Power Usage - Desktop vs Laptop

As much electricity does your computer use?

A conventional desktop computer consumes about 65 to 250 watts. To reduce the number of your computer you can contact the manufacturer (not me) or my point of measuring electrical use.

For most devices, you can on the label to see how much energy that it had, but it does not work as well with computers because the label indicates the theoretical maximum, not the amount used. A computer whose label or the power supply 300 W, which would allow only 70 watts when it is running, and only 100 peak with very-large number of cracks and all drives spinning.

How long your computer is in standby / sleep mode if you do not use it, your computer does not use squat for electricity, compared to the rest of your budget. You save a lot of energy with your heating, cooling, lighting and the use shall not have on your computer. For most people, their computers' energy is not an important part of the entire application, even if many of their computers. Of course, it is important to ensure that your computer is automatically to sleep, if you do not use it because it's stupid, energy, but your computer is probably not a time of closeness is the biggest energy waster in your home.

What is the price for your computer

When calculating the cost of this formula:
Watts x hours used x cost per kilowatt-hour = Total Cost 1000

For example, you have a great high-end computer with a level of video games and an old CRT monitor, and leave it 24 7 This is approximately 330 watts x 24 hours x 365 days / year = watt-hours 2890800 , or 2891 kilowatt-hours. If you pay $ 0.14 per kWh, you pay $ 405 per year for your computer.

Let's try another example: you have a computer, pork less energy, as on the iMac G5 20 ", about 105 watts, and you are smart enough to disable it if you do not use it. They use for two hours a day, five days a week. It is ten hours per week or 520 hours per year. So your 105 watts x 520 hours = 54,600 watt hours. Divide by 1000 and you have 55 kilowatt hours (kWh). If you pay 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, then you pay $ 5.50 per year for your computer.

It is a series of $ 5.50 to $ 405 per year. It really depends what type of computer, and you - especially if you sleep, if you're not using it. These two examples are extreme. I was only an example, somewhere in the middle, but then I see people on blogs and message boards written misquoting "says electricity, a computer costs about $ 150/yr more. For" No, this is not what I said. I said that was only an example. Their situation is certainly different, and you have all variables as the type of computer is it that you, especially if you like, is all the time or sleep, if you do not use it.


Factors, energy consumption


Desktop Computer 60-250 watt

Laptop 15-45 watts

Add another 35 watts for an LCD, or 80 watts, if you have an old school CRT. Remember to other devices. My cable modem to 7 watts, my D-Link DI-604 router uses 4.5 watts, and my Motorola cell phone box for use with Vonage, and 2 watts at rest (3, if I have the phone ).

Laptop computers use about 15-45 watts, with far fewer jobs.


Sleep & Screensavers

If your computer is sleeping (also known as "sleep", "Hibernate") the computer with 0-6 watts. (The same goes for the monitor.) You can use your computer to sleep automatically after a certain period of inactivity. Place your computer on the sleeping car is the best and easiest way to access your energy! Here's how:

* In Windows XP, go to Start> Control Panel> Power Options
* On a Macintosh, go to "System Preferences"> "save energy

It is not very important, the difference between the standby Standby and Hibernate. In a few words, Hibernate saves your workspace (all the windows open), then your computer, so it saves more energy than the previous day, previous day, but a computer is more than wake up. For the curious, I have an article on the differences between hibernation mode, standby and Hibernate.

A screen saver that shows every image on the screen to save any power at all - save energy, if the screen is dark, using hibernation. If the monitor to mediation, from 0 to 10 watts. (Some devices a small amount of energy, even if it is off.)