Free program that automatically calculates real time PC power use?

[iPen]

I can see the % activity in programs like MSI Afterburner while gaming, and the % activity in Task Manager, but is there a free program that breaks it down for me in real time in terms of Wattage used? I'm wondering how much wattage gets used when I'm playing, when I open dozens of tabs, when I stream videos, and/or all of these simultaneously.

I recently upped my PSU to 750 Watts from 500 Watts, as my PSU went FUBAR and my old GTX 560 GPU kept crashing, but my newer 780 Ti graphics card crashed again yesterday.

In any case, I think it would be a good idea to monitor how much I'm consuming in general.

Thanks in advance.

 

[RunLuke]

Hm, I think... Mmm. HW-Info does, but I have node idea how precise it is.

I'd get an external power meter, that should show you. What sort of hardware are you on?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... To determine "Power" the formula is V x I = P... so you need to incorporate a current measuring instrument... Typical PS's don't have a data link for their operating conditions/outputs.
There are many poducts out now for a Home Owner/user to install for this purpose... Do some searches... check the Local Home Depots-Menards-Walmarts-Best Buys for some ideas.

 

[iPen]

Hm, I think... Mmm. HW-Info does, but I have node idea how precise it is.

I'd get an external power meter, that should show you. What sort of hardware are you on?

Here's what I have:

- Samsung UN48JU7500 4K TV (via HDMI to GPU)
- Mushkin 16gb ram
- Windows 10
- EVGA 780 ti
- MSI Z7AA GD55 Motherboard
- Intel i7-3770K LGA1155 CPU
- Cougar 750 Watt PSU
- Corsair liquid cooling for CPU

Other hardware and devices connected to this PC:

- Samsung DVD Drive SH-224BB
- Samsung 128gb SSD MZ-7PC128B/WW R
- Western Digital WD6400AAKS HDD
- Thermaltake mechanical wired keyboard KB-MEG005
- Logitech M-BS81A wire mouse
- Sennheiser PC-320 headset
- Samsung ML2070W Printer
- Yamaha AV Receiver
- Athena Home Theater System

 

[USAFRet]

You want one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4460-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B000RGF29Q

 

[iPen]

You want one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4460-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B000RGF29Q

That looks neat. The only real downside would be access, as my power outlet is tucked away in the back.

If there's a way to install a physical hardware into the computer, and have a software log and chart my wattage performance so that it can be monitored on screen, I'd be down for that.

 

[USAFRet]

If there's a way to install a physical hardware into the computer, and have a software log and chart my wattage performance so that it can be monitored on screen, I'd be down for that.

Not that I know of.
A full system power meter needs to be outboard of the whole system. Anything inboard of the PSU is going to miss something.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... Typically you need Current Donuts/clamp around Wire transducers for current measurements, point to point Voltage probe... and then a 2 input A/D card for your computer, and the Software. This is a 2 channel oscilloscope in a labtop or Computer.

 

[derek3ton]

^^ What USAFret said. You need to measure the amount being pulled from the wall receptacle for an accurate reading. Everyone I've seen measuring power on a system uses one of those readers. I don't know of any software that can measure what you are asking for unless those new digital psu's have something, but I've never played with those.

 

[ko888]

Your Apevia WIN-500PS power supply is grossly inadequate to properly your system configuration.

System Power Supply Requirements for a single GeForce GTX 780 Ti
• NVIDIA specifies a minimum of a 600 Watt or greater system power supply. (Minimum system power requirement based on a PC configured with an Intel Core i7 3.2GHz 130 Watt TDP processor.)
• the system power supply must also have a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 42 Amps or greater
• the system power supply should also have at least one 75-Watt 6-pin and one 150-Watt 8-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors. There are some non-reference design cards that require two 150 Watt 8-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

You'll be lucky if you can get a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current 30 Amps out of the Apevia WIN-500PS.

 

[USAFRet]

I have one of those Kill-A-Watt devices. Sitting here at idle (2 FireFox windows with a bunch of tabs open), the entire thing is using ~125 watts.

Hardware list here:

Running with a XFX TS 750 PSU.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... PS size? model?
USAF is that watt/hr?

 

[iPen]

Your Apevia WIN-500PS power supply is grossly inadequate to properly your system configuration.

System Power Supply Requirements for a single GeForce GTX 780 Ti
• NVIDIA specifies a minimum of a 600 Watt or greater system power supply. (Minimum system power requirement based on a PC configured with an Intel Core i7 3.2GHz 130 Watt TDP processor.)
• the system power supply must also have a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 42 Amps or greater
• the system power supply should also have at least one 75-Watt 6-pin and one 150-Watt 8-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors. There are some non-reference design cards that require two 150 Watt 8-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

You'll be lucky if you can get a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current 30 Amps out of the Apevia WIN-500PS.

Whoops, I have a 750 watt PSU. I forgot to change that. Thanks for the info.

 

[iPen]

I have one of those Kill-A-Watt devices. Sitting here at idle (2 FireFox windows with a bunch of tabs open), the entire thing is using ~125 watts.

Hardware list here:

Running with a XFX TS 750 PSU.

That's a very neatly organized monitoring of your hardware

 

[USAFRet]

That's a very neatly organized monitoring of your hardware

Speccy, from Piriform
https://www.piriform.com/speccy

 

[iPen]

That's a very neatly organized monitoring of your hardware

Speccy, from Piriform
https://www.piriform.com/speccy

Thanks! Piriform has some really neat stuff - I use CCleaner and that's amazing. Speccy is probably amazing, too.