Turn it Off!

People often find themselves asking whether or not it's a good idea to keep their computers running 24/7, or shut them off. In America about 76% of the population is an owner of a desktop computer. About 60% of them leave their computers on when it is not in use or running 24/7. When asked why they leave it on, their reason is often, "I can’t wait for the slow 5 minute boot up time," or "I’m just going to be gone for a few hours". Even then, most people leave their monitor on. Leaving your computer on constantly can reduce the life span of the computer, heat up a room, and consumes unnecessary energy which can end up costing more than the computer itself.

In almost every computer there is something called a power supply unit (PSU). A PSU gives your computer enough energy to power on and run efficiently, without a PSU or a low wattage PSU, your computer will not be able to turn on or run efficiently. An average desktop computer has a 400 watt power supply. With a 400 watt PSU we can calculate that it would cost you about (400W*24hrs/1000* $0.19KWH= $1.824*365=$665.76 dollars per year). Running a computer constantly 24/7 can cost more than the computer itself. A gaming rig requires more energy, most of them contain a PSU with a power of 700+ watt, imagine the electric bill on that!

http://www.bls.gov/ro9/cpilosa_energy.htm

Not only will keeping the computer running cost you lots of money, it also reduces the life span of each part of your computer, which can be costly to replace. You can fix the long boot up time problem by getting Solid State Drive, which can be costly but worth it. With an SSD your computer will instantly turn on and load to the desktop menu in less than 30 seconds. The fan in the computer (which helps cool down the PC) is a rotating part, which accumulates dust and dries out the bearings that can make it harder for the fan to run. With a computer running constantly memory leaks will occur, which causes your computer to slow down and run inefficiently. The only way to fix this problem is to turn it off and let your computer rest.

When allowing your computer to rest and turning it off, there should not be any problems with it. This is not only good for the computer but also good for you. You will keep more money in your pocket and have a computer you can rely on that won’t shut down on you in the middle of unsaved important work!

 Have a great day guys!
Andy