- Original Poster
- #1
A typical desktop computer uses about 65 watts. Add another 80 watts for a 17" CRT monitor, or 35 for an LCD. When your computer sleeps ("standby") the the computer uses 3 to 35 watts, while the monitor uses next to nothing. A screensaver that shows any image on the screen doesn't save any energy at all -- you only save energy if the monitor goes dark by going into standby mode. Of course, you can turn the monitor off at the switch too and then it uses 0 watts.
Let's not forget laptops, they use only about 15 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 says 300 watts might only use about 60 watts when it's actually running, and only 90 even in peak times with serious number-crunching and all the drives spinning.
To put this into perspective, a light bulb uses about 75 watts. So a typical computer uses about 1.5 to 2 light bulbs' worth of energy.
Is your business spending to much on power?
Let's not forget laptops, they use only about 15 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 says 300 watts might only use about 60 watts when it's actually running, and only 90 even in peak times with serious number-crunching and all the drives spinning.
To put this into perspective, a light bulb uses about 75 watts. So a typical computer uses about 1.5 to 2 light bulbs' worth of energy.
Is your business spending to much on power?
