Computer monitors allow you to expand your workstation, gaming station or viewing space by connecting to laptops, PCs or gaming consoles. You can use a single monitor or connect several for a larger area with access to multiple programs, documents and files. One of the downsides of computer monitors is that they consume a lot of power. So much so that there are regulations in place to indicate the effectiveness of monitors in energy usage and saving.
Monitors constantly emit light when in use, causing them to consume a lot of power when working, gaming, or streaming content. According to Digital Europe, monitors have become about 41% more energy efficient since 2011. Other studies find that they can become more energy efficient by about 7.5% per year, but this calculation may not be sustainable in the long term. You can find more efficient monitors and potentially save money by looking at energy rating and Energy Star certified displays. The higher the letter, for example A, means that the monitor is very efficient in saving power.
Monitors aren’t the only home devices that use more power than you think. Large appliances such as refrigerators use a lot. The same goes for larger monitors and larger screens. Brighter screens have the same effect. If you want to save on your monthly bill, get a monitor with a higher energy rating and an Energy Star certified monitor.
Energy Star Ratings Details
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There are two notes, numbers or letters that you should pay attention to when purchasing a new computer monitor. The first is energy classification, but it is only viable in Europe. The second thing is Energy Star certification. Energy Star is a U.S. government-approved standard for appliance energy efficiency. It is marked with a blue Energy Star symbol indicating that an item is more energy efficient.
Energy Star does not have a number or letter system to tell you how efficient an appliance is. Rather, it is a system that informs users that what they are buying or using is more energy efficient than other devices. According to Energy Star, Energy Star certified monitors are 7% more energy efficient than standard monitors. The Energy Star symbol indicates that monitors save more energy when on, in sleep mode, and off. It works best when paired with other Energy Star certified appliances in the same home or building.
A performance indicator revealed that on smaller monitors, on-mode power levels are based on screen area and resolution, while on larger monitors they are based solely on screen size. Larger monitors with higher resolutions (4K monitors are great, but can use more power) tend to have higher peak power levels in on mode than lower resolution and smaller monitors.
Will computer screens become more energy efficient?
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Not all computer monitors are Energy Star certified. You can find official ones listed on the Energy Star website, such as the ViewSonic VX1655-4K VS19590. Computer monitors must also meet certain requirements to be Energy Star certified. They must have a total power consumption that does not exceed certain limits, with different figures applying to on mode, sleep mode and off. Screen size and resolution play a role in these limitations.
Over the past 15 years, monitors have improved in energy efficiency, which will allow them to be even more efficient in the future. Improvements like LED backlight updates save more power than alternative options. With the ability to control the brightness of the backlight, it’s just another way to reduce your monthly bill.
There are ways that computer screens – even cheap computer screens – can become more energy efficient. If they acted more like a laptop monitor with the ability to automatically adjust lighting, sleep mode, and power cycles, instead of manual adjustments, one could set routines to dim and turn off the screen at certain times. To improve further in the future, monitors will need to produce fewer watts overall in order to become more energy efficient. In the meantime, simply adjust your monitor screen manually or unplug it after the workday is over to maximize your savings.
