Hi @fenderman, I just mentioned the efficiency due to fact that the PSUs and MB are different in each factor size. As an example the optiplex 7040 SFF come with 180W 80 plus Bronze PSUs. and the MT come with a 240W 80plus bronze PSUs. The MB on the MT's has more components. Although I might agree the difference is small, it is still there. Lets say both PSU operate at the same load the efficiency difference alone would be power that is wasted.
This is a comparison of the 7040s when idle and load, there is a 10- 20W difference depending on the load.
Note - typically the major watt difference between the same generation SFF and MT will be the CPU, and SSD vs HDD, and a little more for the PSU. ( perhaps graphics card if there is one - normally not )
That noted - I would expect the CPU to be the major difference - a better more powerful CPU will consumer more watts, a newer one less.
Hi @fenderman, I just mentioned the efficiency due to fact that the PSUs and MB are different in each factor size. As an example the optiplex 7040 SFF come with 180W 80 plus Bronze PSUs. and the MT come with a 240W 80plus bronze PSUs. The MB on the MT's has more components. Although I might agree the difference is small, it is still there. Lets say both PSU operate at the same load the efficiency difference alone would be power that is wasted.
This is a comparison of the 7040s when idle and load, there is a 10- 20W difference depending on the load.
This information is simply not correct... These systems idle a very low wattage... I have never seen a modern system newer than second-generation I5 Intel idle at more than 30 Watts.... The newer systems idle at 13 to 16... The difference in power supplies would be negligible... Fourth generation systems and above that I have test at all Idle between 13 and 16w for an i5...
I've done the actual testing with kilowatt meters... And Dell doesn't explain how the systems are set up to come to their numbers.. I can tell you with 100% certainty that there numbers are completely wrong... No modern system like the 7040 whatever draw 183w under 75% load unless there was a huge video card attached to it.. I wonder how Dell would explain a 180 watt power supply Pushing 183 Watts at 75% load