RT-AC5300 design problem in power consumption?

[TonyH]

That is why we

Actually this is a common approach - bringing in VDC at a higher voltage - and then using a switching power complex on the circuitboard to break out the various DC rails - 5VDC, 3.3VDC, and commonly 1.8VDC.

Details - input DC comes in, and gets converted to very high frequency AC, and then get split out across the different voltage levels and converted back to DC at those level...

One brings in the DC at 19V, and that's basically for efficiency purposes, and less current - power in (and recall that power is voltage*current) and power out of the complex is pretty close to the same, on the order of 80-90 percent - there's a bit of switching loss and some heat (very little)...

So considering that the SoC is pulling about 100ma in idle state, and one considers all the peripherals, 150ma at the wall is pretty darn efficient if you ask me...

Higher quality switching PSU of course performs better using quality materials. Same when laminated transformer core was used. Cheap iron created more eddy current and loss, noise, etc. Earlier days I notice router AC adapters were made in Japan then Chinese took over. I used to wind own power supplies building amps. Once I read a book
in early days of HAM radio guys even built vacuum tubes, rolled own paper capacitors.... I used to haul around 5V DC
150Amp switching PSU made by Ault, Good boat anchor.