Computers are designed to be left on for long periods of time and some people swear blind that it’s actually better to leave them on, so as to spare them the stress of firing up each time. A booting up procedure does take it out of a computer and terminal problems can often be encountered at this stage.

But, the general consensus is that they should be turned off when not in use for over two hours, as a computer is not a complete, solid state piece of kit. It has a number of moving, mechanical parts, not least the fans inside the computer which keep the box cool and the hard disk. A hard disk spins at anywhere between 5,000 and 7,500 rpm, with later models moving at 15,000 rpm. That sort of speed generates not only a lot of heat, but also a lot of wear and tear, and what with the CPU and memory boards adding to the generate level of excitement, modern day fans have a lot to put up with.

And when the fans are spinning trying to keep things cool, more dust is drawn into the computer box which can actually act as an insulator and make things worse. So, all in all, if you don’t need to use it for a couple of hours, turn it off. At least turn it off when you retire at night. As this will give the hard disk a break, as well as the fans, as everything cools down.

Should You Switch Off Your Computer Or Leave It On? – Recap

• can be left on all the time;
• recommended shut-down after two hours;
• heat is the big issue.