Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Leaving Imac turned on

M

macman4789

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 12, 2007
362
32
Hi guys,

Don't wanna start an argument, or raise environmental issues but are Imacs, notebooks, Mac Pros, computers in general designed to be left on 24/7? I don't mean left in sleep mode, I mean left running idle.

How often do you guys turn yours off? Just at night? Never? Put in sleep mode overnight?

Never really known if it's worse for your computer to keep shutting it down and turning it on again.

Thanks for your input
 
Personally I've left every machine I've owned on all the time except for a few times when they have to be powered down (to move them place to place, or for service/upgrades). I don't like being kicked off my online services and I'm pretty much always running something, so.
 
I once read that the most vulnerable time for any electronic equipment was on power up. But that may not be true anymore.

I leave mine on all the time. Never, ever turn it off. It just goes to sleep overnight.

Cheers.
 
My imac is on from when I get up till when I go to bed. It would be on overnight too but the fans (although quiet) keep me awake, so I put it to sleep. I wouldn't worry too much about environmental issues, according to the apple website it only draws at most "200W (20-inch models); 280W (24-inch model)", which is way less than an average computer.
 
ray648 said:
My imac is on from when I get up till when I go to bed. It would be on overnight too but the fans (although quiet) keep me awake, so I put it to sleep. I wouldn't worry too much about environmental issues, according to the apple website it only draws at most "200W (20-inch models); 280W (24-inch model)", which is way less than an average computer.
Click to expand...
It really is a green computer.
 
I turn it off when I'm not using it (and hence I use 'anacron' for the scheduled UNIX housekeeping tasks.)

Environmental issues aside (-which are significant and important), electricity costs money, and I have to pay the bill.
 
Thanks for your replies guys, interesting about the amount of power it actually uses, don't feel bad at all for leaving it on.

It's just a friend once told me computers were designed to be left on and hence why I asked you guys.

Does everyone have the same attitude towards notebooks as well?

Thanks
 
I let my macbook sleep when im not using it, otherwise it runs itself out of battery. Not much point in turning it off though, it takes too long to load back up if I do that.
 
It's no longer the case that powering down and starting up computers "damages" or in anyway effects the circuitry negatively.

If my computer isn't running any tasks, I definitely shutdown before sleep, or if I'm going away for the day. The computer boots up so quickly, so there really are no issues with shutting down/powering up.

Along with saving the COST of electricity, I don't like leaving appliances on when not in use...be they lights or computers (think globally, act locally). Every little bit helps...:apple:
 
I shut down every once in a while when ill be out for the whole day, just to keep things cool

its on ALL THE TIME, i just put it to sleep when i goto sleep (its in my room), so it sleeps with me:p

but, its important, that every once in a while (like once a week), to restart so you kill unwanted processes from applications you've closed.

all computers are meant to be on 24/7

i still have a computer from 97, its a dell xps, its not sexy like the ones now (duh lol), its nasty white plastic, its been on ever since 97, over 10 years, only time turned off is when i moved it from downstairs to upstairs, very old computer with less than 16mb of ram, and a processor thats slower than hell.

i just got rid of it last weekend to goodwill, a charity store, but, i was being cheap:eek:, i took the IBM HD, RAM, optical drive, floppy drive, and every thing from the inside, except the fans, and the motherboard.:cool:
 
Not mean to, but built to possibly be on all the time

bluedoggiant said:
all computers are meant to be on 24/7
Click to expand...

I don't mean to be pedantic regarding your semantics, but computers aren't MEANT to be on 24/7. They are, however, BUILT so they could be on 24/7 if usage requires it.

It's a personal choice to leave it on, put it to sleep, or shut it down when no tasks are running, but it's kind of a waste. Just like you could leave your lights on all night...
 
I left my old PC on 24/7 for 3 years straight and the motherboard caught on fire. lol

Maybe a Mac is different?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back