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Not using computer: Keep it on or turn it off?

Will it really save much energy?
US official mulling greatly expanded airplane laptop ban
Posted at 6:00 AM, Nov 20, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-20 09:08:09-05

Leave your computer on overnight or shut it down? It's a simple question that has probably crossed your mind.

But if the answer depends on whether turning it off will save money on your power bill, it won't save much.

Ken Colburn with Data Doctors says computers today are very good about managing power consumption.

He says it may be a good idea to turn if off if you want to reduce heat and possibly extend the life of the computer.

Colburn suggests putting your computer to "sleep."

Do that by going to settings, choosing turn off and on times, and even a security option.

That means when it powers back on, your computer would require an access code to unlock.

Colburn says your monitor is a bigger power user so turning that off nightly will save you more.

But he says if you're using a laptop in the same place, like a desktop, powering on and off could be an issue.

He says there are a certain number of charge cycles the battery has before it starts to deteriorate.

Colburn's suggestion is to leave those laptops plugged in when not in use.

And if you do decide to keep your computer on 24/7, he recommends rebooting it weekly to refresh it.

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