Do you always leave your computer on? Should you turn it off at night? What are the benefits and problems associated with each scenario? We asked the experts.
Many of us spend a sizable portion of our waking hours at or near our computers, whether it’s for work, socializing, or entertainment. Practically the only time we’re not using a computer, it seems, is while we’re asleep. But how should your computer face those night time hours? Leaving a computer on all the time can be noisy and distracting due to fan noise, and can cost you in electricity. On the other hand, shutting down and restarting a computer regularly could cause your components to fail earlier.
So what’s the right choice? Should you use a handy shortcut to shut down your computer every night? Or is it better to leave it on all the time to increase its longevity? We spoke to an expert to find out.What’s the problem?
Cutting the power or pulling the cable without shutting down your computer properly could damage it, but are components at risk from standard shutdowns and startups? What impact is turning that computer on and off having, and how does it compare to leaving it on all the time?
“It depends on how often you use it,” explains Geek Squad agent Steven Leslie. “If you use your computer multiple times per day, it’s best to leave it on. If you use it for a short time — say an hour or two — just once a day, or even less, then turn it off.”
“Leaving a computer on all the time is less stressful than turning it off and on several times a day — but it is constant stress,” added Leslie. “Every time a computer powers on, it has a small surge of power as everything spins up, and if you are turning it on multiple times a day, it can shorten the computer’s lifespan.”
The risks are greater for older computers. A traditional hard disk drive, for example, has moving parts, whereas a solid-state drive doesn’t and is far more robust as a result. Mechanical parts will fail eventually, and using them constantly will inevitably wear them down. Computers also heat up when they’re on, and heat is the enemy of all components.
“Some items have a limited life cycle. For instance, if the [LCD] panel is left on all the time, it’s only specced for about 15,000 hours or about two years.
