Should you turn off your computer at night? we asked an expert

Many of us spend a large portion of our waking hours at or near our computers, whether for work, socializing, or entertainment. Almost the only time we’re not using it ComputerObviously, this happens when we sleep. But how should your computer deal with those late night hours? Keeping your computer on all the time can distract you due to fan noise and also waste your electricity. On the other hand, regularly shutting down and restarting a computer can cause its components to quickly fail.

So what is 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? To find out, we talked to an expert.

what’s the problem?

Turning off the power or pulling a cable without shutting down the computer properly can damage it, but do shutdowns and startups put components at risk? Standard, What effect does turning that computer on and off have, 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 several times a day, it’s best to keep it turned on. “If you use it for a short period of time, say an hour or two, only once a day or less, turn it off.”

“Having the computer on all the time is less stressful than having to turn it off and on several times a day, but it is a constant stress,” Leslie said. “Every time a computer turns on, there’s a slight increase in power as everything spins around, and if you turn it on multiple times a day, it can shorten the life of the computer.”

The risks are higher for older computers. For example, a traditional hard drive has moving parts, whereas a solid-state drive does not and is more robust as a result. Mechanical parts will eventually fail, and using them constantly will inevitably wear them out. Computers also get hot when they are turned on and heat is the enemy of all components.

“Some items have a limited life cycle. For example, if the panel (LCD) is left on all the time, it is only specified for about 15,000 hours or about two years. For this reason, it’s a good idea to leave the panel blank and turn it off when not in use,” says Ajay Gupta, director of product management for notebooks and commercial PCs at HP. «Batteries and hard drives also have a limited life cycle. “Allowing them to turn off (or sleep) and wind down when not in use will extend the life of these components.”

The real reasons to keep it on or off

There is still debate about the discontinuation of modern components and its effects on them. For many people, the concept that closures and new businesses create additional stress is outdated. That argument aside, there are some solid reasons for keeping it on or off that are not up for debate.

reasons to leave it

• You are using the computer as a server or want to access it remotely.
• There are background updates, virus scans, or other activities you might want to do while you’re away.
• You never want to wait for it to start.

Reasons to disable it

• Leaving it on wastes electricity and may increase your energy bill a bit.
• You don’t want to be disturbed by notifications or fan noise.
• He computer display Usually helps with an occasional reboot.

Sleep or go into hibernation?

“Sleep is fine because it puts the computer into a low-power state without turning it off completely,” Leslie said. “In hibernation, your computer stops using power and returns to where it was when you put it in that mode.” Hibernation is a less desirable option because it causes the same wear and tear as starting and stopping. produces.”

If you’re going to keep it on all the time, make sure to check the option retrenchment on the menu power on, This can save a lot of energy without any real reduction.

take care of your pc

Every year millions of PCs end up on the scrap heap. Shouldn’t we try to breathe a little more life into our desks by taking better care of them?

“Always use a surge protector,” suggests Leslie. “For best lifespan, get an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that has a battery-backed surge protector. “These help equalize power, preventing power spikes that can reduce the life of your computer components.”

Dirty computers don’t last as long or as long as their clean counterparts. Periodically open your case and use compressed air to blow out any dust or debris. Apart from physical cleaning, you can also keep your hard drive clean. Don’t let unused files sit idle and get rid of software you no longer use.

Should you turn off your wall-mounted PC at night?

One strange tip you’ll see some places is that you should not only turn off your computer at night using system shutdown, but you should also turn it off at the wall. There is no reason to do this, especially if you have a surge protector that will ensure that your components will not be affected even if there is a power failure. Shutting down the computer and then going to the outlet to turn it off there too is an unnecessary hassle.

In fact, you should be careful to avoid closing your PC near a wall. If you unplug your PC while it is on, you may lose data or even create a power short that can damage your components. A lot of software today has recovery options, so even if you turn off your computer without saving your work, it may still be possible to recover it when you turn it back on. However, if you turn off the power at the outlet, it is unlikely that you will have recovery options to return back.

If you’re using a Windows PC and it loses power unexpectedly, for example because there’s a power failure or because you left it turned off at the wall, it usually turns off when your PC restarts. But will go into safe mode to make sure you can. Access basic essentials without any hassle. You may also see a warning screen about needing to restart Windows because it has not loaded properly, this may be because not shutting down the hard drive properly poses a risk of losing data.

In general, both PC hardware and software have become much better at recovering from unexpected shutdowns over the last 10 years, so this isn’t as big of a problem as it used to be. But play it safe and avoid powering off your PC unexpectedly to avoid the possibility of damage or data loss.

the last word

“If you use your computer more than once a day, keep it on at least throughout the day,” Leslie said. If you use it in the morning and at night, you can also leave it on overnight. If you use your computer only once a day for a few hours or less, turn it off when you’re done.

Every person’s situation is unique. Your computer usage ultimately determines when and when you should turn it off.

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