How Many Amps Does a Computer Use? Detailed Answer

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A typical computer, whether is a desktop or a laptop comprises of numerous electronic components. Each component is designed to perform a specific function. All the components derive their power from one source only that there is mechanism designed to ensure that each component gets the required amount of amps or voltage.

So, how many amps does a computer consume?

An average computer uses between 0.65 to 6 amps. This wide range is due to the fact that there are various components and each one has unique electrical specification.

To understand more about this, we are going into an in-depth discussion about the ampere usage of the computer.

Table of Contents

Computer components and their expected amperes

Image source Device tests

For a better perspective of things, let’s highlight some of the key components of a typical computer and the amperes that they use:

Central Processing Unit: 0.01 to 1.1 amps

Graphics processing Unit (GPU) 1.17 amps

Optical Drive 0.17 amps

Motherboard 0.43 amps

RAM: 1.27 amps

Hard drive 2amps

Keep in mind that these figures are just an estimate of the expected ampere consumption. They keep varying depending on the specifications of the computer and even the manufacturer.

Additionally, these figures can quickly add up or reduce drastically depending on the power source. There are times when the source may be high and other times may be low.

Types of computers

A major factor that you should consider when determining the amps that a computer uses is the type of the computer.

Different types of computers have different power needs, implying that their current usage will also be different.

Let’s look at these computers and their estimated amps.

Destktop

A standard desktop computer has basic electronic components and also delivers average performance.

Its amperage may range between 0.25 amps to 2 amps

However, the figures may tilt towards a higher side depending on the usage and the additional components in it.

Laptop

You may expect that this small and portable computer will have a low power consumption. Well, this may be true as most standard laptops consume less than 1 amps of current.

However, we have specialized laptops that are quite power-hungry and can use more current.

Gaming computers

As expected, these are the most electric-hungry types of of computers. They have advanced electronic components and and more hardware equipment. Their amperage can be as high as 6 amps.

Since we have both gaming desktops and laptops, the former are perceived to be heavier power consumers.

So, which type of computer should I buy?

It all depends on your needs. You cannot afford to forego one type just because it is a heavy consumer of electric current.

Factors that determine the amps a computer consumes

We have just seen that the type of computer will determine the amps that it consumes. Well, there are other numerous factors that come into play. Let’s look at some of them.

Age of the computer

How old is your computer? This can be a major factor that will determine its power consumption.

Old models of computers tend to use more amps than the new models.

Unlike in the past, manufacturers of newer models are more focused on the energy-efficiency of the computers. So, they will strive to build computers that don’t use more amps.

Are you wondering why your computer seems to consume more energy? Maybe it is its age. Check its age and update replace it with a new model.

Quality of the electronic components

Your computer could be using more amps because it has inferior components.

Some electronic components are made of low quality material and design. They tend to consume more amps when put in the real-world application.

If you are building a computer from scratch, ensure that it is made of premium quality components.

Buy the components from the reputable sources. This is the surest way of ensuring that you end up with high quality parts that will not use high amounts of amps but will still deliver exemplary performance.

Dirty computers

The cleanliness of the computer can affect its energy consumption. Dirty computers are likely to use more amps than the cleaner ones.

Accumulation of dirt and dust on the fan and heat sink of a computer will definitely result in high consumption of electricity by the computer.

Ensure that your computer is always in a pristine condition.

Installed software

What kind of software have you installed in the computer. This is a key factor that will determine the amps a computer uses.

Some software applications such as those for gaming and graphics tend to be heavy consumers of power. Running these apps constantly means that you will have to incur the high cost of electric current consumption by the computer.

Power settings

Modern computers tend to come with the option of selecting power settings. You can choose the computer to perform at optimum level whereby its power consumption will be significantly high. This could be vital whenever you are running heavy software applications.

Power setting is closely related with the display settings of the computer. Choosing high-resolution settings means the computer will use more amps.

So, you have the freedom to choose the amps that your computer will use at any given time.

Conclusion

Now that you know the expected amps for a computer, what next?

Your only task is to ensure that you have a reliable power source for the computer. This will guarantee the smooth running of the computer at all the time.

You also need to ensure that all the electronic components of the computer such as diodes and transistors are in perfect condition. Moreso if you are planning to assemble your computer from scratch. Each component should be of high quality to ensure that the computer performs as expected.

You should be careful with where you buy these individual electronic components, and this is where ICRFQ comes in.

We are a reputable electronic components supplier in China. Contact us and we will deliver the right components for your computer.