List of IDLE Watt usage for different CPUs with Mint?

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karsti
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List of IDLE Watt usage for different CPUs with Mint?

Post by karsti »

Hi,

I want to build a computer that is mostly in IDLE. There are these ultra-low power CPUs (TDP 6W-15W) and performance is more then enough. But they are pricey as well and you don't easily get a CPU+Mainboard for a reasonable price. Then there are cheap 6W-10W Celerons and higher-watt Celerons which offer a lot more performance, so this CPU would be even suited for moderate use, meaning if in the future I change the role of that computer, I could still use it as an office computer. The 6W-10W CPUs are a little weak for that.

My question is, are the higher TDP CPUs on the same level of Watt-usage as let's say a 6W-10W Celeron when in IDLE? Is there maybe a list of CPUs and their IDLE Watt usage under Linux or even better under Mint? Also is there a noticeable IDLE Watt usage difference between different desktop environments? Like Cinnamnon and XFCE?

P.S.: I know CPUs are not the only power drain in a system (SSDs, etc.). Still, I want to focus first on CPUs. Maybe if there is not a list, maybe somebody has an opinion if higher TDP CPUs use much more Watt than those power-saving CPUs when running Mint? Maybe there is no difference when in IDLE and only when you actually use the computer the higher TDP CPU also uses much more Watt?
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Petermint
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Re: List of IDLE Watt usage for different CPUs with Mint?

Post by Petermint »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_C ... on_figures

For Cinnamon, you switch effects off. XFCE and LMDE use slightly less but for most use, their activity is trivial compared to application use.

:idea: The latest Raspberry Pi 4 could replace Celerons. The Pi is low power to the point where you do not need a fan. You can run almost any software in their 2 GB, 4 GB, or 8 GB of RAM. You get Gigabit Ethernet, Wifi, and USB 3. File server, media server, CNC controller. Name what you want to do. The Pi can probably do it.

Depending on your applications, faster CPUs can return to idle faster, reducing overall power usage. Better motherboards have more controls but notebook motherboards are optimised for low power. A recent used notebook is often the best choice for low power if the Raspberry Pi does not fit. A notebook includes battery backup for power outages.

When you recycle a notebook for that purpose, you can get special CPU models that are only sold to notebook manufacturers because they have to be soldered to the motherboard. The M series is one example. The support chips are matched to the CPU. There are about 568 billion combinations :shock: of those chips so do not expect a full list of what is best.

I recycled a notebook that ran forever on a tiny battery which means the whole machine used almost no power (with the display off). No screen saver, just off. The machine could run almost overnight just on battery. The machine ran LM 19 on an mSATA SSD. Today's SSDs use only a third of the power compared to that old one.

The Ethernet, Wifi, and Bluetooth used significant power when transmitting. I switched off Wifi and Bluetooth, using only wired Ethernet.
Hoser Rob
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Re: List of IDLE Watt usage for different CPUs with Mint?

Post by Hoser Rob »

Petermint wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 2:20 am ... For Cinnamon, you switch effects off. XFCE and LMDE use slightly less but for most use, their activity is trivial compared to application use....
LMDE is only available with the Cinnamon desktop, how would it be any different in this respect?
For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong - H. L. Mencken
Petermint
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Re: List of IDLE Watt usage for different CPUs with Mint?

Post by Petermint »

I meant LXDE as used in the Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu, and stuff. It is definitely the lightest desktop when tuned by the distribution developers. It runs on amazingly small versions of the Pi and ran on some tiny almost nothing old machines. It ran on an Intel Atom! :shock:
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