Quick simple question

I recently purchased my ODE Level 1 gaming computer, and i'm not too sure what to do when I go to bed or go away from the computer for some time. turn it off completely? Or should I put it to sleep and turn off the monitors?

Thanks!

Don't use sleep mode. Lots of people have problems waking the Pc afterwards. In my opinion, if you leave for more than an hour, shut it down. It only takes a minute or two to power on to clickable icons.                

Edited by bprat22 - 31 Dec 2011 at 8:13pm

Unless you are folding or having your computer do something else on it's own when you are not using it turn it off. Any mechanical or electrical par breakdown with use. Leaving the computer on 24/7, except when you have it doing something, will only serve to wear it out and run up your electric bill.

It's a myth that leaving your computer on all the time is better for it. Your parts do not suffer any power surge when turning your system on. You're work or some place may leave their computers on 24/7 but there are two main reasons for that. Leaving the computers on after everyone goes home allows the IT department to remotely service all the systems and apply updates. Also, it's a proven loss in productivity if your employee's have to sit around waiting for their computers to boot up each morning.

The pos work stations you find most often in an office environment are not going to have the quick boot times of your home system. Some employers actually got sued for not paying their employees during those few minutes while they let the systems boot up. The state of Illinois made all their workers at all their various government offices turn theirs off to save money on their electrical bills. The state employees sued for unpaid work and won.

Anyways, back on topic, if you are not going to be using your computer for several hours because you are going to be asleep or out of the house at work or school, just turn it off. You gain nothing by leaving it on but you do lose money.

Well there is the electric bill that you already mentioned then there is the simple physics of the more you using something the faster it wears out. Can you run your system like that for several years and not have issues, yes, but that does not mean everyone will. The more your parts have to work the quicker they will wear out.

Again, you gain absolutely nothing by leaving your system on when not in use.