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•Before we define PC power management, it’s worthwhile
pointing out the difference between energy efficiency and energy
conservation.
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•Energy efficiency oftentimes comes at a price. You can
source more energy efficient equipment – such as laptops versus desktops or
LCD monitors versus CRT monitors. For example, when assessing the energy
consumption of desktops vs. laptops, Dell found that their average desktop
consumes 89 watts per hour, compared to 15-25 watts per hour for laptops. For
monitors, Energy Star estimates that LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors
use on average 50%-70% less energy in on-mode than conventional CRT (Cathode
Ray Tube) monitors.
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•Likewise, you can also transition to a more energy
efficient form of computing architecture – such as thin clients. Vendors have
been touting the energy saving benefits of thin clients for sometime – and a
recent Forrester estimate found that thins clients consume 25% less energy
than their “thicker” equivalents after adjusting for increased data center
infrastructure requirements [HP Compaq t5725 Thin Client mounted on HP LP2065
Flat Panel Monitor stand.]
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•But when we talk about PC power management, we’re talking
about energy conservation – not energy efficiency. This means reducing energy
consumption by powering down machines when not in use versus buying into more
energy efficient computing equipment or architectures.
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•And in an environment when capital investment dollars are
harder to come by, this is an important distinction.
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