Comments on: High-end desktop power test reveals hidden costs of PC gaming

Our first high-end gaming desktop power results reveal the hidden costs of PC gaming performance.

[Circlestrafe]

I don't see how it's a hidden cost. It consumes power, it should be obvious. It's like saying this 300W floodlight has a hidden cost over a 60W incandescent. I have 3 gaming PCs (2 w/ 8800gts and dual core AMDs, 1 w/gtx260 and quad core AMD, all have 2 hd, at least 2 DVD burners and all use PC Power & Cooling 610W Silencer power supplies, I built all 4 PCs myself), an old system that's now a media pc in the living room for the 32" old school TV, a PS3/TV and an old xbox/TV. Most of which are on at least half the day. Monthly electric bill ~$130. Just the price a gaming addict family pays. (yeah the environmental impact cost is something I can live with, then again I rarely have to heat the house in winter.)

[play7]

How many times has people said " I LEAVE MY GAME ON 24 HOURS AND I MONEY" Now those taht PLay or had played Second Life always boasted about out they left their avies online 24 hours aday dancing or sitting in money chairs.....And not showing a increase in electric bill.........Add on the 1000 watt power supplys, 110 watt cpu and water cooled devices.........And you can still say your bill has not increased? Unless your living in a dorm, or with mommy. Well sure you would never see the raise in cost. The most childish reply i ever noticed was when I little kid say to me " I LIVE IN A TWO STORY HOME AND MY ELECTRIC BILL IS NO MORE THEN $25.00 a month......... Now I understand how people can say this if they are not playing the bills. But to boast about things they dont even understand?.
Gaming is costly not only the computer, but the line cost, electric bills etc...........

by renGek said............."Now you can actually save money too. If you spend all your time playing games on your pc and you're not going on dates and paying $150 for dinner and a movie or $1000 for the weekend getaways, why you'll make up for that $3000 pc in no time. :)"

I rather be real life then spending my time pretending to pickup dates in a online game...... Spending time with "REAL Life is much better and health then spending time ( likes games like SECOND LIFE ) when men are dressed as womens...........Your example shows how bad people have dropped in their soical interaction. By spending more time with VR people online then in real life.........

[gofalcons]

Wow....burned by second life there buddy, you're so upset you can't even spell or write correctly....lol. You're comment about pretending to pick up dates online is a joke too considering how many people meet online nowadays, but you keep going to the bars to meet the "right one", and I'll enjoy my wife that i met online. We also play online games together for hours, and own a successful business and a great social life. Go find that real life date now, show her your post, I am sure the spelling alone will win her over......lol.

[play7]

gofalcons you make me laugh.......... Burned..................telling how the state of the game yes...........Now if you can`t any any value to the reply don`t reply. English not my first language............Now have any thing worth while to add but to rag on people`s spelling???????????????? No as these types never do.......

[sensi2]

What the article fail to mention is that the 'permanent' overclock is somewhat outdated, nowadays (w/ Intel CPU, gigabyte mobos, software utilities, etc) you can have your power draining components underclocked most of the time -reducing power consumption- and have your overclock automatically put back only when needed, i.e. when starting a playing session.

[Dango517]

I think this article has more to do with the reduced use of written web content then gaming and energy costs. A factor certain high on Cnets agenda. If your reading Cnet you only need a laptop. I didn't notice any HPs or Dells on your list. This might also be a better reflection on laptop performance then game's energy hogging. You wouldn't be encouraging us to buy a laptop so we're forced to read your stuff are you? "Things are often not as they appear."

[sharsiel]

Hi. I am a complete novice but enjoy reading all the advice on these pages in case I glean a bit of knowledge and "one-upmanship" on my kids! I was very interested to read all these hidden costs of gaming - I knew computers have different costings for energy supplies but never thought any further than that. My son gets fed up with my "nagging" to turn his computer off if he is not using it. So now armed with this further knowledge (which naievely I never thought of) I'm ready for further battle. Is there any way one can measure the amount of energy one' offspring uses for all their devices? He also has an XBox 360 which he can use online as well as the lap top and main computer. Then there is all the electric guitar stuff (which he assures me doesn't cost much to run!)

Anyway, back to the main discussion going on here about hidden costs - Circlestrafe and Gofacons shouldn't be so superior, you put people off joining in with discussions - isn't anything like this mean't to be community and helpful? I really struggle with anything technical (still don't know how to put photos on the computer!) but I like to try, just a bit old and slow.

Anyway, thanks cnet for all the helpful and interesting stuff - I'll get there in the end and maybe have a more even "discussion" with my son over energy costs!

[streamline35]

You'd probably be looking for something like this

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/05/killawatt.php - the article says you can find those online for $15-$25

For the computer he never turns off by himself, you can always just set it to automatically shut down or go to sleep after X amount of time (30 minutes is probably reasonable) of not being used. Those settings are in control panel --> power options.

And keep in mind that the Xbox and electric guitar equipment obviously do use energy to run, but those aren't things that usually get left on when not in use (unlike computers), so while they do use energy, they don't exactly waste energy (while leaving the computer on for no reason does). Unless he's lazy and leaves those on when not in use, in which case, they are wasting energy as well.

[Fil0403]

Interesting, and one more reason to take seriously apps like Microsoft Hohm and give them a try, I'd say.

PS: I love the irony of showing the annual power consumption of a Mac in an article about *gaming*. XD

[Fil0403]

The "share" link on top of the story is (still) broken for me.

[streamline35]

Plus iMacs use laptop components, not desktop (which is why I'm not crazy about comparing them to all-in-one computers in general)

[streamline35]

Sorry, that comment was meant to be under the comment above (about the mac)

[vvtopkar]

Don't know if everyone around here has mentioned this yet, but there is a great "car analogy."

Building a high-end gaming machine is like buying a Ferrari, it will be faster than any other gaming rig, but will also get poor "mpg." This is the sacrifice you have to make to drive a fast car.

Similarly, this high power consumption is the sacrifice you have to make to run such a high-end computer.

[play7]

who cares......... Then again most dont pay their own electric bills that own such.