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How Much Power Does A Computer Use

An average desktop computer uses between 60-300 watts per hour depending on its hardware configuration. A typical desktop may use around 100 watts. If used for 6 hours per day, a desktop using 100 watts would cost approximately $18 per year to operate based on a rate of $0.10 per kWh. Power saving modes can help reduce energy usage and costs when the computer is not in active use.

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Joseph B Delos Reyes
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152 views

How Much Power Does A Computer Use

An average desktop computer uses between 60-300 watts per hour depending on its hardware configuration. A typical desktop may use around 100 watts. If used for 6 hours per day, a desktop using 100 watts would cost approximately $18 per year to operate based on a rate of $0.10 per kWh. Power saving modes can help reduce energy usage and costs when the computer is not in active use.

Uploaded by

Joseph B Delos Reyes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How much power does a computer use?

And
how much CO2 does that represent?
The power consumption of a computer varies depending on whether it is a desktop or a laptop:

 A desktop uses an average of 200 W/hour when it is being used (loudspeakers and
printer included). A computer that is on for eight hours a day uses almost 600 kWh and
emits 175 kg of CO2 per year.
 A laptop uses between 50 and 100 W/hour when it is being used, depending on the
model. A laptop that is on for eight hours a day uses between 150 and 300 kWh and emits
between 44 and 88 kg of CO2 per year.
 In stand-by mode the power consumption of both a desktop and a laptop falls to about a
third. This contributes to the 'vampire draw' of your household.

Remember that stand-by mode uses power, too!

The power consumption of a computer of course depends on the model and the way it is used.
For instance, a laptop only uses a third as much as a desktop:

 A complete desktop uses an average of 200 Watt hours (Wh). This is the sum of the
average consumption per hour of the computer itself (171 W), the internet modem (10 W),
the printer (5 W) and the loudspeakers (20 W). Assuming that a computer is on for eight
hours a day, the annual consumption comes to 600 kWh. That corresponds to CO2
emissions of about 175 kg per year, i.e. 1.75 % of the average annual emission of a
Belgian.
 
 A laptop uses considerably less: between 50 and 100 Wh that it is on, depending on the
model. If it is used for eight hours a day, consumption therefore varies between 150 and
300 kWh/year. That corresponds to CO2 emissions of between 44 and 88 kg per year (or
between 0.44 and 0.88 % of the average annual emission of a Belgian).
 
 On stand-by, the power consumption of both a desktop and a laptop computer falls to
about a third. Putting the monitor on stand-by reduces its consumption by 15%. If the
monitor is switched off completely, then of course it does not use any power.
 
 Although the internet is a virtual space, using it still requires power and results in CO2
emissions. Think about it!

Some tips to save energy

1. Switch off the loudspeakers if you are not using them.


2. Switch off the printer when it’s not needed.
3. Switch off the screen if you are not working on the PC just now.
4. Switch off your computer or put it in stand-by mode if you are not going to work on your
PC for more than 30 minutes. A multiple socket makes it easy to switch off all your
computing equipment.
5. Use a laptop in preference to a desktop.
6. Switch off the modem at night.

Electricity usage of a Desktop Computer


An average desktop computer uses between 60 and 300 watts. It is very difficult to know exactly
how much computers use on average because there are so many different hardware
configurations. The computer power supply is not an accurate way to measure energy use
because the power supply output is advertised as the max amount of watts a power supply can
output. The electricity usage of a computer also heavily depends on the video card, a high end
video card can use a lot of power and having more than one (SLI or Crossfire mode) during
heavy gaming or 3d rendering can use a large amount of energy. We estimate that an average
modern desktop PC will use approximately 100 watts of power, not including the display screen.

Click calculate to find the energy consumption of a desktop computer using 100 Watts for 6
hours a day @ $0.10 per kWh.

Cost Per Hour:

Cost Per Day:

Cost Per Month:

Cost Per Year:


kWh Per Day:

Hours Used Per Day:

100

Power Use (Watts):

0.10

Price (kWh):

Hours Used Per Day: Enter how many hours the device is being used on average per day, if the
power consumption is lower than 1 hour per day enter as a decimal. (For example: 30 minutes
per day is 0.5)

Power Use (Watts): Enter the average power consumption of the device in watts.

Price (kWh): Enter the cost you are paying on average per kilowatt hour, our caculators use the
default value of 0.10 or 10 cents. To find an exact price check your electricity bill or take a look
at Global Electricity Prices.

To save energy turn off your computer when it is not being used or enable power saving features
such as hibernate, standby or sleep mode. Power saving modes will allow you to turn on a
computer quickly when you need to use it. Sleep mode typically uses only 1-5 watts of power
and can be set to turn on automatically after a set time of inactivity.

If you want to find out the exact amount of electricity your desktop computer is using we
recommend you buy an electricity usage monitor or a power meter, which sits between your
power socket and any devices you plug in. This will allow you to accurately find out the exact
amount of energy your computer is using.

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