Tablet computers have become an essential part of our daily lives. As we rely on them more and more, it’s important to understand their energy consumption and the impact they have on our pockets. In this article, we’ll explore the energy consumption of a typical tablet computer, its cost implications, and some money-saving tips to help you save some cash while using your device.
How To Use This Calculator
Using this energy calculator is a simple and will help you determine the costs of running your appliance. Click on ‘Calculate’ to use the predefined values, or enter your daily usage in hours, appliance watts, and your current energy costs in dollars. The calculator will provide you with the daily, monthly, and yearly results. It’s important to ensure the accuracy of the information entered to get the most accurate results.
Hours Used Per Day
Enter the number of hours you estimate the appliance will be on throughout the day. To use fractions of an hour please use a decimal point in the form.
For example: 1 hour and 30 mintes would be 1.5, and 3 hours and 15 minutes would be 3.25
Power Used in Watts
The calculator already includes a default average wattage. If your appliance uses a different wattage then enter it in the calculator.
Your Energy Rate in kWh
The calculator includes an average energy rate (price in $/kWh) to use for the calculation. This may not be the exact price that you’re currently paying for electricity. If you know your energy rate please enter your price per kilowatt-hour.
Energy Consumption
A typical tablet computer uses 5 watts of energy. This may seem small, but it can add up over time. To put it into perspective, if you used your tablet for 8 hours a day, it would use 40 watt-hours of energy per day. Over the course of a year, that’s 14,600 watt-hours or 14.6 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy.
To better understand the energy consumption of your tablet, you can use a power meter to measure how much energy it uses over time. This can help you identify which apps or activities use the most energy and adjust your usage accordingly.
Why it’s Important
Energy consumption matters because it has an impact on the environment and your wallet. Most of the energy we use comes from non-renewable sources, which emit greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change. By reducing our energy consumption, we can help reduce our carbon footprint and protect the planet for future generations.
Energy consumption also has a direct impact on your wallet. The more energy you use, the higher your electricity bill will be. By understanding how much energy your tablet consumes and using it more efficiently, you can save money on your electricity bill.
Cost in Dollars of Energy Usage
To calculate the cost of using your tablet, you need to know the energy consumption in kilowatt-hours and the price of electricity in your area. The default price used in this article is $0.12/kWh.
Here’s the formula you can use to calculate the cost of using your tablet:
Cost = Energy Consumption (kWh) * Price of Electricity ($/kWh)
For example, if you use your tablet for 8 hours a day, it would consume 14.6 kWh per year. Using the default price of $0.12/kWh, the yearly cost of using your tablet would be:
Cost = 14.6 kWh * $0.12/kWh = $1.75/year
To calculate the daily or monthly cost, simply divide the yearly cost by 365 days or 12 months, respectively.
Money Saving Tips
Here are some money-saving tips to help you reduce the energy consumption and cost of using your tablet:
- Lower the screen brightness: Reducing the screen brightness can significantly reduce the energy consumption of your tablet. By default, most tablets have the screen brightness set to maximum, which uses the most energy. By lowering the brightness to a comfortable level, you can reduce energy consumption and save money.
- Use power-saving mode: Most tablets have a power-saving mode that reduces the energy consumption by limiting the performance of the device. This can help extend the battery life and reduce the energy consumption.
- Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth consume energy even when not in use. By turning them off when you’re not using them, you can reduce the energy consumption and save money.
- Use a charger with a high energy efficiency rating: Chargers can vary in their energy efficiency, which can impact the energy consumption and cost of charging your tablet. Look for a charger with a high energy efficiency rating to reduce energy consumption and save money.
- Use your tablet less: The simplest way to save money on your tablet is to use it less. By reducing the time you spend on your tablet, you can significantly reduce the energy consumption and associated costs.
By following these money-saving tips, you can reduce the energy consumption and cost of using your tablet while still enjoying all its benefits.