It's on every news channel: the weather is warming and we should do something to save our planet. Either you are a
bit geeky or not, at least for the sake of saving some money, we all should learn some tips to save energy while we use our computer, therefore making it more efficient.
Typically , a desktop uses between 100 and 150 watts. Of course, 100 watts would be the energy used by a "normal" computer. If you have some kind of a gaming "monster", you are probably using much more.
How can you lower those numbers? It's important to know that computers use different amount of energy depending on what you are doing. If you are writing and email or posting on forums, you aren't using a lot of energy as compared to playing a demanding game. Even when your computer is completely ideal and the monitor turned off, you are probably using about 100 watts. And if you are not using the computer, that's called WASTE!
A good rule to remember? IF you are planning not to use the computer for a while, shut it down. You will be saving at least 100 watts/hour. Sometimes it may be hard to remember. For example, i'm working on an article and then decide to go in the kitchen and brew some coffee. While the coffee brews, I'd probably do something else in the kitchen, therefore leaving my computer in idle for at least 10-15 min, not counting the time needed to drink the coffee, which i prefer to do while watching the people on the street. So, in total , about half an hour of...idle....What can I do? Use a small software, called
CO2Server, which keeps an eye on what my computer is doing and idles the computer when i'm not using it. A
bit geeky, but fun! : )
You will also save a lot of energy and money if you take good care of the computer and won't need to upgrade it every six months. So when you buy a computer, try to buy a high-end configuration which won't need upgrades during the next 3-5 years. A good idea is to look for low-energy desktops, such as Zonbu and Shuttle. Oh yeah, and laptops are designed to be more energy-efficient than desktops. (by the way: I use a HP laptop on a daily basis!)
Another good idea is to turn the screen servers OFF. No use for waste of power. AMD processors are better of saving energy than Intel processors (however, I wouldn't recommend one of them, it's your choice, I'm all for Intel and always have been).
If you have any energy-saving tips, do tell us!:)