We built a PC more efficient than a console!
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Thanks to Seasonic for sponsoring this video! Buy a Seasonic Power Supply: On Amazon: geni.us On NewEgg: lmg.gg Gaming’s not all about raw power – And if power consumption and your carbon footprint mean anything to you, maybe it’s time to rethink how you build your PC… Buy a Ryzen 5 3600X: On Amazon: geni.us On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy a Noctua NH-U15S CHROMAX.BLACK: On Amazon: geni.us On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy an ASUS B450-F Gaming: On Amazon: geni.us On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy a G.Skill TridentZ 16 GB DDR4-3200 memory kit: On Amazon: geni.us On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy a Samsung 970 EVO SSD: On Amazon: geni.us On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy a GeForce RTX 2060: On Amazon: geni.us On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy a Fractal Design Meshify C: On Amazon: geni.us On Newegg: lmg.gg Buy a Seasonic PRIME Ultra Titanium 650W PSU: On Amazon: geni.us On Newegg: lmg.gg Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Our Affiliates, Referral Programs, and Sponsors: lmg.gg Get a Displate Metal Print at lmg.gg Get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime at lmg.gg Linus Tech Tips merchandise at lttstore.com Our Test Benches on Amazon: amazon.com Our production gear: geni.us Twitter - twitter.com Facebook - @LinusTech Instagram - @linustech Twitch - twitch.tv Intro Screen Music Credit: Title: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High youtube.com
This video examines how to build a gaming PC that uses far less power than a traditional console while still delivering solid 1080p at around 60fps. The host starts by outlining a goal to minimize energy consumption, choosing a realistic performance target based on Shadow of the Tomb Raider as a benchmark, and setting a 1080p, high-ish setting bar to ensure modern AAA titles run smoothly. They compare AMD and Intel platform options, selecting a Ryzen 5 3600X and an i5-9600KF variant to explore how undervolting and clock adjustments can reduce power without sacrificing gameplay experience. The build emphasizes a clean, minimal motherboard feature set, fast memory, and a high-efficiency Seasonic power supply to enable very low idle power and stable operation at reduced voltages. Through tuning memory, PCIe, and firmware, they demonstrate how to achieve an efficient, quiet system, and then quantify the power draw during gaming versus a modern Xbox One X console and a typical incandescent-equivalent power reference, highlighting the environmental and thermal benefits of efficiency over brute force performance.
Topics · technology · gaming · computer-hardware · energy-efficiency · sustainability · pc-build · hardware-comparison
Questions answered
- What benchmark was used to set the performance target for the power-focused PC build?
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p, around 60fps, was used as the benchmark to determine a realistic gaming performance target.
- Why was the Seasonic power supply chosen for this build?
- A high-efficiency Seasonic PSU was chosen to minimize wasted power and ensure stable, clean voltage delivery essential for undervolting and low-power operation.
- What was a key finding when comparing PC vs console power use in gaming?
- The PC, when tuned for efficiency, could achieve gaming power draw in the 100W range, which is competitive with or lower than a modern console like the Xbox One X in similar scenarios.