RT-BE88U: Power Consumption

[demux]

Hi all,

With increasing energy prices, I figured it'd be a good idea to check out the power usage of the Asus RT-BE88U router running firmware version 3.0.0.6.102.33921.

To get the numbers, I grabbed my Brennenstuhl PM 231 Power Meter and plugged it into a 220V/230 outlet. I tested the router in various connectivity scenarios to determine its power consumption under different conditions with the delivered 19v power supply.

First, I set up a baseline by turning off everything connected to the router and unplugging all the ports on the device itself.

Now, here are the power consumption results for you to calculate your annual energy costs based on your specific setup and number of connected Ethernet ports:

Device / Connectivity	Consumption
RT-BE88U, Bare Metal	7.4 Watt
SFP GPON Port	0.5 Watt
10G Ethernet Port (at 2.5G Negotiated)	0.6 Watt
2.5G Ethernet Port	0.6 Watt
1G Ethernet Port	0.3 Watt
USB 3 Port	0.8 Watt
WiFi, 2.4 GHz	1.7 Watt
WiFi, 5 GHz	1.7 Watt

I can push my 1Gbit/s fiber connection to full download speed without stressing the RT-BE88U's CPU at all. The quad-core processor barely shows any load, it eats network packages like cookies! Adding only approx. 0.1 Watt under load.

I'm quite happy with the Asus RT-BE88U's power efficiency. I no longer need that GPON Media Bridge I used to connect to my old RT-AC68U. That router is officially retired now!

 

[igor469]

Very interesting measurements.
I want to add. If you power it with 12 v (for example UPS ) instead of 19 v, then the power consumption is reduced by another 20-30% (approximately)

 

[Tech9]

I want to add. If you power it with 12 v (for example UPS ) instead of 19 v, then the power consumption is reduced by another 20-30% (approximately)

This in incorrect. The power consumption will stay the same. The VRMs inside will draw more current from the 12V source to compensate for the input voltage drop. The router is not a light bulb.

 

[tiddlywink]

I think most people want to know power consumption when using the dual 10G and SPF+ @ 10Gbps. Last time I looked the max power was 45w.

 

[igor469]

This in incorrect. The power consumption will stay the same. The VRMs inside will draw more current from the 12V source to compensate for the input voltage drop. The router is not a light bulb.

This is what the measurements showed.
19v - 10-12 watt,
12v - 6-8 watt.
5 GHz - off, 2.4 GHz - min

 

[Tech9]

If you are measuring before the power supply - part of this difference is coming from the power supply itself. Different ones may have different efficiency.

 

[igor469]

If you are measuring before the power supply - part of this difference is coming from the power supply itself. Different ones may have different efficiency.

Agreed. This is a standard BE88U (19v) power supply. I estimate it to be 1-2 watts.

 

[demux]

Of course, I was using the standard delivered 19v power supply for my consumption tests. I added the 220V/230V note specifically, as people in the US with 110V power outlet might get slightly different results.

I brushed up my initial scribbling a bit, hopefully this is more clear now.

 

[Tech9]

Low power device, few watts more or less won't make a big difference anyway.