Does it take more energy to leave a computer on everyday or turning the computer off and on?

Question

Me and my friend were debating about whether energy depletes more while just leaving it on everyday day or just turning it off and on when u don't use the computer?

Answer 1

it uses more energy when you turn it on and off, verses leaving it on everyday,

Answer 2

well leaving it on will kill the hardrive. I know from first hand experience cause my ibook g4 crashed.  it is good to rest a comp and it take more energy to leave it on.  energy is used by anything plugged into a plug.  if a cell phone charger is plugged in even without a cellphone it will use small amounts of energy.  same with tvs, coms, anything

Answer 3

by keeping the computer on for all day.but don't do it we all should save electricity.

Answer 4

Leaving it on all the time is bad either way.

Leaving it on wears out the fan which cools the inside.  So if they fan goes, the chips will overheat and stop working. (from experience)

And leaving it on makes the fan run more and makes the chips work harder which will use more energy.

Answer 5

Why would you like to leave your computer turned on all day?

How frequent will you turn on and off and on and off and so on and so forth your computer?

If you do not want to waste precious seconds or minutes waiting for your system to boot, I guess you can leave your system on. Just unplug the speakers if you are not using it or put the system in stand-by mode.

But if you won't use your computer for like two hours or more, just turn it off.

No scientific basis here. I am just expressing my opinion.

Answer 6

More energy to leave it on.

Turning it on takes maybe 5 seconds (once the hard drive is spinning, it's on).  The added current is small (otherwise it would blow a circuit breaker or fuse).  At most that 5 second turn on is like 10 seconds of operation.

The same argument holds for lights including fluorescent lights.

Answer 7

I think the wear and tear on the hard drive is more of an issue as in works harder during the boot-up process.

Answer 8

Turn it off and pull the plug.   Leaving it plugged in uses engergy.  Leaving on the computer also shortens it life.