Dumb noobie query -

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kged

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Don't laugh. I'll be buying a home PC in a month or two, and it occurs to me to wonder if there are any significant differences in power usage - and therefore my electricity bill - between the various machines on the market? Is there any one computer/supplier which is known to be cheaper to run than the others, on average use?


Damn - I forgot to pretend this was about efficiency and the environment, and not my bloody Powergen bill...
 
I don't think there will be a great deal of difference to be honest - although laptops use much less power than normal PCs.

Most modern PCs will run on 250-550W depending on the specs (low end to high end) - so it is mainly down to the power of the system you choose. LCD monitors are more energy efficient than CRT monitors, so that is one saving.
 
kged said:
Don't laugh. I'll be buying a home PC in a month or two, and it occurs to me to wonder if there are any significant differences in power usage - and therefore my electricity bill - between the various machines on the market? Is there any one computer/supplier which is known to be cheaper to run than the others, on average use?


Damn - I forgot to pretend this was about efficiency and the environment, and not my bloody Powergen bill...
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What make are you thinking of buying?
 
I'm entirely open-minded; a general purpose, decent quality system, for £600 or so, nothing more specific than that. I'm well-disposed to Dell, because I use them at work (and they have that sexy all-black thing), but that aside I welcome advice. Or I will in a couple of months or so when I achieve budget.
 
Dell & Sexy

kged said:
I'm entirely open-minded; a general purpose, decent quality system, for £600 or so, nothing more specific than that. I'm well-disposed to Dell, because I use them at work (and they have that sexy all-black thing), but that aside I welcome advice. Or I will in a couple of months or so when I achieve budget.
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Dont buy from Mesh, i did and have regretted it from day 1
As for Dell being "that sexy all-black thing" suggest you may be on the wrong site for that sort of thing, this is a site you can bring the whole family to;) But seriously see what people post and get a good idea, also trawl through all the site and see what other comments have been written about different makers:thumb:
 
OK ... here we go, print it of and keep.

A PC will, in normal use, use 150W of electricity ... in standby mode 20W, turned off 10W. Now people just don't realise that a PC is never off unless unpluged from the wall. So, turn off two light bulbs around the house ... better still, replace them with 21W energy bulbs. :)

Add to that one 17" CRT monitor @ 75W ... in standby mode 3W, turned off, some can still use 3W. ;)
Need to replace another lightbulb. :thumb:

An LCD/TFT monitor will use 35W and 1W in standby mode ... again, as the thing will use a powerpack of some shape or form, expect it to use 1W when off ... 'cos you need to un-plug from the wall to actually turn the dam thing off.

Un-plug the TV from the wall and save another 60-100W of electricity ... un-plug from the wall any electrical appliance, except maybe your fridge & freezer, and save electricity. :p

There you go, in a nutshell you need to get new LightBulbs and pull the plugs out. :D


These are rough geustimates from online electricity calculators and from my own experience spending a whole £10 a month on the whole of my electric, which includes 3 PCs, a printer, a fridge, freezer & answer phone that are never un-plugged ... I have NO TV. :p

Did you know ... leaving you phone charger plugged in uses electricity, even if you do not have the phone attached. ;)

EDIT: forgot me washing mashine ... well I only use it once a month. :)
 
Technofear!

:confused: What?! The electronics I already own are using electricity when they're turned off? Oy gevalt, no wonder I'm Powergen's bitch.


*Moves to the forest*
 
kged said:
:confused: What?! The electronics I already own are using electricity when they're turned off? Oy gevalt, no wonder I'm Powergen's bitch.


*Moves to the forest*
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Yup, its all of the "standby" mode stuff. Its only a few Watts, but it probably adds up to that of a normal lightbulb quite easily :)
 
kged said:
Even when they're OFF off, not little-red-light-shining-standby off?
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Yup ... afraid so, some still draw power ... especially a PC base unit.

You need to un-plug from the wall ... then I'd like to see the little lights on the buggers die.
laughingsmiley.gif
 
It took me 2 years to realise that my computer was never actually 'off', I only noticed when i looked at the little light on my psu and it was on. I must have added a whole £3.50 to the energy bill will my shockingly powerful 200W psu :p
 
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