Turn off Steam use of GPU when minimized or closed

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Sackback Jan 3, 2021 @ 8:42pm

Could you turn off the Steam use of the GPU when the Steam window is minimized or closed?

It would save 30 watts.

I plugged my computer into my new UPS that has a wattmeter.

The computer uses 30 more watts when MSI Afterburner says the GPU clock frequency is ~1500MHz.

When the GPU isn't being used the clock frequency is ~140MHz.

If you would make that change I could minimize the Steam window and leave Steam running when I'm not using the computer, instead of closing Steam.

(I have game servers running, so I leave the computer on.)

Thank you.

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Showing 1-14 of 14 comments

cSg|mc-Hotsauce Jan 3, 2021 @ 8:48pm

Click the X to close the window.

Sackback Jan 3, 2021 @ 8:49pm

When you close the window Steam is still running.

cSg|mc-Hotsauce Jan 3, 2021 @ 8:51pm

Got you your notification page before you close the window.

Mad Scientist Jan 3, 2021 @ 9:38pm

My GPU is idling completely normally with all of the Steam UI opened. Perhaps change your settings to reflect what you want from the GPU? If you use something other than Afterburner (closing afterburner altogether) is it idling? Are you pushing above 1080p or 60Hz?

There's missing details, but Steam itself is unlikely to make the GPU run at 1500MHz. I'm idling at 22 watts in absolute total from just the GPU.

Sackback Jan 3, 2021 @ 11:06pm

Steam itself does indeed make the GPU run at 1500MHz.

Why would you think it unlikely?

1500MHz is the normal clock frequency of the card, a 1060, when playing a game.

I don't see the reason you assign a low probability to something so normal and unexceptional, and therefore, in this case, probable.

What was the justification for assigning a low probability when you had no evidence to contradict what I said?

What is the clock frequency and watts drawn of your graphics card when playing a 3D game?

What is the same when no program at all is running, just Windows itself?

How do you know the wattage your card alone draws?

I don't know that of my machine.

Did you clamp a hall-effect wattmeter to one of the power lines going to it?

Does not a graphics card draw power also from the slot it's in?

Last edited by Sackback; Jan 3, 2021 @ 11:12pm

BOBTOMAS Jan 4, 2021 @ 4:48am

Try this : Steam/Settings/Interface - Unchecked "Enable GPU accelerated rendering

Sackback Jan 4, 2021 @ 10:22am

But then I won't have GPU accelerated rendering when I am using Steam.

But in fact that does work, and it may be I won't notice a difference.

I'll try it. Thank you!

Mad Scientist Jan 4, 2021 @ 10:40am

Originally posted by Sackback:
Steam itself does indeed make the GPU run at 1500MHz.

Maybe for yours, but as I said, I believe there's missing details.

Originally posted by Sackback:
Why would you think it unlikely?

Experience. Mine is on GPU Accel. and it still fully idles.

Originally posted by Sackback:
1500MHz is the normal clock frequency of the card, a 1060, when playing a game.

Yes, when it's under load

Originally posted by Sackback:
I don't see the reason you assign a low probability to something so normal and unexceptional, and therefore, in this case, probable.

Meaningless word salad. Answering the questions would show why it is either likely or unlikely, seeing as you're intentionally not giving details, that could be the biggest difference in why this happens.

Originally posted by Sackback:
What was the justification for assigning a low probability when you had no evidence to contradict what I said?

Again, Experience.
I asked questions, you have not answered - answering the questions, again, will show why it's likely or unlikely with the default being unlikely. Even background processes or video playback will increase the clock rate, so would the GPU power settings, resolution and Hz rate. Which if you answered, will show one way or the other.

Originally posted by Sackback:
What is the clock frequency and watts drawn of your graphics card when playing a 3D game?

Deflection; your question is still refusing to answer the question by asking an unrelated question which has no bearing on why I'm asking the questions.
My unit is stronger than yours and will draw more power regardless.

Originally posted by Sackback:
How do you know the wattage your card alone draws?

Because I actually know what I'm doing.

Originally posted by Sackback:
I don't know that of my machine.

Thats a you problem.

Originally posted by Sackback:
Did you clamp a hall-effect wattmeter to one of the power lines going to it?

So you deflect, refuse to answer the questions, and then want to know how I measure it?
I'd be more willing to tell you, if you bothered to answer all the questions.

Originally posted by Sackback:
Does not a graphics card draw power also from the slot it's in?

"I'm idling at 22 watts in absolute total from just the GPU" was from all 3 sources, notice the word "total" ?

AV ON Jan 6, 2021 @ 9:03pm

I've had this issue with Steam ever since they introduced the horrible new Library UI a while back.

My gpu clock speed will fluctuate from 139 mhz idle to 1500mhz simply browsing my games library, opening the discussions page or viewing my own profile in Steam.

It will not always downclock by closing the Steam window either. Turning off gpu acceleration has no effect, other than making Steam stutter when navigating, scrolling.

Last edited by AV ON; Jan 6, 2021 @ 9:03pm

Sackback Jan 7, 2021 @ 12:08am

Hm. Interesting!

That doesn't happen to me. I looked at my profile and opened the discussions page and the gpu clock speed didn't change for me. Or at least it happened too fast to be reported.

The watts drawn by the computer did go up by 10 watts for like second though. Then it went back down.

My Internet browser did the same as Steam -- turned up the gpu clock to ~1500 and used more power -- until I also turned off hardware acceleration in that too. And, just like Steam, it now doesn't seem to change the gpu clock speed, but does increase the power use, 10-20 watts, when loading some pages, then the power use goes back down.

I haven't updated my video driver in like a year, so it's not new, not really old either.

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