On Feb 3, 3:52 pm, "RCE" wrote:
"BAR" wrote in message

. ..



Regardless of whether it has a sleep mode or not unless it is a server
class system it is not "designed" to be on 24x7. Server class means on
24x7. Desktop means on 9 to 5. Laptop means on when you are using it.

That might be what "they" say, but I don't buy it.

The killer for electronics, particularly high density power devices like the
CPU, is thermal cycling.
Components that consume power have a higher failure rate when they are
routinely cycled from operating temperature to ambient, then back to
operating temperature.

Other components, like the fan might fail, causing overheating and failure
of the electronic devices, but leaving electronics on all the time is better
for them in terms of life. An incandescent light bulb is the same deal.
One that is constantly turned on and off will fail sooner than one that is
left on all the time.

I suspect that may be true for some types of electronic equipment -
test
equipment comes to mind immediately and certain types of ovens and
such for manufacturing, but I'm not at all sure that is an absolute in
terms
of consumer electronics. I'm not an expert on thermal damage, nor do
I
play one on TV, but I've got to think that consumer CPUs are meant to
operate
within a range of temperatures - it just makes sense to me. I leave
the computer
on during the day and into the night - when I'm finished for the day,
it is shut
down and restarted the next morning.

Here's the way I look at it. TVs have a lot of the same components -
in
particular some of the newer HD TVs and higher end TVs - modern
stereos and amps also. Your radar and nav systems have a lot of
similar components. You don't leave those on 24/7/365 - why should
a computer be any different?

And think of this - even with shutting down the drives and monitor,
you
are still spending about $200 a year in electricity to keep the CPU
warm.
For that money, you could by a high end, full replacement service
policy
and probably save $50.