With energy prices soaring and environmental concerns growing, making a switch to energy efficient appliances is more important than ever. It is estimated that computers, monitors, and printers make up 13% of the average household’s electricity bill, so finding an energy saving laptop has the potential to save you a significant amount of money each year.
Here are a few of the best laptops on the market for those wishing to consume less energy:
Apple MacBook Air
With an iconic apple design, this small and ultra-lightweight machine is by far the most energy efficient laptop currently available. With a 1.8GHz Intel core i7 processor, a 256GB solid state drive, and 4GB of ram it is powerful enough for nearly everyone’s needs. However, its razor thin design and just 11.6 inch screen are definitely not large enough to suit everybody.
As with most apple appliances, the cost of this model is far higher than in similar products. Fortunately, features like the laptop’s specially designed hardware components which work with the operating system to conserve power, mean that there are possible savings in the long run.
Hewlett Packard Folio Ultraportable 13-1020us
In general the smaller a machine is, the less energy it consumes. At less than 1 inch thick and weighing fewer than 4 pounds, the rule is definitely true for the HP Folio Ultraportable. Based on Energy Star ratings the HP folio saves 11.3 kilowatt hours annually compared to average models of its size. In addition, its built-in webcam, digital media reader, and Bluetooth meaning that this attractive bushed aluminium laptop offers a lot of the key features you would usually only expect from larger designs.
Acer Aspire Timeline X
A surprisingly high proportion of a laptop’s energy usage is consumed when the unit is left in sleep or standby mode. If you often leave your laptop on but inactive overnight, then the Acer Aspire Timeline X, which uses just 0.61 watts of power when on but not in use, could be a good choice for you. The Acer Aspire Timeline X features a DVD rewriter, VGA and HDMI video output, 2 USB ports, and a multi-format card reader, so for its size the laptop is not short on connectivity.
Toshiba Satellite C850
The Toshiba Satellite C850 is an ideal laptop for everyday use, and luckily it won’t break the bank. It is durable and robust with a 15.6 inch screen making it a great choice for students leaving for university. By using this laptop you can save 16.8 kilowatt hours of energy every year compared to other similar models.
Hewlett Packard ProBook 4730s
The HP ProBook 4730s is part of HP’s business range and it is designed to appeal to more demanding users. Its 8GB ultra-fast DDR3 memory and Intel Core i7-2630QM 2.0GHz quad-core processor mean that for its energy consumption, its power is second to none. It also manages to maintain a Gold rated Environmental Performance (EPEAT) Level.
One of the key benefits of choosing a laptop is that they use 85% less energy on average than desktop PCs so you will already be on your way to reducing your carbon emissions and your energy bills.
About Mathew
Internet Marketer, Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Loves swimming, water polo and pizza.
My personal favorite is Toshiba Satellite C850. Because it doesn’t cost a lo and it’s very durable. I could use it for hard core programming. :)