PC power-saving features

When it comes to saving energy, every little bit goes a long way. The more energy-efficient your PC habits, the more money you save. In fact, activating your PC power-saving features can save you up to $50 a year. And if you want to increase your savings, even more, take note of the following tips.

1. Disconnect your external devices as PC power-saving features

Devices that connect to your PC such as printers, headphones, and webcams consume power, too. That’s why you should disconnect or remove these devices from your PC when you are not using them.

2. Use a smart strip, especially for computers you cannot turn off

A smart strip is a series of several electrical outlets with circuits to monitor and maximize power consumption. It can electronically unplug any device so that they stop drawing current, and you save energy. By connecting your PC and peripherals to the smart strip, you don’t need to unplug your when not in use.

3. PC power-saving features of Adjusting your energy settings

You can also consume less energy by adjusting your PC’s power settings. For example, you can make sure your hard drive and monitor go into sleep mode. You can further save electricity by lowering the brightness of your screen.

4. Shut down and unplug your computer when not in use

If you are not yet using a smart strip, it’s best to shut down your computer. Make sure to unplug your machine and its peripherals as well, because leaving them plugged in consumes standby power.

5. Use a charger only when charging your laptop

When we charge our laptops, it’s easy to just leave them there and forget about them. This overcharging eventually degrades the battery. Meanwhile, leaving the charger plugged in, also consumes standby power. To save energy, either use a wall outlet with a timer or plug your charger on a smart strip.

6. Choose an Energy Star-compliant PC

Energy Star is the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) symbol for energy efficiency. Every product that earns the Energy Star symbol will deliver both quality performance and energy savings. The more stars a product has, the more energy-efficient it is. Studies show a single Energy Star-compliant computer can save between $7-$52 per year in electricity.