Gaming PC vs Space Heater Efficiency
As winter approaches, many are concerned about the rising power bills, especially if you’re an avid gamer with a high-end PC. But here’s a surprising fact: your gaming PC, watt for watt, can produce as much heat as a conventional space heater. So, instead of worrying about the extra costs, why not enjoy your gaming sessions knowing you’re also warming up your room?
While it’s easy to assume that a device specifically designed for heating, like a space heater, would be more efficient, it’s essential to remember that most of a computer’s operations result in heat production. Anyone who has felt a gaming PC after hours of gameplay knows how hot it can get. So, we embarked on a mission to determine if a gaming PC could double as an efficient space heater, with the added bonus of entertainment.
Table of Contents
Test Setup
To evaluate the heat output of both a space heater and a gaming PC, we selected a typical space heater from our office, the HC-0114T 1000/1500W, priced at $25. Its power consumption ranged between 870-890 watts on the lower setting. To match this, we assembled a gaming PC equipped with three NVIDIA GTX Titans in triple SLI running Furmark.
Testing Hardware Details:
- Graphics card: Nvidia RTX 4070 | RTX 4070 Ti
- CPU: Intel Gen Core i7 12th Gen | 13th Gen | AMD Ryzen 7 5000-series | 7000-series
- Memory: 16GB DDR5-5600
- SSD: 1TB PCIe
- PSU: 700W+
Throughout our tests, both the PC and the space heater’s power consumption varied based on their temperatures and fan speeds. We used MSI Afterburner to adjust the gaming PC’s GPU power to align with the space heater’s consumption. Both devices were placed in a sealed room of approximately 940 cubic feet, with all ventilation blocked to ensure consistent results.
Results
The data showed that the gaming PC and the space heater had almost identical performance in terms of heat output. The slight variations in the PC’s performance were due to the occasional increase in wattage before manual adjustments. However, the overall conclusion was clear: when consuming the same power, a PC and a space heater produce nearly the same amount of heat.
Conclusion
While a space heater is undoubtedly a more cost-effective solution solely for heating purposes, a gaming PC offers dual benefits. If you already own a high-end gaming PC, rest assured that your winter gaming sessions are as efficient in warming your room as using a space heater. Plus, there’s the added advantage of entertainment or even using your PC for tasks like bitcoin mining. So, the next time you’re in a chilly room, fire up your favorite game or program, and enjoy the warmth and fun simultaneously.
