The GTX 950 has a maximum power consumption of 90 watts. This means the card requires a 6-pin power connector from the power supply unit and a minimum system power of 350 watts.
Benchmarks suggest that the GTX 950 utilizes roughly 100-200 watts of power under full load, with around 61 watts being used when idle.
Additionally, the power consumption can be influenced by card overclocking or undervolting, alongside load, settings, and system configuration.
Are there any energy-saving features built into the GTX 950?
Yes, there are some energy-saving features built into the GTX 950.
The GTX 950, based on the power-efficient Maxwell architecture, offers excellent performance. Key features include:
Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR): The GPU renders games at resolutions surpassing the monitor’s, then downscales to fit the screen. This enhances image quality, mitigates aliasing, and avoids substantial power usage increases.
Multi-Frame Sampled Anti-Aliasing (MFAA): An innovative anti-aliasing solution, MFAA merges multiple frames with distinct anti-aliasing patterns for a smoother image. This method consumes less power and has a minor performance impact compared to alternatives.
Adaptive VSync: This feature synchronizes the GPU’s frame rate with the monitor’s refresh rate for a tear-free, smooth viewing experience. Differing from traditional VSync, Adaptive VSync adjusts frame rates to prevent falling below the refresh rate, reducing power use and heat production.
GeForce Experience: This feature is a software application that optimizes the game settings for the best performance and quality on the GTX 950. It also allows users to update drivers, record gameplay, stream games, and access other features. GeForce Experience can help users save power by choosing the optimal settings for each game without sacrificing visual quality.
How much electricity will a GTX 950 consume over a year of regular use?
To estimate the electricity consumption of your GTX 950 over a year of regular use, you can use a simple formula:
Electricity consumption = Power consumption x Usage time x Electricity price
For example, let’s assume that your GTX 950 consumes an average of 120 watts when you use your computer.
Let’s also assume you use your computer for 4 hours per day on average. And let’s use your electricity price of 14¢ per kWh. Then, your electricity consumption over a year would be:
Electricity consumption = 120 W x 4 h/day x 365 days/year x 0.14 /kWh
Electricityconsumption= 24.3kWh/dayx365days/yearx0.14/kWh
Electricity consumption = 8868 kWh/year x 0.14 $/kWh
Electricity consumption = $1241.52/year
This is an approximate value that may vary depending on the actual power consumption of your card and system, the actual usage time of your computer, and the actual electricity price in your area. You can adjust the values according to your situation to get a more accurate estimate.
Do different brands of GTX 950 have different power requirements?
Yes, different brands of GTX 950 may have different power requirements.
The GTX 950 relies on NVIDIA’s GM206 graphics processor, consuming up to 90 Watts. However, brand customization alters clock speeds, cooling systems, and power delivery designs, which influence the card’s power consumption under various loads and settings.
For instance, benchmarks reveal the EVGA GeForce GTX 950 FTW ACX 2.0 consumes 128 watts at maximum load and 96 watts when idle.
The MSI GeForce GTX 950 Gaming 2G uses 113 watts at full load and 91 watts during idle periods.
Meanwhile, the ASUS GeForce GTX 950 STRIX OC requires 109 watts at peak load and 88 watts while idle.
What factors affect the power usage of a GTX 950 during gameplay?
The power consumption of the GTX 950 under heavy load is also modest, drawing about 150 watts in gaming tests, which is noticeably less than the GTX 960.
Additionally, the power consumption of the fans can directly affect the maximum overclocking for the card.
How does the power usage of a GTX 950 change when overclocked?
The amount of change in power usage depends on how much you overclock your GTX 950 and what model you have.
Different models may have different base and boost clock speeds, cooling systems, and power delivery designs.
The EVGA GeForce GTX 950 FTW ACX 2.0, as per certain benchmarks, possesses a 1203 MHz base clock and a 1405 MHz boost clock.
The MSI GeForce GTX 950 Gaming 2G features an 1127 MHz base clock and a 1317 MHz boost clock. The ASUS GeForce GTX 950 STRIX OC offers an 1165 MHz base clock and a 1355 MHz boost clock.
Some assessments suggest that overclocking a GTX 950 by roughly 10% may result in a 10 to 20 watts increase in power usage under full load.
For example, according to TechPowerUp, overclocking the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 950 OC by 9% increased its power consumption from 128 watts to 147 watts at full load.
According to Tom’s Hardware, overclocking the MSI GeForce GTX 950 Gaming by 11% increased its power consumption from 113 watts to 132 watts at full load.
According to Guru3D, overclocking the ASUS GeForce GTX 950 STRIX by 10% increased its power consumption from 109 watts to 129 watts at full load.
How much noise does a GTX 950 generate under full load due to power consumption?
According to one review, the EVGA GeForce GTX 950 SSC 2 GB has a fan noise of 29 dBA under full load, which is barely audible.
Another review reports that the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 950 OC 2 GB has a fan noise of 31 dBA under full load, which is also very quiet.
