No. Most modern electronics don't use any significant extra power to turn on, unless you unplug them to discharge capacitors.
Is it better to leave your computer on all night or to turn it off?
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No. Most modern electronics don't use any significant extra power to turn on, unless you unplug them to discharge capacitors.
aimeeandbeatles
watermelon
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My mom says that leaving it on all the time can't be good for it.
But I don't believe anything she says about computers after I removed half a dozen viruses from her computer.
But I don't believe anything she says about computers after I removed half a dozen viruses from her computer.
I think the bottom line is that if the computer is doing nothing, then nothing is gained by leaving it on. It's not going to wear out before it becomes obsolete in any case. And neither leaving it always on nor always shutting it off is all that likely to make a significant increase in how long the thing will last. And unless it's a really old comp trying to run too new a version of windows, the restart time doesn't matter much. Unless you are periodically using it for a business where you frequently need it on short notice.
Okay, so I always used to turn the computer off for the night, but a little while ago I got myself a multiple socket outlet with a switch so I could stop it using any power when off. Isn't that basically the same as unplugging it?
If I'm not going to use it for say two or three hours, is it okay to switch the socket outlet off too, or should I just turn the computer off?
Sorry if I'm being dumb.
Okay, so I always used to turn the computer off for the night, but a little while ago I got myself a multiple socket outlet with a switch so I could stop it using any power when off. Isn't that basically the same as unplugging it?
If I'm not going to use it for say two or three hours, is it okay to switch the socket outlet off too, or should I just turn the computer off?
Sorry if I'm being dumb.
I use and Uninterpretable Power Supply (backup battery) and when I turn it off, I turn the power supply off as well.
That's right....you guys don't have switches on your power points. Sure, it'll cut the standby current, not that there's much but good all the same.
I thought asking made you smartSorry if I'm being dumb.
averagejoe
Chieftain
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But if they are plugged into say a power adapter and you turn the power adapter off is that the same? Or do you need to unplug the power adapter from the wall as well?
Genocidicbunny
Bug squasher
Like a power strip? Yeah, that would stop their power draw ( although the strip itself may draw some electricity if it has things like a lit up button, etc)
Formaldehyde
Both Fair And Balanced
Most electronic components fail when power is applied to them. As others have mentioned, this 'shock' is worse when the compnents are cold.
Electronic components will also typically only withstand power cycling so many times before failing. Every time you cycle the power, you are increasing the chances it will fail albeit very slightly.
The flip side of the coin is that the failure rate of any component decreases rapidly initially, stays relatively flat over the lifetime of the component, and then increases dramatically at the end of its useful life. So you should expect many more failures during the first few months, a relatively stable lifetime, then more and more failures at the end of their service life.
Then there are the moving parts issues. Your fans, disk drive motors, etc. will only last so long due to mechanical wear. While hard drive MTBFs have recently gotten to the point of absurdity, the failure of a specific drive may be quite short and they are frequently due to mechanical wear.
Then there are the heat issues. The higher the ambient temperature while being powered up, the faster most electronic components will fail.
Then there are the power line issues. Depending on your elecricity provider, you may experience overvolages, undervoltages, power spikes, and lightning strikes. These may damage or even destroy components in your various PSUs even if the system is turned off depending on the design of the PSUs.
So here's my advice for maximizing the life of your PC.
1) Get a decent UPS to condition the line and plug all your high-dollar peripherals into it. This is very important if your power company sucks like mine does and you are in an area with a lot ot thunderstorms. if you do not get a UPS, at least get a power strip with a surge protector and turn your computer and peripherals from there to help save the individual PSUs when not in use.
2) Set your computer power options to turn off the displays when not in use. This is most important with LCD monitors which degrade greatly the longer they are used.
3) Set your computer to sleep if you tend to be away from it for extended periods.
4) Depending on your mobo features and your own PC usage, set your power saving options to to go into degraded mode when you are not running CPU-intensive programs.
5) Do everything you can to keep the ambient temperature of your PC as low as possible.
6) Turn off your PC at night, and be sure to sacrifice a virgin for luck before you cold boot in the morning.
Electronic components will also typically only withstand power cycling so many times before failing. Every time you cycle the power, you are increasing the chances it will fail albeit very slightly.
The flip side of the coin is that the failure rate of any component decreases rapidly initially, stays relatively flat over the lifetime of the component, and then increases dramatically at the end of its useful life. So you should expect many more failures during the first few months, a relatively stable lifetime, then more and more failures at the end of their service life.
Then there are the moving parts issues. Your fans, disk drive motors, etc. will only last so long due to mechanical wear. While hard drive MTBFs have recently gotten to the point of absurdity, the failure of a specific drive may be quite short and they are frequently due to mechanical wear.
Then there are the heat issues. The higher the ambient temperature while being powered up, the faster most electronic components will fail.
Then there are the power line issues. Depending on your elecricity provider, you may experience overvolages, undervoltages, power spikes, and lightning strikes. These may damage or even destroy components in your various PSUs even if the system is turned off depending on the design of the PSUs.
So here's my advice for maximizing the life of your PC.
1) Get a decent UPS to condition the line and plug all your high-dollar peripherals into it. This is very important if your power company sucks like mine does and you are in an area with a lot ot thunderstorms. if you do not get a UPS, at least get a power strip with a surge protector and turn your computer and peripherals from there to help save the individual PSUs when not in use.
2) Set your computer power options to turn off the displays when not in use. This is most important with LCD monitors which degrade greatly the longer they are used.
3) Set your computer to sleep if you tend to be away from it for extended periods.
4) Depending on your mobo features and your own PC usage, set your power saving options to to go into degraded mode when you are not running CPU-intensive programs.
5) Do everything you can to keep the ambient temperature of your PC as low as possible.
6) Turn off your PC at night, and be sure to sacrifice a virgin for luck before you cold boot in the morning.
averagejoe
Chieftain
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2008
- Messages
- 48
If i am going to be out for more than an hour i will turn my pc off. If im home and not going to be using the pc till later in the day i will turn it off. Since 1991 the only thing i
have ever had go bad are a few power supplies. Never had any cpus, motherboards, hdd etc go bad from too much usage. After 5-7 years its usually time to either upgrade or a new pc. It use to be fun and cheaper to put a system together. Now its cheaper to buy a new system and maybe exchange a part or two.
I do know that when i lived by myself i did a test. My electric bill was like $50.00.
So the only things i kept plugged in were the refrig, phone/alarm clock. The next bill was $27.00. But when you dont live by yourself its just more coveient to keep things plugged in because its just not worth the trouble unplugging things when nobody else is.
have ever had go bad are a few power supplies. Never had any cpus, motherboards, hdd etc go bad from too much usage. After 5-7 years its usually time to either upgrade or a new pc. It use to be fun and cheaper to put a system together. Now its cheaper to buy a new system and maybe exchange a part or two.
I do know that when i lived by myself i did a test. My electric bill was like $50.00.
So the only things i kept plugged in were the refrig, phone/alarm clock. The next bill was $27.00. But when you dont live by yourself its just more coveient to keep things plugged in because its just not worth the trouble unplugging things when nobody else is.
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