattage meter or smart plug for more accurate measurements.
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Check the manufacturer's information
To check your PC's power consumption, you can refer to the manufacturer's information. This is the most accurate way to get the details. First, ensure your PC is turned off and the power cable is unplugged for safety. Then, open the case, which may require a screwdriver. Locate the power supply, or PSU (power supply unit), inside the case—it's usually mounted at the top or bottom. On the side of the PSU, you'll find a label displaying the brand, model, and wattage. For a standard home PC, the wattage is typically around 400W, while gaming rigs or workstations may require 600W or more.
If you don't want to open your PC's case, there are software tools that can provide estimates of your system's power consumption. While these won't give you the exact PSU model or wattage, they can offer a sense of how much power your hardware is using. One such tool is HWMonitor, which displays real-time CPU, GPU, and motherboard voltage, temperature, and power consumption data. By checking this information, you can estimate your system's overall power demand.
Another software option is HWiNFO, which can approximate your PC's power draw by tapping into the sensors on various hardware components. This method focuses on the two main power-drawing components: the CPU and GPU. After installing and running HWiNFO, click on "Sensors." Then, locate and check "CPU Package Power" to view the total CPU consumption, including current, minimum, maximum, and average measurements. Similarly, you can locate and check "Total Graphics Power" to view the total GPU consumption, which will also display current, minimum, maximum, and average values. These values will change as you perform varying-intensity tasks on your PC.
While these software tools can provide estimates, it's important to note that your PC's power supply typically doesn't communicate total power draw to the motherboard. Therefore, for precise measurements, physically inspecting the PSU and referring to the manufacturer's label remains the most reliable approach.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to find out your PC's power consumption. You can use a wattage meter at the mains socket, which is the most accurate way to measure your PC's power usage. You can also use software like HWiNFO to approximate the power draw, although this method is not very accurate and does not include your monitor/laptop display.
Purchase a wattage meter from Amazon, Newegg, or your local computer store. Plug the wattage meter into the wall, and then plug your desktop or laptop power cord into it. The built-in screen will display how much power your computer uses in real-time.
Yes, Windows 11 has a feature called Resource Monitoring, which is available through Microsoft's Dev Home Preview app. This allows you to track your PC's processor utilization, memory usage, and GPU temperature.
Yes, CPUs and GPUs are large processors that consume significant amounts of power. Therefore, monitoring their power consumption is essential to prevent excessive heat from damaging the chips.
You can calculate the cost of running your PC by using the kWh reading from the wattage meter. For example, if your electricity charges are $0.20 per kWh and the meter shows a reading of 3.4 kWh, then the minimum cost will be $0.68 (excluding taxes and standing charges).
