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thinking of getting rid of the desktop PC to save electricity.

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    #32
    probe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,055 ✭✭✭probe


    Builderfromhell wrote: »
    Thanks for that Probe. Seemed to be going off topic a bit there. Am I correct in thinking that a desktop uses much more electric than a laptop. I work from home and have 2 desktops, 1 lap top, a scanner, a big printer, and often Pocket PC & phone plugged into computer. It never occurred to me to unplug at end of day.
    I usually, have one or two computers on all day but with screen turned off when not in use.
    Any advice on cutting down on electric appreciated.

    A laptop typically consumes around 90 watts/h.

    Desktop machines are in the 250 to 1500 watts/h range or higher. A power user's desktop with 8 core Xeon 5400 processors, say 16 GB of RAM, NVIDA Quadro FX 5600 graphics card, a few hard drives, large flat screen monitor might be heading for a consumption of 2kW/h. This excludes the air conditioning which a room with a few of these babies will require.

    I've been using laptops for nearly a decade - once I found high end products that were as fast as a "desktop" machine. Laptops also have the benefit of a "UPS" - ie when the mains fails, they keep on running, and they are quieter (aside from some Dell laptops - Dell has not engineered its notebook PCs cooling system as well as say Sony). Anyone buying a new laptop should make sure it has an Intel Penryn processor - they run cooler and consume less energy.

    .probe


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    #33
    Pgibson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 406 ✭✭Pgibson


    jawlie wrote: »
    What happens when the wind isn't blowing?

    Buy a bicycle-powered pedal generator such as this one:

    http://www.econvergence.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=econvergence&Product_Code=PAWA-1&Category_Code=5

    Good for the old ticker too.

    .


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    #34
    siralfalot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 447 ✭✭siralfalot


    okay.........

    So Mailman comes on looking for some advice on saving running costs on a PC, is preached at by another poster (who later apologizes for preaching) but stands his ground as is his right, and yet he is banned??

    some advertisement for a green movement! :rolleyes:


    Probe is spot on with his power usage figures


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    #35
    oscarBravo
    Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,795 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    siralfalot wrote: »
    So Mailman comes on looking for some advice on saving running costs on a PC, is preached at by another poster (who later apologizes for preaching) but stands his ground as is his right, and yet he is banned??
    Discussion of moderation is off-topic. Don't go there.


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    #36
    Nonmonotonic
    Registered Users Posts: 422 ✭✭Nonmonotonic


    But wind power isn't.


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    #37
    Belfast
    Registered Users Posts: 1,355 ✭✭✭Belfast


    this should tell you how much power your are using
    Plug-in Electricity Cost and Usage Calculator or Plug-In Mains Power and Energy Monitor
    http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=power%20meters&source=15&menu=-6&WorldSearch=Y&SD=Y


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    #38
    GetGrowing
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭GetGrowing


    I can highly recommend getting a meter like the one Belfast recommends above. We got one a while ago and went round the house checking to see how much power different things use. The kids thought it was fascinating and now are much more careful about turning their stereo off etc.


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