low power build for BI, how low can you go?

[cmx]

Current PC is a Intel i7-14700K, with 32GB of RAM, BI uses around 3.5GIG of RAM, No dedicated video card, BI uses sub streams only and no CodeProject AI is needed. PC is also used for youtube, email browsing the web, multi-window working, excel.

Total camera count is 24. Total MP.s 216 going by BI

Power usage is 117-123 watts average with spikes up higher from opening a browser.

The i7-14700k has a benchmark of Multithread Rating 51956 Single Thread Rating 4455

The i7-14700k is a know power hog............it came from my gaming PC.

I can get below 100 watts if i close the BI main window.

Is it possible to get any better? I thought about dropping a 65 watt cpu in or even trying a 35 watt build. I run a unraid mini server that uses 4 watts of power it uses a Intel N100 that i use to self host a lot of apps password manger, etc

I just got yet another notice from my power company that rates are going up yet again!

 

[Bruce_H]

I think that your cameras are probably using more power than your PC, perhaps reduce your camera count, just a thought!
I run one of my systems on a Ryzen 7 8700G CPU that is rated at only 65W, I do not use an external GPU as the case does not have room for one! I can not tell you what the actual power draw is as it is connected to a APC UPS that does not show the actual power load, just the percentage load! This system is located at a site that is a 24hr drive from my home, so not easy to see the actual UPS load by pressing the display button!!

 

[tigerwillow1]

I'm running 19 cameras on an i7-8700. The machine draws in the 35 watt ballpark. Most of the cameras are 4 megapixel running at 15 FPS, both of which make a difference. One quick trick to try is to set the maximum CPU percentage to 99% in the power settings, This keeps it from going into turbo mode.

 

[Techie007L]

One quick trick to try is to set the maximum CPU percentage to 99% in the power settings, This keeps it from going into turbo mode.

For those needing steps (since Microsoft made it harder to get to in Windows 11 by migrating very few settings over to the Settings app and then removing all the Control Panel power applet shortcuts):

1. Press [Windows]+[R], type "powercfg.cpl", and press [Enter].
2. Make sure Balanced is ticked as the active power plan.
3. Click the active plan's Change plan settings -> Change advanced power settings -> Change settings that are currently unavailable.
4. Navigate down to Processor power management -> Maximum processor state -> Setting -> drop to 99%.
5. Click [OK] and the change should take effect immediately.

Note that this will reduce the speed of single-core loads by around 50% while providing a smaller reduction of power usage with multithreaded loads. CPU efficiency drops off sharply as the frequency rises into the boost range, and this limits it to just below the rated speed on the box, thus forcing the CPU to operate in a more efficient power mode. If you want to try something even more drastic, switch over to the Power saver profile (step #2) and do the same thing to it. The Power saver profile requires higher CPU usage thresholds before boosting CPU speed, and boosts one step at a time instead of jumping all around moment by moment. You may find however that it causes excessive lag.