The computer is an electronic device, and the electronic devices consume electrical energy. But how much power a computer will consume? Today, on this page, you are going to find that.
Knowing about this thing can solve many of your questions or doubts like
- Can I keep my PC ON even when I’m not using it?
- How much power does a laptop use?
- Which is the best power-efficient device: Desktop or Laptop?
- Tips to increase system efficiency and more…
A normal desktop computer consumes 250 Watt-hours of power on average. But a laptop consumes at least 50% less than a desktop PC, i.e., 80 to 100 Watts in normal use and 150 Watts in peak use.
However, the power consumption is different from PC to PC because of the components in it. Better performing PC consumes more power compared to a slow-performing PC, whether it is a gaming PC or a normal one.
The power consumption is also a factor that a desktop PC can perform better compared to a laptop.
Laptop parts are integrated, and we can’t add extra components like PC fans, internal hard disk, etc. Though the laptops are using less power, they can work with both AC and DC currents.
How much electricity does a gaming computer use?
The gaming computer consumes anywhere between 250 to 350 Watts. The components like GPU, Gaming monitor, RGB fans, require more power. And you need to use a high-watt PSU like 600 W or above for your gaming PC.
Compared to normal computers, the gaming PC consumes more power because of the components in it. However, the gaming laptop consumes more power than the normal laptop.
How to check the power consumption of a PC?
The power of a system is equal to the product of voltage and current.
Power = Voltage * Current (Watts)
Watts are the units of Power. For simple electrical components, we can calculate power by ourselves. If you want a device that can measure the power consumption of your PC, then you can use ‘Wattmeter.’
The ammeter is used to check the current reading, and the voltmeter is used for voltage reading. But the wattmeter is used for voltage, current, power, frequency reading. Based on the type of use, you can buy the right one for you.
There are some other devices to measure the response of a system like Ammeter, Voltmeter, etc. But Wattmeter is the thing that you can measure the power of your PC. Here you can find the difference between current and voltage.
How long can a computer run continuously?
I’m too lazy to turn off the computer when I’m going outside of my home. The reason is if I have a small work outside that is anywhere between 5 to 10 minutes, I don’t turn off my computer. But, if it takes hours, then I turn off my computer before stepping out of my home.
People think that computers can burn out if we keep them ON when we are not using them. Is that right? Let’s see the facts.
The computers are designed to perform 24/7 and 365 days. But it is possible only under specific conditions with good operating temperatures, dust-free ventilation, efficient PC components, Uninterruptible Power Supply, etc.
So, there is no time restriction on computers. However, based upon all these factors, your PC efficiency will be defined.
If you ask me, ‘Are there any computers that work 24/7 and 365 days?’ My answer is Yes, and we call them Servers. Companies, Educational institutes, Research labs, etc, require 24 hours of running computers.
How to reduce power consumption?
In computers, we can reduce the power consumption by removing the unwanted PC components from the setup like an extra monitor, printer, speakers, RGB fans, etc. Use the parts only when necessary.
You can also reduce the power consumption of your computer by removing unwanted software or programs. The background running apps will impact high power usage, especially in laptop computers.
You can use the hibernate and sleep features on your Windows PC efficiently. Here is the complete step-by-step guide to set up hibernate mode and sleep mode on your Windows PC.
Reduce the brightness of your monitor or screen by using the menu buttons of your monitor. A monitor with too much brightness can affect eyesight too. So I recommend making the brightness adjustment on your PC.
Change the power plan on your PC from high performance to normal or balanced mode. If you already have a balanced mode power plan, then there is nothing to do.
Run the troubleshoot for any power issues on your PC. Sometimes, it is hard to find high-power-consuming software on a computer. In this case, if you run the troubleshoot, the Windows OS will let you know about the power problems on your PC.
Clear the cache on your PC and the background running apps too. It will cause a slight impact on your laptop’s battery. However, keeping your PC clean is a way to increase its efficiency.
Turn off the third-party software security protection. Protection is important for every computer. But, if you want to use your PC with optimistic power consumption mode, then disabling antivirus or real-time protection is your wish. Microsoft Windows security is completely fine to protect your data from others.
I suggest that you keep the fans of your PC as much as possible. Because the PC airflow optimization can control the temperature inside your CPU, don’t compromise on this thing. If you think that PC fans take more power, and your PSU capacity is low, then use non-RGB fans.
- Useful Read: How to protect your PC from a ransomware attack?
- Useful Read: How to set up a strong password?
Conclusion:
Hope you find how much power your PC will consume and how to measure it practically. The power consumption is not the same for any two computers, it depends on the hardware components in a computer, installed and running apps on it, and the power system structure of your country.
If you have anything to ask, feel free to comment.
