To find out how much power your graphics card consumes, there are currently several tools available, the first of which was released by NVIDIA with its PCAT. We tried several times to get our hands on it, but the samples were very limited. Since then, Elmor has proposed a tool with its PMD PCI-E Slot Power associated with the PMD to read the power consumption of your GPU. But today, we received a copy of the WireView 12VHPWR Normal from Thermal Grizzly, which sells for 49.90 euros at Caseking and elsewhere. This little module fits directly onto your graphics card’s power connector(s), enabling us to read the GPU’s power consumption directly on its screen, as well as recording it. The idea is to be able to compare different graphics cards.
Le test du Thermal Grizzly WireView 12VHPWR Normal est en ligne : https://t.co/PqIBfkG2vI#wireview #thermalgrizzly@ASUS_ROG_FR @NVIDIAGeForceFR @CallofDutyFR pic.twitter.com/lMB5geo5rm
— CornerJack (@overclex) November 23, 2023
Thanks to Thermal Grizzly for making this WireView 12VHPWR Normal available.
[nextpage title=”Unpacking the WireView:”]
The packaging of our copy of the Wireview 12 is similar to that of Thermal Grizzly’s other products. It’s enclosed in a plastic pouch in the brand’s colors, which is visually very effective. All Thermal Grizzly products are delivered in a closed envelope, with a zip to close it after opening. The idea is certainly to optimize preservation. On the back, you’ll find technical data in no less than 10 languages.
We also received two Kryonaut Extreme thermal paste kits, which we’ll be testing during our next liquid nitrogen session.
Once the pouch has been opened, we find a small box bearing the Thermal Grizzly logo, containing our WireView 12 and an instruction manual. We’ll see later that, although the WireView has just one OLED screen, it can display several types of data. This consumption meter was developed in collaboration with Jon alias Elmor, who also has his own store (ElmorLabs) where we’ve already purchased several products, including the KTH thermometer.
There’s a male and a female 12VHPWR connector. This is a bridge between the power supply cable and the graphics card, which will allow various information to be read. Its shape is not insignificant, since its U-shape is also designed to optimize power cable routing. If your GPU is positioned horizontally in your case, it will rest on the backplate of your graphics card.
The OLED screen is clearly visible, as is a push-button on the side for navigating the various options offered by this WireView. All you need to do is follow the instructions to find out how to access all the data.
The WireView: one tool, but several models!
The WireView comes in several models, depending on the number and type of supply connectors: 6-pin, 8-pin or 12-pin. What’s more, it’s available in “Normal” or “Reverse” versions. It’s the notch position of your power connector that determines which version you need. The “Normal” model corresponds to what we’re used to having, i.e. the notch is oriented towards the inside of the PCB.
If the notch is facing the inside of the PCB, then you’ll need to turn to a “Reverse” WireView. This is perhaps the trickiest part, because if, like us, you want to use it to compare graphics cards, you’ll need each model, and then the bill could be high. You’ll understand better when you see the installation photos.
WireView 12 installation:
Nothing too complicated, just plug the WireView module directly into your graphics card’s power connector. Make sure you order the one that’s compatible with your graphics card. Here you can see it installed on our NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti in Founders Edition.
Please note: as Thermal Grizzly clearly states, if you use an adapter with three 8-pin connectors on the 12VHPWR module, the 3 8-pin cables must be independent cables and not Y-shaped. In our case, no problem, as we’re using a 12VHPWR cable directly from our Corsair power supply.
A long press moves you vertically, a quick press horizontally. It’s really easy to get the hang of. By default, you’ll get a real-time display of consumption, but you can also get more details on the next screen (consumption, voltage and amperage), then minimum and maximum consumption and finally average consumption.
[nextpage title=”WireView test: “]
So, to test our copy of the WireView 12VHPWR Normal, we’re going to use different software, i.e. GPU-Z, FrameView version 1.4.9419 and the Call Of Duty Modern Warfare III integrated benchmark. Here’s the configuration we used:
- Motherboard: ROG Maximus Z690 APEX
- Processor: Intel Alder Lake i9-12900K
- Memory : 32 GB Corsair Vengeance 5200 CL38 DDR5
- Graphics card: NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti Founders Edition
- Cooling system : ROG Ryujin II 360 from Asus
- SSD: Western Digital Black SN750 2 TB EKWB radiator
- Power supply: Corsair AX1600i adapter 12VHPWR 600W
- Operating system: Windows 11 64-bit
Our test results:
The idea is to compare the power consumption read by our WireView 12VHPWR Normal and see what GPU-Z shows us with the values read by NVIDIA’s Frameview software.
Before launching the benchmark, we took a look at how GPU-Z and our WireView module were performing. Well, the readings are almost always identical, whatever the situation, whether in a benchmark, in the OS or in another task. So we’re going to run the benchmark and simultaneously take a reading of the data via NVIDIA’s Frameview application.
After several series of tests, we obtained a maximum power consumption of 124.6 watts from GPU-Z, 123 watts from WireView and 122 watts from FramView software. The average is around 108 watts. Values are therefore fairly close, depending on the software used to read them.
[nextpage title=”The last word:”]
Useful? In the end, not really for most users, except, as in our case, for graphics card testers. Unfortunately, in order to be able to respond to the different scenarios, we would need to have each model of the WireView available in order to respond to the different power supply solutions offered on graphics cards (1×8-pin, 2×8-pin, 3×8-pin and 12VHPWR, all in normal and reverse versions). And then the bill would get very high.
Now, if you have a tempered glass side panel, this accessory will fit perfectly into your case, allowing you to see your GPU’s power consumption in real time. Another positive point is that it acts as a U-bend, making it possible to conceal the power cable(s) more aesthetically. This is a considerable asset.
Our tests have demonstrated its effectiveness, and we can only encourage and congratulate Thermal Grizzly on the manufacture of such tools. Let’s hope to see more collaboration with Elmor in the future.
It’s hard to give it an award, as it can be so useful for a journalist that it’s of no interest to the average user. Let’s just say that this WireView works perfectly and is equipped with a whole range of parameters. It will also make the unsightly power cable “disappear”, while informing you of your graphics card’s power consumption. Priced at 49.90 euros by Caseking, this price doesn’t seem excessive to us, which is why we’ve decided to give it the innovationaward.
Many thanks to Thermal Grizzly for providing us with this test product.