How Much Does My PC Cost To Run

[Aussie Allan]

  I though I'd post this,  in the hope that I can put into perspective, the pros and cons that power saving features impact on us all in our daily PC usage

  Due to the complexity of the subject , I'll try and keep it very general, short and sweet!

  Many of us make a rod for our own backs trying to use any and all power saving features that motherboard manufactures try and make available to us .... but how effective are the so called "Green" features in putting money back in our pockets

 Sadly a lot of these features make the stability of our machines somewhat temperamental, and the time spent by myself and you to find the balance of power and perceived efficiency , time-consuming and frustrating

 So what are really saving for all our troubles .... again these figures are relatively general but accurate.

  What do you think you pride and joy costs to run ? ..... If I said 50P an hour, all those money saving features would be very,very important! ... and........... it's worth a bit of a hassle.......Right!

  But what if I said it was only between 3 and 4 pence Per Hour to run TOPS!...... would you feel the same? .... because that's actually the true figure!

  The humble laptop comes in at about 1 p for every 1.5 to 2 hours! .... don't believe me! .... do the sums!

  I learnt long ago , for pure stability, I don't use Turbo functions, (But I do clock anyway), I don't use any C states, Hibernate, in fact anything that can make my machine fluctuate except through under load usage .... I did for a while use hibernate, until I installed a Revodrive, .... when coming out of hibernate I started getting problems ..... mouse and or keyboard freezes, opened programs non responsive.

  So I started problem shooting ..... two days in I had a ... "What the Fa" moment!  ..... I already knew what was doing it, why am I beating my head up against the wall! ..... I fixed the PC in 20 seconds by turning off "Hibernate" 

  Life's complicated enough ..... do you really use all those funny little features,..... or is it a matter of ...." I know I don't own any USB3 toys but I need it to work so badly"

  Aussie Allan

[Dark Mantis]

My thoughts exactly Allan!

THe Green movement with all it's power saving modes and saving the planet just play into the hands of big business who market some "extra features" under that banner only to make more money and suck in the unwary. Computer hardware manufacturers really couldn't care less about shaving off a few pence per week off your electricity bill they just want you to buy their product and will do what it takes to make sure that you do.

I never use any of these power saving features and just disable them on initial setup. There are certain features like EIST etc that are legitimate and have other reasons to exist not just sucking in the public with money in their pocket.

As Allan has already said probably about half of the problems on the forum would disappear if all power saving modes were turned off from the start.

[Ben]

Totally agree with you guys, manufactures don't give a rats **** about power saving, it's all just consumer hype.
"We are looking after the environment" oh yeah sure.
Any way I have 2.5 KW solar panels on my roof so my quarterly bill is $50 used to be $300. System cost me $4000 all up.
Plus have you got star ratings on your electrical & other products over there? the more stars the better. I just wonder if the star ratings on some products are made up by the manufacturer.
PS had a look at your system on one of the other pages DM what can I say but 'Awesome'.
Ben.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi Ben,

Glad you liked the build but it is probably changed a fair bit by now as it never stays the same for long. I get bored and then it gets customised a bit more. Actually I must put up so up to date photos as I have just fitted an Eyefinity setup with Iiyama 27" monitors. Quite spectacular.

I was considering some solar panels for electricity but they are just so expensive over here that it would take about 20 years to see a profit at least. Just doesn't make economical sense. They always kill anything like that with the price before it gets off the ground over here! So much for the government trying to encourage people to be green.