Power Consumption Index - Dell IdeaStorm

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1021

Power Consumption Index

1021 points posted to Environment by towap 02/21/07

I think Dell can be the first to encourage people to incorporate the power consumption of their new PC in their decision process. Having a power consumption as low as possible has several advantages: 1) your PC needs less cooling = more silent, 2) you'll pay less, and 3) better for the environment.

So my proposal would be to make an Index system to compare power consumption of several PC's.

powersaver 03/01/07	Check out this proposal: http://www.dellideastorm.com/article/show/62360/Save_Power_Be_innovative__Mak...< PLUS is certification program promoting power supplies that are >=80% efficient. See http://www.80plus.org/ for more info.
brumbys 07/31/07	Merged Idea originally posted 03/18/07 Eco Index & Power/Performance Ratio I'd like to see all PC manufacturers come up with an industry standard "Eco Index" to indicate how environmentally friendly each PC configuration is, primarily focusing on what it's power usage is in terms of a 5 star rating, similar to what's used for whitegoods (washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, etc) in Australia. A Power to Performance Ratio would also be useful for those of us that require a performance system but are also mindful of efficiency and its associated enviromnemntal impact.
neven 07/31/07	Merged Idea originally posted 06/11/07 Transparency with regards to power consumption Dell has lately been promoting energy smart desktops which is great. But how do I know if they're really energy efficient if I can't find any numbers on power consumption? Imagine car manufacturers saying they're selling fuel efficient cars, but not stating the amount miles per gallon anywhere. That would be silly, right? Well, it's exactly what computer manufacturers do. Besides all the megabytes of RAM, gigabytes in the HD and screen size inches I would also like to see the amount of watts (power consumption) of Dell computers. Preferably under idle, as computers tend to be in that state 95% of the time. I believe this kind of transparency will a) Stimulate innovation and b) Give consumers the possibility to make a conscious choice.
jorge 07/31/07	Merged Comment originally posted 06/11/07 I agree, who sets these efficiency numbers in the first place? Efficient compared to what? Greener than what? Then there's this Watts number? Who set the number, what does it mean, how do I covert it to a real value? Cars use horse power, we all know how a horse can push a wagon, but what about a Corolla? How is that converted over? Who set the conversion factor or who will? Is there a standard or is it ad-hoc?
johnnilsson 07/31/07	Merged Comment originally posted 06/11/07 While they're at it they should also work with the GNU/Linux community to get drivers and some important applications optimized for power efficiency. I don't agree that they should just publish the numbers for idle. Instead they should develop some benchmark that mimics typical use. Also for laptops battery time is important.
expatinasia 07/31/07	Merged Comment originally posted 06/11/07 OP and Jorge, It is not Dell's fault that you do not understand the Energy Star guidelines.
expatinasia 07/31/07	Merged Comment originally posted 06/11/07 " I would also like to see the amount of watts (power consumption) of Dell computers. " Here's a hint: look at the power adapter. Doh!
neven 07/31/07	Merged Comment originally posted 06/11/07 johnnilson, I agree with you regarding the driver question. There's a lot to be done in the field of power efficiency for Linux OS's. Typical use, however, comes down to idle power consumption. Like I said, 95% of the time a computer isn't doing much (browsing, mailing, word processing). expatinasia, I completely understand the Energy Star guidelines which have finally been upgraded after 250 years. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about specs on which people base their buying choices. Why can't you compare the power consumption of pc's? I have called Dell several times to ask about it and they simply do not have a clue. Imagine me calling General Motors and ask them how much fuel one of their cars consumes every 100 miles and them not knowing it. You have people basing their choices nowadays on these kinds of things and I think the only way to increase this group (ie increase the demand for power efficient appliances) is by allowing for maximum transparency. I have developed and built a computer that consumes half the power a similar (performancewise) Dell computer consumes. That means that Dell can build a computer that consumes half the energy but how can they if they don't even know how much power their systems consume? And no, it's not as simple as looking at your power adapter (or do you mean PSU). It only says how much power the power supply can draw at the most. Basic computers nowadays draw 100 watts at the most. Why then do they have a 300W PSU built-in? But okay, that's another matter entirely. This is about transparency.
pm1111 07/31/07	Merged Comment originally posted 06/14/07 Good idea. The Mac Mini costs about $150 more than a low-end Dell, but is much cheaper when lifetime power consumption is factored in. Energy efficient machines can have higher margins, since so few companies make them. What I'd like to see, for any machine that Dell assembles, is a little sidebar showing estimates of: * Idle power consumption (and annual energy costs if the machine is left on 24/7) * Typical power consumption * Peak power consumption * Typical noise level (in dB) * GNU/Linux driver compatibility (full/require binary-only drivers/none) I could hack together a script to show those in a couple of days, and characterize power draw of all Dell components in a few weeks. Ideally, Dell should work to establish standards in the industry so that competitors can follow suit in a consistent way (rather than fighting on who has the weakest methodology). Energy Star guidelines are useless -- they are a threshold, rather than level. Similarly, PSUs show maximum power they can provide, not typical power draw.
innovationwiz.com 07/31/07	Merged Idea originally posted 05/02/07 New option to check PC power consumption & carbon footprint A 'DELL PC CARBON CALCULATOR' WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP IN PROVIDING USERS AN AWARENESS OF HOW SOMEONE CAN NOW LOWER THEIR CARBON EMISSIONS AND MAYBE DELL WOULD OFFER A 'SOLAR' CHARGER OPTION INSTEAD OF JUST THE PLUG-IN VARIETY! Just like 'carbon footprints calculators' are available for autos, planes, and houses, I encourage Dell to offer an online carbon footprint calculator to allow a PC owner to test & view the ACTUAL POWER USAGE of their Dell laptop or desktop. (Example, using Dell laptop XYZ might produce the equivalent of 125 lbs of carbon released each year.) Another innovation: Choosing various Dell PC Power Settings on a laptop would display the possible savings in carbon emissions obtained with those settings!
jorge 07/31/07	Merged Comment originally posted 05/18/07 We know the power consumption numbers will be lower than what we'll get (assuming you have the device to test this) they'll put the computer in some kind of comatose state to measure it. Carbon footprint, yea, they'll give you the real value how are you to test against this?

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