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iMac M3 power draw

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From: bitbuc...@blackhole.com (Alan Browne)
Subject: iMac M3 power draw
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by: Alan Browne - Thu, 15 Feb 2024 20:48 UTC

iMac M3:
- 24 GB RAM
- 2 TB SSD
- 8 core CPU (4 efficiency, 4 performance)
- 10 GPU cores
- 1 Gb/s Ethernet

Using a "Kill-a-Watt" P3 to measure power and power factor.

Values are VA (not Watts).

Off: 0, with intermittent draws of about 5.9 .. 6.4 every few seconds.

Post start loading: 35..48 VA

Idle: 20 .. 21.5 VA

Handbrake (All 8 cores near flat out 100%): 46 .. 50.2 VA

Sleep: 8.4 .. 10.4 (occasional peaks to 11.2) VA (*)

Note that the power factor at high load (Handbrake) is a pretty lame
60%. Why I post VA and not Watts, above.

My older (2012) iMac draws more power and takes 3X+ longer to do the
same Handbrake job.

* So, as 7 months of the year this would be 'waste' heat not
contributing to the house heat, it comes to about 25 kWh of energy waste.
Since the power factor is so bad, however, it's metered as 15 kWh so I
only pay about $1 / year for that @ 6.5¢/kWh.

--
“Markets can remain irrational longer than your can remain solvent.”
- John Maynard Keynes.

"You can't make a program without broken egos."

computers / comp.sys.mac.system / iMac M3 power draw