Powenetics V2 – Power Measurements Device – Review

After lots of thought, I decided that it would be for the best if I opened the Powenetics V2 project to the community. This is a lab-grade tool, not a gadget, addressing experienced users who need to know what is going on (exactly) with the power consumption of various parts in their systems. 

A few years ago, during a Computex show, as I remember, a close friend of mine and legendary OCer, Ronaldo Buassali, was telling me the importance of accurate GPU power measurements. Back then, there was nothing to allow a reviewer to make accurate and accessible measurements on GPUs, especially on the PCIe socket. I gave it a thought, and once I found the time, into a week, the first Powenetics was made. I gave the first Powenetics to TecLab, Ronaldo’s own media site and YT channel, Tom’s Hardware, Kitguru, back2gaming, and even NVIDIA bought one long ago it released PCAT, apparently to study my solution and built its own.

Speaking of PCAT, which I don’t own because NVIDIA refused to send or sell me one, although I was eager to help them with my solution, it is an easy-to-use kit, and the integration with FrameViewis a great asset, but the fact is that it is slow, providing only ten measurements per second. This is unacceptable for any proper power measurement, and PCAT is also restricted to GPU power measurements and cannot take ATX or EPS connectors. It is embarrassing that I never managed to get a PCAT device from NVIDIA, especially since I had some email exchange initially with the team that made it. But this made me want to make something WAY better, which I eventually did.

Powenetics v2 is a game changer for CPU, GPU, and mainboard power measurements. This is the ultimate tool for every reviewer or highly enthusiastic user who wants to see what is going on with their system in real-time and doesn’t want to rely on inaccurate or low-polling rate software solutions.

The Powenetics v2 has the following sockets/cables

  • ATX 24pin
  • ATX 10pin (12VO)
  • 3x EPS
  • 3x PCIe 6+2
  • 2x PCIe 12+4
  • 1x Proprierty 4-pin for connection with the PCIe expansion card

There are 13 sensors, and Powenetics V2 can pull 1000 readings from them simultaneously! The resolution is 1mV for Voltage and 1mA for Amperage.

The 12VHPWR connectors can handle up to 55A sustained and up to 150A power spikes of up to 1 ms to cover the PCIe 5.0 transient response scenarios.

Cybenetics GPU Database

 

The Cybenetics GPU database uses data deriving from Powenetics, mostly the first version, which relied on parts found on the market and not custom-designed ones. This is why the first Powenetics was a huge pain to build, and I couldn’t support it as much as I wanted. Moreover, although it was faster than NVIDIA’s PCAT, much faster, it was still far below 1000 readings per sec (or one reading per ms), which is what I needed for my testing.

Get the Powenetics V2 here!

Before I released Powenetics v2, we performed a long and painful development circle, where along with my partner in crime, CWT, we made three upgrades or revisions to the original board. So the current Powenetics v2 is revision 3. Some of the changes were to change the connection with the PCIe expansion board to an easier-to-use one, redesign the latter board, install a reset button, use a more tolerant to abuse USB connector, and power the Powenetics board through USB and not the 5VSB rail as it was initially designed. The last change allows Powenetics to get power from another PC and not the one that it is installed.

Technical Specifications:
  • Brand Name: Cybenetics
  • Model Name: Powenetics V2
  • Manufacturer: CWT
  • Number of sensors: 13x
  • Maximum readings per sec  on all sensors: 1000 +- 50
  • Number of ATX12V/ATX12VO sockets: 1/ 1
  • Number of EPS sockets: 3
  • Number of PCie 6+2 sockets: 3
  • Number of 12VHPWR sockets: 2
  • Connection: USB Type-B
  • Dimensions (W x D): 335 mm x 80 mm
  • Price (excluding VAT): 975€
  • Warranty: only against DOA

Since this is a lab-grade tool, which can be used under extreme testing conditions, the provided warranty is only against DOA (dead on arrival). Moreover, you should avoid connecting and disconnecting the connectors on the Powenetics, especially the 12VHPWR ones, because the more you do this, the loosen they get, and at some point, they can fail. It is highly advised to keep the cables on Powenetics permanently attached and only disconnect the cables from the GPU and mainboard side.

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61 thoughts on “Powenetics V2 – Power Measurements Device – Review

  1. Isn’t a sustained load of 55A on a 12VHPWR connector kinda low considering that there are already graphic cards with OC BIOSes that allow them to draw 1000W?

  2. ola os meus amigos do teclab nos indicou vocês o melhor canal de teste hardware impressionante o trabalho de vocês S2

  3. I came on the recommendation of Ronaldo from the TecLab channel (source of many useful and interesting information).

  4. hello, did you have a corrspending email for contact with, I would like to know the details(including the stuff in v2 kit and procedures, and any others) and assess if it would be a fit for my lab, also how to order(the order page is written in a language Icouldn’t understand), thanks

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