What is better: to turn off the PC when you're not using or leave it on?

[Over]

I've always been careful to turn off the computer when I'm not using it. Theoretically it makes sense: it consumes less energy and lesses the wear on the hardware.

Then there was a time that it was said that the process of turning on and off the computer is more neafarious than just leaving it on. It would be preferable to leave it on 24/7, ocassionally rebooting to freshen the OS session. That it was more demanding for the hardware to cycle on/off than just leaving it on.

Now at my job, the SI told us that we shouldn't leave the PCs on during the night. To turn everything off. They even mentioned that there's a risk of a short circuit and starting a fire in the offices.

So... What's the truth?

[Altecice]

you can just pop it into sleep. it will use almost nothing in electricity and will wake up with a click of the mouse. What i do.

 

TBH it makes sense that leaving a PC on 24/7 uses more electricity than turning it off for say 10 hours a day.

[nsyedhasan]

I would say turn it off at night when your sleeping so your component can get a break.

[Matsy]

I usually just put it into sleep at night unless I'm downloading stuff during the night because I can only download at decent speeds at specific times which is usually late at night.

[J-man]

I don't really have any answers to your questions but I turn my computer off at night and while I am at work.  Prior to having an SSD I used to leave it on constantly.  As far as a short circuit I am not sure how that would happen.

[piplupgao]

Put it to sleep

[Terminashunator]

I BOINC at night.

So mine stays on. 

[BlackOpsPenguin]

I would love to hear a proven awnser with some source or research.

[xrex64]

It's actually healthier for the computer to stay on (some people say). Turning it on and off can inflict more stress on components. 

 

I don't do this. I just hibernate it.

 

Proof/source/research... http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question328.htm

[xrex64]

I would love to hear a proven awnser with some source or research.

You're welcome by the way.

[mgsstar]

I usually would turn off the computer when I am not using it to save power. Don't think frequently turning the computer on and off would damage your components.

[ultimatemythbuster]

I've always been careful to turn off the computer when I'm not using it. Theoretically it makes sense: it consumes less energy and lesses the wear on the hardware.

Then there was a time that it was said that the process of turning on and off the computer is more neafarious than just leaving it on. It would be preferable to leave it on 24/7, ocassionally rebooting to freshen the OS session. That it was more demanding for the hardware to cycle on/off than just leaving it on.

Now at my job, the SI told us that we shouldn't leave the PCs on during the night. To turn everything off. They even mentioned that there's a risk of a short circuit and starting a fire in the offices.

So... What's the truth?

Personally mine stays on 24/7 except for updates or some sort of unplanned outage.  Considering I like to be able to remotely access it anytime from anywhere, I disable sleep, automatic updates, and I also set it to automatically power on after a power failure.

[xrex64]

I usually would turn off the computer when I am not using it to save power. Don't think frequently turning the computer on and off would damage your components.

I'd agree, but there's always those people who go crazy to protect their PC from the little things. Even though it will end up failing from something else.

 

Edit: 100th Post

[CatCloud]

Hmm lets say your watercooling your rig, then what? This is something i'v wonderd for some time but due to lazyness never askt untill now, can the pc be Off/sleep mode without problems when you have a custom loop?

[Humbug]

honestly if turning your pc on damages it then all it means is you've got a really bad PSU.

[Viking Kong]

Turn it off...

Unless you're folding 

[GoodBytes]

Turning is off or better yet put it to sleep.

But you can leave the computer on 24/7, as long as you don't have a 100$ computer, peace of crap.

Hardware these days are super well build, and our PSU's, we buy only premium ones. Even low end, say Corsair, as well build and solid, where you can have full trust in them.

The old peace of crap OEM's PSU (which even OEMs don't use anymore on most of their systems), is an issue, but really no, these days.

[mc141]

My water cooled gets turned off cuz is sleep funtion isfd up and i cant figure out why it wont sleep(nothings keeping it awake)my 2nd pc stays sleeping enless theres a storm predictedso itsready when i need it. And my media/dvr pc is on a surge protector hopefully soon(jan/feb)to be on a bat backup and it has only windows plus a firewall and antivirus and that stays sleeping most of the day except during scheduled recordings or the xbox extender requires it on or if i remote desktop it for updating or adding files

[Tmh85]

I would turn it off, give it a break and let everything cool down.

[JaeDee884]

My work computer stays on 24/7 so i can VPN into the network incase i take a day off sick and something goes astray. 
but my personal computer is turned off if i'm asleep or not home unless downloading

[wako7654]

Thats like asking should I turn my car off or leave it on. Because it reduces the wear on the combustion engine ignition. Whats with the mindless threads. Seriously.

 

I don't think comparing a computer to a car is a smart way to answer it as well. You do understand that most computer electronics nowadays are solid state devices whereas cars are made up of mechanical parts which incurs wear and tear over time. You can argue that computer fan's and hdd's are mechanical yes, but at idle state some HDDs turn off, fans on the other hand have high MTBFs that means they can run for very long extended periods of time.

 

Seriously stop being a douche, people ask because they are curious and want to learn, and that's never "mindless" in any way.

[CwGoh]

Sleep induces very little wear on the components, but turning it off is better. Just turn it off if you're leaving for an extended period of time.

[Guest]

Sleep.

Also, I heard somewhere it was better to leave it on for a different reason.

Because the components heat up again from scratch, being a tiny bit bad for them.

[dusty594]

Always turn it off. Components are rated in "mean time between failures". Less time running, less stress on components.

 

Also: Windows, as well as other installed software often needs the system to be restarted to apply updates, and if you have a solid state drive, it takes very little time to boot. It will consume less power, produce less heat (issue in my small-ish room...), and is overall better for the system. Leaving a PC on 24/7 has never made any sense to me. At the very least you should sleep or hibernate the system. 

[CatCloud]

I still want to know how it will effect water cooled pc's.