Question QUestion about CPU, ghz, cpu usage and total watt consumption.

[stren2]

Hello everyone, I build a pc with a xeonx x3440 and a p7p55m mobo. I OC my cpu to 3.6ghz and got a stable system with a 1.200 vCore.

I noticed that my my cpu is always running at 3.6 ghz and using a Vcore between 1.189 and 1.200 max.(using CPU Z)Even when my cpu usage is at 2-4 % it uses the same voltage.

My question is:

Does that mean that my cpu even at idle is drawing the max amount of watts because my vcore is always the same or cpu usage is a variable indipendent from ghz speed and somehow contributes differently to the total watt consumption.

I bought a wattmeter and in 5/6 days i will be able to see the total power draw and I think that it will be lower when cpu is at 0 usage or at 100% but I dont know which variable makes for the difference because the voltage is a constant. Maybe the A(ampere) changes from idle to 100% usage or there are multiple Voltages and I only count the Vcore one.

Could someone explain me what changes in watt consumption from 0 idle to 100% usage if ghz is always the same and Vcore is fixed. Thanks.

 

[mdd1963]

If you have set manual multplier control and voltage in the BIOS, then you can expect those numbers clock speed numbers to remain constant...

Not sure what sorts of power saving /clock speed variance exists with older Xeons...; the spec sheet says SpeedStep is viable, so, in WIndows Balanced Power Plan, with Auto multiplier control, and all chipset drivers correctly installed, perhaps it will idle down to less than 2.5 GHz when not under load. But as long as you have manually entered in a multiplier and voltage, you are stuck at that clock speed regardless of load....