M1 Mac Mini has dropped my electricity bill by almost 50%

[DeepIn2U]

Mr Bob,
Thanks for the info. I actually did find this out, clicking around the menu bar iStat icons. I felt silly. Then, randomly, I saw a chart pop out to the left with detail of each item. WOW!

Just downloading the free AlDente SoC limiting app last night, I am appreciating the idea of limiting my MBA M2's SoC to 75% normally. When I know I may need the MBA away from power for a full day, I can just quickly change the AlDente 'charge limit' to 90% or whatever.

Good tip.

That's a pretty big drop. We run 3 air conditioners in the summer (the South stays 90+ degrees most days of the summer). I would love a 50% drop in my power bill. LOL

Perfect daily use case where power efficiency in EVERYTHING in your home really matters! Your dollar gets more value for the things you need, and want! Many ppl scoff at Apples push for power efficiency in their computing lineup for not portable units yet don’t get it. Especially in the gaming space.

It's very possible. I can tell just by touching my gaming PC and my M1 Mac mini. It's a night and day difference.

Funny story, back in the 80’s being grounded as a kid, coming home after school watching the boob tube. Thinking I was smart turning the TV off a half-hour before my pops would get home from work. He’d put his hand on the TV feel it warm and know I was watching it. Next cable was cut off. I didn’t get past the cable TV tech dude faking his voice lol.

 

[Bodhitree]

I was working out how much my M1 iMac costs in electricity usage when asleep, given a 3.5 Watt draw. It comes out at something like 20 eurocents a night, if I leave it switched on and asleep. Thats still 6 euro’s a month on my monthly electricity bill, which makes it worth switching off if you ask me.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I was working out how much my M1 iMac costs in electricity usage when asleep, given a 3.5 Watt draw. It comes out at something like 20 eurocents a night, if I leave it switched on and asleep. Thats still 6 euro’s a month on my monthly electricity bill, which makes it worth switching off if you ask me.

So say you sleep from 8pm to 6am (10 hours just for ease of calculations).

3.5 watts * 10 hours = 35 watts.

35 watts is 20 eurocents a night?

Here in California electricity is about $.34/kwhr (1000 watts) where I live. So 35 watts... Math says that means 35 watts a night is $.0119 cents a night or ( times 30 for a month ) $.359 cents a month or $4.284 a year.

I realize electricity in Europe is super expensive, but WOW.

 

[Bodhitree]

No, a Watt times an hour is 0.001 kwhr, so 3.5 Watts x 10 hours is 0.035 kwhr. Electricity cost is about 12 eurocents per kwhr… I may have been a little bit out 😅 But its still about 12 cents a month.

 

[adonis3k]

Is m2 better?

 

[pshufd]

So say you sleep from 8pm to 6am (10 hours just for ease of calculations).

3.5 watts * 10 hours = 35 watts.

35 watts is 20 eurocents a night?

Here in California electricity is about $.34/kwhr (1000 watts) where I live. So 35 watts... Math says that means 35 watts a night is $.0119 cents a night or ( times 30 for a month ) $.359 cents a month or $4.284 a year.

I realize electricity in Europe is super expensive, but WOW.

And I thought that we paid a lot for electricity. I think that we pay $0.25 - $0.30 but I'll have to check on the next bill. Our rates doubled this past summer and they will probably go up 60% next summer. I think that part of the problem is how we organize into providers and grid operators.

 

[sam_dean]

Recently I changed my mighty PC for a M1 Mac Mini.

The PC was running Windows with an i9, a RTX2070 and a 850w PSU. All other devices are the same. Same display, same printer, same external drivers...

We (Me and my wife) didn't changed any of our habits. The same usual power consumption. The M1 Mini is the only thing different.

But the power bill has dropped half. In the first month i tought it could be an error somehow. But we are in the fourth month and the bill kept the new level.

Is it possible that M1 is that power efficient?

Your i9 uses a 14nm die shrink and the RTX 2070 uses a 12nm die shrink on a 850W PSU.

vs

Mac mini M1 using a 5nm die shrink and has a max input power of 39W.

Anandtech tested it at less than 27W input power.

Mac mini is less than 4.6% of your PC's PSU.

Other than raw performance these devices also outputs waste heat that your HVAC or fan will need to cool down. Apple devices are known to run the coolest among all consumer devices.

If you are looking to save on your power bills then buying any device with Apple Silicon will do it.

If you want to lower your power consumption further then buying year model 2023

- inverter AC
- inverter refrigerator
- inverter front loading washing machine
- inverter microwave
- $300 43" Smart LED 4K TV
- LED lamps 219lm/W
- shower water heater
- water cool

All with better performance per watt may help reduce your monthly kWh by 80% prior to your Mac mini M1 upgrde.

 

[Zest28]

Thanks to my M2 MBA, I have enough money left to buy food.

The only downside is that I now receive angry calls from Putin to use more energy as he needs more of my money.

My energy bill is so low thanks to the M2 MBA, the energy company regularly checks if I still live here.

 

[Vatenack]

Those gaming rigs can pull a ton of power, even just sitting idle, while the M1 barely sips anything. Crazy to think just switching a computer could cut the bill like that, but yeah, those high-wattage PCs really add up.