Last week, I wrote about how I’ve started shutting down my PC regularly. And while a few readers agreed, many in the comments also said they do the exact opposite. They just leave their PCs on 24/7 and have been doing it without issues. That might sound convenient, but it’s not quite as simple as it seems.
There are, of course, downsides to leaving a PC running around the clock. And no, I’m not just talking about a higher electricity bill. It can speed up wear and tear, affect system stability, generate excess heat, and cause all sorts of other problems. Of course, none of these drawbacks are severe enough to make an always-on PC a terrible idea, but they do make it harder to justify leaving a PC running without a strong reason.
Here's how I deep clean my Windows PC
I spend one day each year to keep my Windows PC running like new.
An always-on PC costs more than just electricity
The hardware never gets a chance to rest
An obvious downside of leaving a PC on 24/7 is the electricity bill. The exact cost depends on the hardware and where you live, but it can easily add anywhere between $5 to $20 a month. But that extra electricity cost is just a part of the story.
A bigger issue is that your PC never gets a break, which can cause the components to wear faster than usual. Now, you may have heard a lot of people say that shutting down and powering up the PC also causes wear and tear. Yes, that’s true, but modern PCs are designed to handle regular startups and shutdowns. In contrast, leaving the PC always on is almost guaranteed to increase long-term wear. Cooling fans, for instance, run continuously and collect dust. If your PC has a mechanical hard drive, it may also spin nonstop and reduce its lifespan.
The biggest reason to avoid an always-on PC, though, is heat. A PC that's constantly running generates heat, and that heat has to go somewhere. During winters, it may not matter much, but during warmer months, leaving the PC on can force your AC to work harder. That means the true cost of an always-on PC can be higher than what the math suggests.
It’s even riskier to leave a PC on when you’re not around. Like any electronic device, your PC also carries a risk of fire. Sure, it's extremely rare, but it’s something to keep in mind, especially if you never clean your PC or don’t use a surge protector.
Convenience alone isn’t a great reason to keep a PC running
You’re barely saving seconds
For most people, including me, the biggest reason to leave a PC on 24/7 is pure convenience. It’s nice to just sit down at your desk and have everything ready to go. But the thing is, my PC already has an SSD, so it barely takes seconds to boot after a full shutdown. And for the times when I want to keep my browser tabs and apps open, I can use Sleep or Hibernate mode instead.
Another reason I prefer shutting down my PC regularly is performance. This is something I’ve noticed firsthand. Every time I tried keeping the PC on for days on end or relying exclusively on hibernation, my PC started to slow down after a week or so. The signs are often subtle at first, like browser tabs not loading or apps becoming unresponsive. But eventually, things would get worse. I’ve had instances where the system would freeze completely, and I’d have to do a force shutdown. Ever since I stopped leaving my PC on continuously, those problems have never occurred.
Perhaps the most overlooked benefit of shutting down the PC regularly is that it allows me to install system updates and security patches regularly instead of ignoring them for weeks. This may sound small, but it means my PC is benefiting from bug fixes and security improvements without any delays.
Avoiding shutdowns only makes sense if it's doing something important
To be clear, I’m not saying that leaving a PC on 24/7 is a bad idea. If you have a solid reason, you should absolutely do so. For instance, if you’re backing up data or running a thorough virus scan, it makes sense to leave the PC on. Similarly, if you’re using it as a home server for NAS or streaming through Plex, keeping it on is necessary. Another reason to do it is if you’re running local AI models. If they need to remain accessible at all times, shutting down the PC is not an option. The same goes for remote access. If you need to connect to your PC from elsewhere, it obviously needs to stay online.
So yes, as long as your PC is actively doing some sort of work or providing a service, it’s justified to leave it on. But if not, the costs of letting the PC sit idle outweigh the convenience. That’s ultimately why I stopped doing it. Instead, I now rely on hibernation and shutdowns, depending on what I want.