ggroups2 wrote:

~misfit~ wrote:

ggroups2 wrote:

I am wondering whether an idle computer and one running seti draw
the same amount of power.

No. A CPU running at 100% (SETI) will draw it's maximum power
(perhaps, in my case, 85 watts) whereas an 'idling' CPU will draw
maybe a third to a half of that.

So they lie when they say it uses cpu cycles that would have otherwise
gone to waste.  They are not going to waste since it is using
substantially less power.

You could interpret it that way if you so desire. Compared to how many watts
the rest of the system's pulling the difference in power consumption between
an 'idling' CPU and a fully loaded one isn't that great. Maybe 10% over the
whole system.
--
~misfit~