Folding@Home, is it worth it?

[RussianStandard]

So, is it really worth it?

 

I'm new here by the way, hello.

 

Just recently starting folding. I try to keep it on full whenever possible but sometimes I need the CPU power for other things.

 

Using an i5 3570k @ 4.3GHz right now. 

[DirkaFat]

You don't lose anything. Higher power draw and temperature, though

[Kirihuna]

CPU generally delivers less folding than GPU.

 

I have the same CPU, but not OC'd, and it takes between 8 hours to 16 hours to do a project, depending on the project. GPU in a third or half the time.

 

Folding is just a hobby that benefits certain researches I think.

[Godlygamer23]

Folding@home is very long term. You won't see benefits for a few years. This is because proteins self-assemble really fast, and we need massive computational power to simulate it. Folding@home is not itself designed to find cures. Stanford started it for that reason, but it's made to provide research for people to look at. Not to instantly find cures. That in mind, some may not think it's worth it.

[ComputerNoob]

You might as well let them use your power while you are not using it. Personally i dont leave it on when im using my computer because its really loud.

[tS_kStin]

It is very longterm and I think that it is worth it. I have 2 computers and one is folding for 12hrs a day and my primary that I use is only folding when I dont fell like gaming, but being I have my computer on, I might as well try to help other people.

[RussianStandard]

Well, even if there is no effect, I still feel good about doing it. :D

[Kayn]

And the competition makes it fun. I'm in the top 200 in the team and my next goal is to get in the top 100 and eventually top 50.

[Whaler_99]

We may or may not see a cure some day, but this research does have a direct affect on research overall - Pande group has published over 170 paper based on the Folding project and from that subsequent research and papers have been published by others. So, yes, even though we are finding a cure, what we do helps...