measuring pc power usage

[ComputerPerson1867]

how would you check how much your computer uses? what program would i download to measure how much power is being used?

[SupaKomputa]

You can't use a program, a program can be used to predict, and it's not accurate.

To do it properly you have to use a watt meter, that should accurately count how much power the PC is using through the power cable.

 

[FALC0N]

15 hours ago, SupaKomputa said:

You can't use a program, a program can be used to predict, and it's not accurate.

To do it properly you have to use a watt meter, that should accurately count how much power the PC is using through the power cable.

 

Bear in mind that the reading on such a device does not account for the psu efficiency curve.  A certain percentage of power is lost to heat during the AC to DC conversion.  That percentage usually falls between 8% and 20%, depending upon your PSU and the system load at that particular moment.  Meaning the components after the PSU will be using a little less power than the power draw reading from the wall.