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How much electricity do computers use? A typical desktop computer uses about 65 to 250 watts. With most devices you can look at the label to see how much energy they use, but that doesn't work so well with computers because the label gives the theoretical maximum, not the typical amount used. A computer
whose label or power supply says 300 watts might only use about 70 watts when it's actually running, and only 100 even in peak times with serious number-crunching and all the drives spinning.
As long as your computer goes into sleep/standby when you're not using it, your computer doesn't use squat for electricity, compared to the rest of your household. You'll save a lot more energy by addressing your heating, cooling, and lighting use rather than obsessing over your computer. For most people, their computers' energy use is not a significant portion of their total use, even if they use their computers
a lot. Of course, you should absolutely make sure your computer is set to sleep automatically when you're not using it, because it's silly to waste energy, but your computer likely isn't even close to being the biggest energy-waster in your home. How much it costs to run your Computer ?
To calculate your costs use this formula:
| Watts x Hours Used | | ------------------------------ x Cost per kilowatt-hour = Total Cost | | 1000 |
For example, let's say you have a big high-end Computer with a gaming-level graphics card and an old CRT monitor, and you leave them on 24/7. That's about 330 watts 24 hours x 365 days/yr = 2,890,800 watt-hours, or 2891 kilowatt-hours. If you're paying Rs 4.75 per kWh, you're paying Rs 13,731.30 a year to run your computer.
However, remember above calculation is done considering high end computer and running 24 hrs and 365 day a year.Which is usually not the case when you use your computer 2hrs-5hr a day for a year.The above is just an example.
It really depends on what kind of computer it is, and how much you use iit -- and especially whether you sleep it when you're not using it. Your situation is almost certainly different, and you need to consider all the variables, like what kind of computer it is, how much you
use it, and most especially whether you leave it running all the time or sleep it when you're not using it. Factors that affect energy use | More Energy | Less Energy | | Ready to be used | Sleep / Standby | | Desktop | Laptop | | Faster processor | Slower processor | | Older processor (Pentium, G3/G4/G5) | Newer processor (Core Duo) | Heavy use
(all drives spinning, processor-intensive
task) | Light use
(e.g., email, word processing)
| | On the Internet | Offline |
Add another 35 watts for an LCD monitor, or 80 watts if you have an old-school CRT. Don't forget related devices. My cable modem uses 7 watts, my D-Link DI-604 router uses 4.5 watts, and my Motorola phone box for use with Vonage uses 2 watts while idle (3 when I'm on the
phone). Most laptop computers use about 15-45 watts, far less than desktops. Sleep & Screensavers
When your computer sleeps (aka "standby", "hibernate") the computer uses 0-6 watts. (So does the monitor.) You can set your computer to sleep automatically after a certain amount of idle time. Setting your computer to auto-sleep is the best and easiest way to save on computer
energy use!
Here I do it in Ubuntu 9.10 : System -> Preferences -> Power Management. You won't wear your computer out by turning it off
You won't wear your computer out any faster by cycling it once a day, or even a few times a day. Modern computers just aren't that fragile. The useful life of a computer these days is only a few years anyway.The computer will become obsolete long before you wear it out, no matter how often you cycle it. Bottom line: Turn your computer off when you're done with it (or simply Sleep it), and don't worry about it.
It also doesn't take more energy to start a computer than to keep it running. The only extra energy it takes to start a computer is the two minutes or so it takes to start up, which is barely different than any other two minutes' of use. You'll always save energy by turning
your computer off when you're not using it. Of course you don't have to turn it off since you can easily use the sleep or standby mode instead.
The myth of "turning it off uses more energy than keeping it on all the time" exists for just about every device that exists, and it's wrong in every single case, in practical terms. (Meaning, you will never, ever, ever see any savings on your electrical bill by keeping something on
all the time vs. turning it off. Period.) You will always save electricity by turning your device off when you're not using it (or sleeping it, if it's a
computer).
Energy-Efficient PC'sIn June 2007 the EPA started giving an "Energy Star" rating to energy-efficient computers.While this is important, sleeping your computer when you're not using it is more important. An inefficient computer that sleeps when you're not using it uses far less energy than an Energy Star computer you keep running 24/7.This is so important I'm going to repeat it: Making sure you sleep your computer when you're not using it is way more important than what kind of computer you use.
Computer power supplies are only 55-80% efficient.That means with a cheap power supply, nearly half the energy consumed is wasted. At least 80% efficient power supplies are required to get the EPA Energy Star label, but even then up to 20% of the energy consumed is wasted. My recommendations
* Set the Power settings on your computer to automatically go into Sleep/Standby mode after 15 minutes or so of inactivity. If you
do nothing else, do this.
* If you use a desktop, use an LCD monitor. They use lots less energy than CRT's.
* Turn your computer off when you're done for the day.
* Use a laptop computer. They use lots less energy than desktops.
* Use a power strip so you can easily turn off all your computer accessories at once.
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