Laptop, way towards less CO2?

[arthurleung]

I was fiddling with Rightmark CPU Clock last week and found out some really amazing facts about my notebook:

If you run under battery mode you can see discharge rate under battery info.

System spec:
Core2Duo T7200 (2Ghz, 4M Cache), GMA950, 2GB Ram, 14" Screen, 5400RPM IDE HDD

Power drain in different scenario:
Surfing Hexus (Wireless on, Minimal brightness)
CPU Load ~10% | CPU 6x Multi, 0.95V | Power Drain 16W
Power saving mode SP2004 (2 Threads)
CPU Load 100% | CPU 6x Multi, 0.95V | Power Drain 27W
Maximum performance mode SP2004 (2 Threads)
CPU Load 100% | CPU 6x Multi, 0.988V | Power Drain 36.5W
(T7200 nominal voltage 1.187V, I undervolted as far down as possible)

I suppose if you stress the dvdrom, harddrive to max, and turn brightness up to maximum it will be still under 50W

The T7200 runs on par with my Pentium D 920 that easily drain 100+W on its own.

DO WE REALLY NEED A SYSTEM THAT DRAWS 500+ WATTS?

I have to say, running a 500W monster rig will cost £123 a year (Minimal) and generate 670KG of CO2 (UK Average). Really, do we have to spend(waste) money on damaging the environment? I wonder what if the (up to) £111 saved PER YEAR running a laptop instead of a desktop, was put toward renewable energy resources, will that make the world better? Or just simply make the need to switch to carbon-negative/neutral fuel less urgent?

[Howard]

I only really care about electricity usage from a money-saving and necessity point of view, I don't think a 500W PSU is necessary in a normal computer without 6 graphics cards and 20 hard drives, core2duo or otherwise

[htid]

I put that I'd like too but there's nothing I can really do about it.

Since I do animation and post production work, I need a power hungry rig. However I did make sure to get an efficient psu, and I do turn my fans down as much as I safely can whenever I'm just surfing or chatting or whatever.

[Kimo]

Just because your running a 500w psu though doesn't meant it's going to pull all that power unless it needs it.

[arthurleung]

Just because your running a 500w psu though doesn't meant it's going to pull all that power unless it needs it.

I actually mean those people using 1000W PSU and use like 500W idle.

One of my hallmate had a vapochill installed and it used almost 400W at low load, and tops at 650W. He only had a 6800XT and P4 5Ghz though

[Hans Voralberg]

I actually mean those people using 1000W PSU and use like 500W idle.

One of my hallmate had a vapochill installed and it used almost 400W at low load, and tops at 650W. He only had a 6800XT and P4 5Ghz though

Is he deaf yet ?

[Stigggeh]

I like to reduce energy as much as i can however i do admit, its to save money more than save the environment.

[Sinizter]

I am currently using a laptop. And my home desktop is shut off when not in use. I also use a laptop for downloading use now, rather than my desktop.

I am not concerned about the cost of running a computer 24/7. In the larger scheme of expenses, it is negligible.

When I build myself a new desktop, I will get something that is as energy efficient as possible - but I wont be compromising on performance to do it. Even if I get a CPU that will pull more energy at full load, it shouldnt do that under normal general use.

[Noxvayl]

No wonder my parents are kringing when I said I want a 700w power supply to support all the upgrades I plan to make, going to have to start paying the electricity bill soon

[Agent]

No wonder my parents are kringing when I said I want a 700w power supply to support all the upgrades I plan to make, going to have to start paying the electricity bill soon

It will only draw what it needs.

Plus wattage isnt really important

[staffsMike]

Look at the cost and energy required to dispose of laptop batteries.. They look a little less appealing when you do.

[Gr44]

Im fairly sure the only reason your laptop 'uses' less energy is because the battery stores DC power.

PSU's in computers CONVERT AC into DC - this is where most of the energy is used. If you measure how much energy it takes to actually CHARGE your battery in the laptop - it probably equals more than a desktop PC.

[SilentDeath]

Im fairly sure the only reason your laptop 'uses' less energy is because the battery stores DC power.

PSU's in computers CONVERT AC into DC - this is where most of the energy is used. If you measure how much energy it takes to actually CHARGE your battery in the laptop - it probably equals more than a desktop PC.

Not really. To covert AC to DC you lose almost nothing, its the conversion from high voltage to low that is wastefull... but in a psu most should be around 85-90% efficient - not losing much.

The conversion from battery voltage -> component voltage will also be just as inifficient.

The reson why laptops are better is becuase the chips used have very low leakage current and usually are the best performers just underclocked. Most chips made are not of this quality so if everyone were to use them, it would cost a lot more, with all the other chips being thrown away, = much more expansive chips and you forget about all the co2 used to produce them.

"will that make the world better?"

What about all the other stuff that is wrong with the world, like starving 3rd world people?


I find it laughable that people are convinced by something with so little evidence* and are ready to pour billions of ££ into it worldwide, vs all the other wrong things that noone does anything about.

Its my honest opinion that the person makes very little % of the CO2 produced, where (ignoring transport), 85% of it is industrial use, yet there is no incentives given for them to reduce it vs me being forced to pay 2x more for my road tax (little do they know my car likes to burn oil )

*that it was caused by man/can be changed/wasnt going to happen anyway just like all the other climate changes so far.


Goverments just use to win votes since they are not going to keep many from the other things they do...

[Funkstar]

I can see your point SilentDeath, but look at it another way: less power used = lower power bills.

You can dispute the environmental argument if you like, but surely everyone likes lower bills?

Oh and i've just had a thought. The laptop power usage includes the screen and probably the speakers too. When comparing a desktops power usage remember to include everything, so you will probably have three transpormers/power supplies to loose power on

[Sinizter]

My laptop has a 65W adapter. So the max it can pull is 65W. My desktop on the other hand will pull a lot more under load and probably around the same when idle.