Power Usage

[jeo14888]

I have read alot of articles on the internet about how much power your computer uses when your not using it and it is either; in sleep, turned off or left on. None of the articles i read were really that conclusive, so i wondered if you guys know whats best to do when not using it for 8 hours or so. I usually put it in sleep mode or just leave it on because i always assumed that turning it on and off every night would wear it out a bit. cheers.

 

[mammikoura]

this is just something that I've heard, don't know how true it is. But if the computer is not going to be used for 3 or more hours, then turning it off would be better. (in terms of energy usage)

Don't know about sleep mode.
But what I do is I keep my computer closed when I'm at school and during the night, other times it's on. You mentioned having the computer without being used for 8h, in that case I'd turn it off. And you don't have to worry about wearing it out by turning it off for the night.

 

[jeo14888]

ok, so its an urban myth pretty much that it uses a load of power when turning on and off. I'll start turning it off more often then, although i do like it coming out of sleep cause everything is just how i left it and instantly ready to use.

 

[Haku Mioje]

yeah i usually just leave mine on in sleep mode but it probably does use up alot of energy.

 

[mammikoura]

ok, so its an urban myth pretty much that it uses a load of power when turning on and off.

It does use huge amounts of power when you turn it on. (compared to the amout it uses when idle) But it won't use so much power that it would be cost efficient to leave it on for the whole night. It's better to shut if down if you are not going to be using it for many hours. But you could also do a little more research about sleep mode if you want to, since I can't really help you with that.

 

[freestyler105]

Sleep barely uses any power at all. If it is asleep for a long time, it'll eventually just save any open documents and shut down. Me, well, I usually just leave it on, I'm too impatient for it to boot up every time I want to use it (especially if I'm just gonna check my e-mail or something quick).

 

[TRDCorolla1]

I would just put it in "Hibernate" mode. That's what I do with my laptop all the time. I rarely use the StandBy. Hibernate saves the state your laptop or PC is in and resumes exactly where you left off last time when the PC was on. The computer is shut down completely during the state so no power is used.

 

[jeo14888]

i've done a bit more research into it, and it seems that if you do completely power down then you should also turn it off at the mains because it is still consuming in off mode. I have come to the conclusion that i will turn it off if it is not in use for 8 hours or more(and turn it off at the mains) or put it in sleep mode for any less. The thing i was most concerned about was my electricity bill and i think this will be the most cost efficient way about i, cheers guys.

 

[mammikoura]

just remember that after all the computer is a very small portion of the electricity bill. Though of course saving money (no matter how big/small amount) always means more money in the end.