Power requirements for GPUs

Message boards : Number crunching : Power requirements for GPUs

Author	Message
Mamluk Send message Joined: 10 Sep 09 Posts: 80 Credit: 2,448,048 RAC: 0	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?
	ID: 947853 ·

[seti.international] Philip J. Fry Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 6 Apr 07 Posts: 6567 Credit: 50,740,775 RAC: 20,138	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. ____________ >Das Deutsche Cafe. The German Cafe.<
	ID: 947854 ·

Mamluk Send message Joined: 10 Sep 09 Posts: 80 Credit: 2,448,048 RAC: 0	Message 947855 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 13:00:22 UTC - in response to Message 947854.
	Thank you...
	ID: 947855 ·

[KWSN]John Galt 007 Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 9 Nov 99 Posts: 2439 Credit: 16,594,037 RAC: 0	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
	ID: 947860 ·

[seti.international] Philip J. Fry Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 6 Apr 07 Posts: 6567 Credit: 50,740,775 RAC: 20,138	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. ____________ >Das Deutsche Cafe. The German Cafe.<
	ID: 947861 ·

Mamluk Send message Joined: 10 Sep 09 Posts: 80 Credit: 2,448,048 RAC: 0	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.
	ID: 947863 ·

[seti.international] Philip J. Fry Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 6 Apr 07 Posts: 6567 Credit: 50,740,775 RAC: 20,138	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. ____________ >Das Deutsche Cafe. The German Cafe.<
	ID: 947868 ·

Mamluk Send message Joined: 10 Sep 09 Posts: 80 Credit: 2,448,048 RAC: 0	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?
	ID: 947874 ·

Wembley Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 16 Sep 09 Posts: 415 Credit: 879,818 RAC: 0	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. ____________ Donate with your searches and online buys: http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/university-of-california-setihome
	ID: 947890 ·

Link Send message Joined: 18 Sep 03 Posts: 671 Credit: 1,182,336 RAC: 592	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. ____________ .
	ID: 947899 ·

Mamluk Send message Joined: 10 Sep 09 Posts: 80 Credit: 2,448,048 RAC: 0	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?
	ID: 947905 ·

Ageless Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 11635 Credit: 1,997,100 RAC: 4,241	Message 947912 - Posted: 17 Nov 2009, 22:17:43 UTC - in response to Message 947905.
	Yes and yes. ____________ Jord - BOINC FAQ Service - BOINC User Wiki Real is just a matter of perception.
	ID: 947912 ·

[seti.international] Philip J. Fry Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 6 Apr 07 Posts: 6567 Credit: 50,740,775 RAC: 20,138	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'. ____________ >Das Deutsche Cafe. The German Cafe.<
	ID: 947913 ·

Ageless Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 11635 Credit: 1,997,100 RAC: 4,241	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. ____________ Jord - BOINC FAQ Service - BOINC User Wiki Real is just a matter of perception.
	ID: 947919 ·

Message boards : Number crunching : Power requirements for GPUs