Mac OS 9 Lives
General => Off Topic => Topic started by: torvan on August 21, 2025, 04:57:41 PM
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Okay, I am trying to find out and see such conflicting information I turn to the group:
I have both a Mac Pro 5,1 and 2002 Quicksilver dual 1.0. I am trying to determine which is more energy efficient. Not just at idle, but at regular everyday use.
No, I don't have a Kill-a Watt or any power measuring device, so am unable to really measure it myself. GIven it is later Summer and we get heat waves that are higher than 105F (41C) during the day, using my power bill to see any difference is not going to be possible.
So your thoughts?
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I'm gonna guess the Mac Pro since it has an 980 Watt Power supply will draw more that the QS.
Also you failed to mention single or dual CPU tray, SSDs, etc. I mean all this stuff adds when tasking and even at idle.
My mini M2 Pro uses less than 10watt at idle, and 40watt balls out so if you really want cool/low power, your gonna have to go much newer; the best choices for OS 9 desktop would be Cube or mini G4, but someone would have to post stats.
At any rate, I am not sure how much $$ you will save in a month, but I don't think it will be all that much.
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the mac pro is more modern so it should need less when idling, but i think it has one fan more than a QS.
maybe get a power measuring device for 3 euros? those cheap ones are inaccurate below 3 watts, but work fine otherwise.
p.s.: actually, when i don´t forget, i can try it in the next days.
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Well, after plugging in each one on a Killawatt reader that arrived today from Amazon, I can now answer my question. I am not trying to low power anything, since our power costs are actually quite low. It was more of a curiosity really.
With my power cost at .879 KWh. Your power costs may be higher or lower.
- G4: Cost is .17 cents per hour average. This is with two SSDs on a PCI controller, dual 1.0 Ghz processors. 1.5GB RAM
- 5,1: Cost is .12 cents per hour average. This is with four SSDs, an Intel Xeon X5680 3.33Ghz, 32GB RAM, ]
So while not a huge difference really at .05 cents per hour, it is still kinda nice to know. It was mostly to see for all the heat these two produce, which is less cost per therm. :-)
For the record, I have newer machines. I am not concerned about the late 2014 iMac, nor my weeks old M4 Mini.
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you pay 0.8 cents per kwh? where are you? emirates? mongolia?
around here in europe it is more like 15-95 cents. ;)
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you pay 0.8 cents per kwh? where are you? emirates? mongolia?
around here in europe it is more like 15-95 cents. ;)
Iran: approx $0.002 per kWh
Syria: approx $0.003 per kWh
Cuba, Sudan, Ethiopia: around $0.006 per kWh
Libya: about $0.008 per kWh
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you pay 0.8 cents per kwh? where are you? emirates? mongolia?
around here in europe it is more like 15-95 cents. ;)
Washington State, United States.
We have a lot of hydro, wind, and solar here. We have a public utility district, meaning power buys and generation is not driven by profit companies, The wholesaler is government ran too. So they work in tandem to keep power costs as low as possible. I would add the entire house is electric: heating/air conditioning, water heating, cooking and refrigeration--all electric.
The rate just went up this month from 8.00 cents to 8.79 cents per kwh, so for 1037 kwh is 91.15, basic service costs are $19,00, taxes are 6.61. So total was $116.76
In Euros: 100.33.