Why would you keep a computer on 24/7?

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JPNpower

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Jun 7, 2013
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Many enthusiasts seem to leave their computers on 24/7, and let it idle during the massive time gaps that they don't use it. However, whatever angle I look at it from, I see absolutely no benefit in doing this. Why would somebody wear down components and jack up the power bill on purpose?
 
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It's a matter of choice if you keep your computer on or off but ether way in not wrong rather the choice is yours. If Google shut off their computers every night Billions of people would be without internet so take that for what it is.
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I have been running the same PC 24/7 365 for well over three years. I rather have access to my PC when I need it and I can mine Bitcoin and DL stuff and defrag the HDD etc when I am not using it. My power bill goes up by very little as in so small to be negligible.
 
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Doesn't your house get a bit hot in summer by the extra heat? What the heck is DL, Bitcoin, and what are the drawbacks for you then of not keeping your computer powered up?
 
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modern computers arent space heaters.
 
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No my PC runs very cool even under load. It's a misconception that PC create ungodly amounts of heat when really it's just a tiny spot on the GPU and CPU that gets hot and then it is very quickly dissipated into next to nothing as it moves along into the atmosphere. I like to do my Down Loading when i am not at the computer so as to free up my bandwidth. Bitcoin well read the latest article on TH LOL.
 
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Well, I'd think that leaving mechanical HDDs spinning so long won't be too nice, and all the while dust is accumulating right?

What is the BENEFIT for you then?
For now the only benefit I see is running long tasks while you're gone, but still, just leave it on for those stints. The computer still sits idle for far too long.
 
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Computers are designed to run 24/7 365. If they did not modern society would no be anything like how it is today. If you buy soild parts then you really have nothing to worries about. I mean i just bough a WD HDD with a 5 years warranty on it and in reality I will have moved onto something better than it well before 5 years is up.
 
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I have positive air pressure in my case, so no, it does not fill with dust ever. Physics will not allow it.

Mechanical HDDs are like a light bulb. Leave it on and it will last a long time. Turn it on and off, and it will burn out quickly. HDDs are the same way. When data is not being written or read (computer is idle) The HDD spins slowly (relatively). This is actually healthier for the drive than to turn it off and spin it up.
 
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HDD are beefy imo unless you drop them they will runs for year and years and years. I still have a working HDD from like 06 that is in such bad shape that if used in a case it will visibly shake the whole case and desk. I still have a working copy of XP on that drive.
 
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OK, you guys have successfully refuted all the negative arguments I had. But you have not yet convinced me on this front.

Yes, running long tasks when you're gone makes sense and is pretty straightforward. But most of the time, one doesn't have a long task ready to fill in the huge gap of time when the computer isn't used.

So what's the benefit of having a computer on all the time, compared to just leaving it on for those task sessions? Again I ask whats the BENEFIT not THE LACK OF DOWNSIDES. Give me positive info, not negative.
 
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Cause then the system is primed and ready to game exactly when you are .
 
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That's an interesting argument. Makes sense and straightforward. Didn't think of that. But I'm also not too sure. If I were to compare your analogy, I could leave my kitchen lights on 24/7 or only when I cook. If I had a classic filament type light bulb, surely the always on bulb will burn out far quicker, even though switching damages the bulb in the on/off case. And just like the "light bulb lasts for years" sticker is usually false, I don't expect HDDs to live up to their MTBF figures.
 
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You are not accounting for our experience and the fact that manufacturers that are mega successes like WD can not afford to have false advertising and warranties.
 
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Another reason I keep on asking for different positive answers is this. You have all proven to me that modern tech has improved reliability incredibly, and that I can't use a "wearing down" argument against you. (some are even using the argument AGAINST me).

Thus, I see that on/off isn't going to affect reliability as I'm interested in, as the tech will be very obsolete before it breaks anyway. Although, many of you are using that as an argument for your side, I think that actually hurts your case.

If I were to continue with the on/off cycle for using my computer, I'll slightly damage my components in a way that I won't care. BUT, I will get power savings from not having a machine suck up power all day. DM69 has claimed that the power savings are small, but they add up to a respectable amount. Anyway, even if it were only a small amount, I am able to keep these savings, while you 24/7ers throw it away for nothing.

Do you have an argument against this?
 
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My argument is we have a huge food stock so the three refrigerators put the electric bill regularly over $150. The PC is meaningless compared to that.

Besides, mnodern components don't draw much current at low loads.

80+ PSUs, Intel Speedstep / AMD cool 'n quiet and the like really help.
 
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First of all, anybody with 3 fridges either has massive family or serious problems. Second, do the math, and the power savings will add up, not to a huge amount, but to a good respectable sum. I get a total of ~$60 a year on loose calculations. That's good when you consider that money would have been used on nothing, and now I can buy an extra ski ticket.
 
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Ok, let take that analogy another way. When a person needs to go to the local store, let's say one mile away, do they walk or do they drive? Even though it's only a 20 minute walk to the store, most people would drive. Why do they? It's far cheaper to walk than it is to drive.

I think the biggest factor is that it's convenient. You could also argue that people are just lazy and impatient, but as someone who does have two systems on 24/7, it's the convenience factor.

-Wolf sends
 
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I don't keep my machine on 24/7.
The thing boots fast enough (SSD's are great) that convenience isn't a huge factor,, and I have to sleep in the same room as it and its somewhat whiny (water-cooling pump).

I imagine whether someone leaves it on 24/7 comes down to their situation, and whether they particularly care about the constant idle power draw.
 
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So to wrap up, since component quality has risen so much, the difference between of/offers and 24/7ers is whether the person want's to save a bit of money, or if the person wants a constantly ready PC.

My final question is software. Sort of like thermodynamics, I heard that the longer a PC is on, the more entropy happens. For example, Windows becomes more messed up and weird. More crap gets piled on from various programs doing some unneeded tasks. More data gets mashed up into a mess. And that there is a greater chance that some data becomes corrupted.

I've heard that this is a pretty big problem, and that defragging fixes some of this, but not all, and that the longer a PC is on, the more this progresses.
 
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