This page documents AC power consumption for my computers and monitors. These measurements were taken with a Brand Electronics, LLC AC Power Meter, model 20-1850. The company is located in Whitefield, Maine. It is interesting to note that the hard drive which is very active during the first few minutes of startup of a computer draws significant power and that the power requirements of the monitors is virtually zero when there is no video signal. Steady refers to the steady state condition which is the period after the startup process is complete. Startup refers to period during the startup of the device. This is not the same as the instanstaneous peak power value. Peak refers to instantaneous peak power which is the worst case power requirement.
| Device Description |
Watts Steady |
Watts Startup |
Watts Peak |
Irms Steady |
Irms Startup |
Power Factor |
VA Steady |
VA Startup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux - fire | 65 | 90 | 108 | 0.85 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 115 | 150 |
| Linux - blue | 80 | 100 | 121 | 1.07 | 1.33 | 0.6 | 127 | 160 |
| Win2K - fin | 70 | 91 | 106 | 0.96 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 115 | 150 |
| Win2K - right | 55 | 80 | 84 | 0.80 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 90 | 120 |
| Win2K - gray | 85 | 110 | 131 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.65 | 127 | 140 |
| Device Description |
Watts Steady |
Watts Startup |
Watts Peak |
Irms Steady |
Irms Startup |
Power Factor |
VA Steady |
VA Startup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi - 2020u | 0.3 | 100 | 260 | 0.04 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 5 | 100 |
| NEC - XP21 | 5 | 140 | 151 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 13 | 225 |
| Optiquest - 4500DC | 0.1 | 140 | 151 | 0.05 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 7 | 225 |