Power requirements for GPUs

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Profile Mamluk
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Message 947853 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 12:45:48 UTC

@Sutaru or anyone else...


My both PCs take 1,080 W (1.08 kWh) out of the wall plug.


If I look at the power consumption specs of Sutaru's hosts, I would have expected the power consumption to be more than 1.08 kWh. Do the GPU cards (even OCed ones) at 100% usage use less when they are not driving monitors, but crunching WUs only?

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Profile Sutaru Tsureku
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Message 947854 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 12:56:57 UTC
Last modified: 17 Nov 2009, 13:02:37 UTC


From my experiences.. a graphic card which calculate CUDA use 3/4 of the max. wattage consumption which the manufacturer say.

I can say it only for my manufacturer OCed GTX260-216.
The manufacturer say max. ~ 200 W.
This would mean ~ 150 W for 'only' CUDA.

The 100 % wattage take the GPU if high gaming.


At my GPU cruncher only on the first GPU the display is connected.
At the other 3 GPUs nothing connected. Also not the WindowsDesktop extended. (WinXP)

With WinVista this is different. You need for example 'display dummies' connected to all GPUs.

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Message 947855 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 13:00:22 UTC - in response to Message 947854.  

Thank you...
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Profile [KWSN]John Galt 007
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Message 947860 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 13:12:08 UTC

Just FYI...I have 2 GTX260s, factory OCed to 655, running on a single rail Corsair 650, XP x64, Q6600, and I ran it fully loaded at SETI a bit back...

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/show_host_detail.php?hostid=4175668
Clk2HlpSetiCty:::PayIt4ward

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Profile Sutaru Tsureku
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Message 947861 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 13:12:53 UTC
Last modified: 17 Nov 2009, 13:16:01 UTC


Mamluk, you are welcome.

BTW.
I don't know if a GPU need more or less wattage if a display is connected.
I guess - no.

But normally you should enable 'go to black screen' if the PC is not in use.
No screen saver. Then the display go in stand-by and use less wattage.
Normally then also the GPU should use less wattage, but with my old nVIDIA 6200 LE I couldn't see this. Or it was to low to notice it.
I didn't made this test with the GPU cruncher.

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Message 947863 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 13:16:59 UTC - in response to Message 947861.  

I don't intend to have any display connected at all. I will use RDC to the box. I also don't think that driving a monitor will add too much to power consumption, but presumably there will be parts of the GPU that will not be used if a GPU is not driving a monitor/monitors.
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Message 947868 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 13:25:22 UTC
Last modified: 17 Nov 2009, 13:25:50 UTC


Ohh.. yes.. I need my second coffee for the day..

I made this test with my other.. QX6700 PC..

After 'go to black screen' the PC didn't used less wattage.
OCed QX6700 with OCed GTX260-216 and 6200 LE.

In this test 4x MB and 1x CUDA (full load).

But you can't see this really (if less wattage or not if 'black screen'), because if at full load the wattage vary ~ 10 W in short term and have sometimes also + ~ 25 W peaks.

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Message 947874 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 14:07:57 UTC - in response to Message 947854.  


You need for example 'display dummies' connected to all GPUs.


What is this?
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Wembley
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Message 947890 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 15:24:13 UTC - in response to Message 947863.  

I don't intend to have any display connected at all. I will use RDC to the box. I also don't think that driving a monitor will add too much to power consumption, but presumably there will be parts of the GPU that will not be used if a GPU is not driving a monitor/monitors.


Just remember that Microsoft's Remote Desktop shuts down the GPU when you connect to the machine.
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Message 947899 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 16:08:58 UTC

Here you have a review about the real power consumption of graphics cards: http://ht4u.net/reviews/2009/power_consumption_graphics/. And that's not necessarily what the manufacurer say or even what the card is allowed to draw out of the different cables.
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Message 947905 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 17:32:44 UTC - in response to Message 947890.  

I don't intend to have any display connected at all. I will use RDC to the box. I also don't think that driving a monitor will add too much to power consumption, but presumably there will be parts of the GPU that will not be used if a GPU is not driving a monitor/monitors.


Just remember that Microsoft's Remote Desktop shuts down the GPU when you connect to the machine.


Thank you. Will the GPU reenable itself when the remote connection is terminated? Does this apply to all 8 GPUs?
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Message 947912 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 22:17:43 UTC - in response to Message 947905.  

Yes and yes.
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Message 947913 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 22:25:37 UTC - in response to Message 947874.  
Last modified: 17 Nov 2009, 22:36:01 UTC


You need for example 'display dummies' connected to all GPUs.


What is this?


'Display dummies' can be special bought plugs for your GPU, but AFAIK also the adaptors which are also in the GPU box for to plug in VGA <-> DVI-I.

AFAIK, WinVista need a display connected to every GPU for CUDA.
So for to fake there are displays connected you can use 'display dummies'.

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Message 947919 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 22:54:41 UTC - in response to Message 947913.  

They're called VGA dummies and that's exactly what they are. They can be made by anyone who can wield a soldering iron. See here for instance, or just fill in VGA dummy in your search engine of choice.
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Message boards : Number crunching : Power requirements for GPUs


 
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