How much power do (relatively new) computers consume while in sleep mode? By sleep mode, the computers' fans are turned off, producing no noise; and the LED on the power button blinks.
Do I need to be concerned about the power used in this state (keeping memory intact and the blinking of the LED)? Is it true that the electricity bills from leaving the computer in sleep mode overnight for a year amounts to a price greater than the cost of the computer?
Thanks.
Best Answer
I have a power/watt meter handy, so I thought I'd measure the family PC in various modes. It's an old 1.8 GHz AMD Sempron eMachine. This is just the box, and not the monitor or any other peripherals.
Like all device that don't use a hard, physical switch (TVs, DVRs, etc.), you will get some power draw on the order of 1-to-5 watts per device. The costs of these "ghost loads" over a year depends entirely on how many you have and what your kW-hr billing rate is.
Being a power miser, I use a power strip on the family PC, attach everything to it, and then flip the main switch off when not in use.
EDIT: I did the math for this machine while "off". My rate is 8-cents per kWh, so:
3W * (1kW / 1000W) * (24h * 365) * $0.08/kWh = $2.10This is an absolute lower bound on the cost of having the machine plugged in for a year. With typical use it will be much more.