Just saw a headline on a forum site stating Dell has been told by the California power authorities certain models of its high-powered gaming computers are now prohibited from use in the state. The article did talk about a few games involved, I think, but the article indicated any machines with processors or video cards (presumably liquid-cooled) that had very large power draws could no longer be sold in that state. The article did not mention anything about existing rigs, or rigs built from parts but it's probably likely electronic parts stores in Cal will in the near future stop stocking those processors/video cards - and makers will be prohibited from shipping them there. Not a joke, this is for real.
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The Staff of SOH
CA prohibiting sale of hi-power desktop gaming computers
- Thread starter SSI01
- Start date
Source
The issue is not the essential power of the machine, but it's consumption. The issue is Dell's inability to comply with CA power regulations.
It was not an edict but Dell's choice to stop selling the machine as they were unable to comply.
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington recently adopted new energy consumption standards that impact sales of certain pre-built PCs.
The issue is not the essential power of the machine, but it's consumption. The issue is Dell's inability to comply with CA power regulations.
It was not an edict but Dell's choice to stop selling the machine as they were unable to comply.
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington recently adopted new energy consumption standards that impact sales of certain pre-built PCs.
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Mick
SOH-CM-2025
At first it sounded like a conspiracy theory to me.
Note that when you copy the link to the video, it does not appear to be a real YouTube address - https://youtu.be/N5fc5ZX6Kzk - note the period between the u and the b in youtu.be that isn't present in the actual Youtube url.
Still, the video can be found on the real Youtube, and there's a long string of comments that don't clear anything up.
I checked at Snopes but they don't have anything on it yet.
This might be real, but for now I suggest deep skepticism, though RayHff's post makes it seem credible.
I'm sure we'll find out one way of the other pretty soon. Either result won't surprise me much.
Note that when you copy the link to the video, it does not appear to be a real YouTube address - https://youtu.be/N5fc5ZX6Kzk - note the period between the u and the b in youtu.be that isn't present in the actual Youtube url.
Still, the video can be found on the real Youtube, and there's a long string of comments that don't clear anything up.
I checked at Snopes but they don't have anything on it yet.
This might be real, but for now I suggest deep skepticism, though RayHff's post makes it seem credible.
I'm sure we'll find out one way of the other pretty soon. Either result won't surprise me much.
Try Google
Just Google:
California computer power consumption
Noted from Dell:
[FONT="]Dell's high-performance [/FONT]Aurora R10[FONT="] and [/FONT]Aurora R12[FONT="] (both Intel and AMD-based) desktops "cannot be shipped to the states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont or Washington due to power consumption regulations adopted by those states," a notice over the company's website reads.[/FONT]
Just Google:
California computer power consumption
Noted from Dell:
[FONT="]Dell's high-performance [/FONT]Aurora R10[FONT="] and [/FONT]Aurora R12[FONT="] (both Intel and AMD-based) desktops "cannot be shipped to the states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont or Washington due to power consumption regulations adopted by those states," a notice over the company's website reads.[/FONT]
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I didn't have time to watch the whole video, so perhaps this is already addressed. However CA, as well as many other states, offer tax incentives to entice people into electric cars. I'm struggling to understand the "logic" behind banning certain hi-po PCs that will only be bought by a relatively small portion of the population, while simultaneously encouraging EVs...whose recharging requires a far greater draw on the electric grid. This seems a bit inconsistent if the concern is supposedly about energy consumption.
Josh Patterson
SOH-CM-2023
OR stop a mass exodus of people saying "I'm done with you!" and leaving said states.That silly law will NOT stop people from driving to other states to buy powerful computers and bring them to California. Or that will not stop people from buying powerful pcs for offices and then bring the pcs to homes
Regards,
Aharon
Hmmmm, no mention of cryptocurrency mining in any of the articles. Those doing the crypto mining are using energy like crazy. Which according to one source is about 80 terawatt-hours of electricity annually. [FONT=Roboto, arial, sans-serif]Something like 23 coal-fired plants needed to support it.
ICE is next, with the push to electric. [/FONT]
ICE is next, with the push to electric. [/FONT]
My younger son resides in AZ and is selling his residence NOW before the tidal wave of fleeing CA residents hits the metro Phoenix area.
Just wondering: many cities, counties, etc have had residential "smart meters" installed on homes and businesses to track the amount of energy going into a specific home or business in real time, and allow allocation of unused energy from that building to areas either within or outside of the state in question. Objective is to prevent complete power failures in certain areas by allowing electricity supply to approach "brownout" conditions in one area to keep another area from losing power altogether. If these devices allow power usage in a home to be tracked in real time, what are the odds one of these high-draw computers could be detected in a residence via the meter?
Jafo
SOH-CM-2024
It's all a bit absurd to be targetting computers. Mine's a what one would assume is 'high power' as it's a 1200watt PSU...and I run it 24/7/365.
However....
A single bar electric radiator can draw 1200 watt CONSTANT - not peak.
The advantages of a 'high power' computer is far lower strain on the PSU resulting in less likelihood of failure through overload, etc which is a far bigger impact on resources when your house burns down....
The max throughput for a single GPO in Oz is 2400watt...which "coincidentally" is the max power consumption of an electric radiator for general use.
If Govts are getting anal about energy consumption...solution is simple....confiscate all electric heaters....;p
Welcome to 1984.....but we're a tad late....
Over here we call them "space heaters," I think. I never thought of that. In theory, this means not only will big-draw computers be banned - but possibly any other big-draw appliance such as a space heater, as you say. We also have faux fireplaces that are a form of space heater and do throw heat, and draw their share of power, too. I'm sure we could identify other possible devices in an average home that could be considered offenders under these rules. Looks like before this is over winters are going to get rather cool for a lot of people. I remember Jimmy Carter giving one of his fireside chats with his "Mr. Rogers" sweater on, and a fire going in the background, and how we're all going to be a little cool in winters from now on (that would have been 1978 maybe?). Not enough fuel and electricity to go around. Looks like the electric utilities are beginning to say the same thing as Jimmy - hot in summer, cool in winter. Never thought it would take this long, or this route. You've always got to BOL for the beginnings of the old "slippery slope," I guess.
delta_lima
Charter Member 2015
This, and the predictable histrionics has zero to do with the FSX sim platform.
We have the general news forum section for a reason; that’s where this junk belongs, IMHO.
We have the general news forum section for a reason; that’s where this junk belongs, IMHO.
tommieboy
SOH-CM-2025
I live in one of the states affected by these new energy regulations. We were planning to sell our single family home, and keep our much more manageable smaller townhouse as we are getting up there in age. But, with everything going to electric (including cars) we came to the conclusion that the townhouse has become a liability as there is no way for the HOA to upgrade the infrastructure to handle electric cars, solar panels, battery storage, back-up generators, etc. For example, with the townhouse we were initially denied (by the local building department) a request upgrade/increase the capacity our electrical panel so we could install a split-system air conditioner. Their reasoning was that though the townhouse is residential in use, it is still subject to a commercial code review because there are multiple units and multiple owners within the structure. Thus the request for this upgrade requires a review of the entire electrical infrastructure by a licensed electrical engineer, which for us would be cost prohibitive. Needless to say, we dropped that request. By contrast, our request to upgrade the electrical panel on our single family home was approved in one day.
So the issues with the new high-powered gaming computers is just the tip of the incoming iceberg.
Tommy
So the issues with the new high-powered gaming computers is just the tip of the incoming iceberg.
Tommy
Dutcheeseblend
Blenderer
The youtu.be URL formatting is a shorter version of many valid YouTube links. So it's quite real.
Cheers