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Faster video card = higher power drain?

Whackintosh

Whackintosh

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 8, 2009
435
14
Montreal, Quebec
Just wondering, if I were to go for a higher specd Imac with a more powerful video card (thinking possibly the refurb with the 8800), would this be a significantly bigger energy drain, or does the card not kick in to full force unless a task requires it to do so?
 
Given the laws of physics and thermodynamics . . . the faster processors and additional ram on higher performance video cards is going to increase system power draw and increase surface temperatures.
 
MTI said:
Given the laws of physics and thermodynamics . . . the faster processors and additional ram on higher performance video cards is going to increase system power draw and increase surface temperatures.
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Yes, I gathered that. What I wonder is whether the video card would be working at full speed / heat / energy draw even when the task at hand doesn't demand it. For example, when I'm writing a document or reading email, would the video card still be chugging away at full power?
 
My GT 130 seems to stay pretty cool when I'm just using basic programs like iTunes and Safari ... for a while. After only half an hour of using Safari - it gets very hot. The good thing is if I just leave it to go to the screensaver, or put it to sleep, or turn it off - it will only take about 10 minutes for it to completely cool down again. :)
 
PurpleCliff said:
My GT 130 seems to stay pretty cool when I'm just using basic programs like iTunes and Safari ... for a while. After only half an hour of using Safari - it gets very hot. The good thing is if I just leave it to go to the screensaver, or put it to sleep, or turn it off - it will only take about 10 minutes for it to completely cool down again. :)
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That's what I kind of expected Thanks. I'm honestly tempted to save some dollars and go with a 2.66 with the integrated 9400, as it seems that would run much cooler and draw less energy. Since I'd just be doing video editing and photoshop type things at the most extreme with it, it doesn't appear that I'd be taking a performance hit. I've got a PS3 for the few times I do game anyway.
 
I think video editing might benefit from the better graphics, it might make it faster to render videos and such. Don't think Photoshop would act any different though, I've ran it just fine on every type of computer and it ran at a similar speed.
 
synagence said:
Yet....
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The new architecture will probably change that, but it's going to take time. I wouldn't expect many applications to take advantage of OpenCL and Grand Central for about a year to a year and a half after the intro of SL.
 
I'm sincerely hoping that CS5 offers something for the Mac user since CS4 didn't

On windows they added all manner of GPU support but they didn't even cocoa the UI for us.
 
synagence said:
Yet....
Click to expand...

Lots of people saying things like that; it's not a valid argument. CS4 isn't that old, and it doesn't. The next release (judging from previous release cycles) is about 2 years away, if not more... at the limit of the average life of a computer bought today. Ditto for every other application in the world that doesn't use Grand Central "yet."
 
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