Dell to cut PC energy use by 25 percent

Bragging rights in the PC industry have shifted from being cheap on price to efficient with energy.

Dell on Wednesday announced energy efficiency targets for its laptops and desktop PCs: a 25 percent reduction by 2010 based on the efficiency rating of today's models.

In about a month, it will set out an efficiency target for its server line as well, according to Albert Esser, vice president of power and infrastructure solutions at Dell.

Dell showed off an ultrasmall energy-efficient PC last month, which will be aimed at consumers.

(Credit: Dell)

For a sign of what more energy-efficient PCs from Dell may look like, Esser pointed to the ultrasmall PC which CEO Michael Dell showed off in April at the "Fortune Brainstorm: Green" conference in Los Angeles. That machine takes up 80 percent less space and consumes 70 percent less than one of Dell's minitower PCs.

With high energy costs and more concerns over the environmental impact of computing, many computer vendors are pushing energy efficiency in their product development and marketing.

Esser said Dell's efficiency program is driven by customer demand for less expensive equipment and Dell's own environmental stewardship program. Dell intends to be carbon-neutral from its operations by the end of this year.

To reach its 25 percent reduction goal, Dell will continue to improve on existing development in hardware and firmware, including power management, efficient fans, and better power supplies.

[Mercury23]

I will never buy anything from Dell ever again. I had 2 LCD monitors go bad in the same week with the same problem, followed by 3 power supplies within a month of each other. One of the engineers was bored and decided to tinker around with the LCDs. Both had the same problem with the same bad capacitors. Power supplies we just junked and went with a much more power efficient PSU than the piece of junk ones that Dell installed.<br /><br />It's hard to imagine Dell doing anything worth while with as much cheap junk that they use and as many corners as they cut. Net profit at the expense of quality is not a good way to do business.

[BigDawgDoug]

While Dell's reputation on service is really bad I think this is really cool that they have stepped up the plate on energy conservation efforts. Now if we could get the damn automakers to do the same. While I'm not a particular fan of Dell's products I do applaude them in their conservation efforts. Maybe their other BIG computer companies will follow suite. HELLO HP are you listening......Now maybe if Michael Dell came out of his comfy retirement lifestyle and took the bull by the horns maybe he might be able to save the reputation of the VERY COMPANY HE FOUNDED. On a personal note if I founded a company and then retired I would be really, really pissed if someone else ran it into the ground.

[thedreaming]

Dell seems interested in saving power but is it money they are really interested in saving?

[OokiiMamoru]

No, Dell is more interested in keeping and/or gaining more shelf space. The rest of the manufacturers will have to follow suit if they want product on this chain's shelves. <br /><br />As an associate for said big box store/chain :-) . I've already noticed a difference in energy consumption in the TVs. The smaller the screen the bigger the difference.<br /><br />All the 37" TV's appear to be using the same amount of power as the last 32" CRT the chain carried. About 175 watts. Down from about 225 watts or so. One 42" is even low voltage. (I have nothing better to do than glance at the back of TVs while I'm installing them. Shhhh)<br /><br />One 19" LCD TV with VGA hook up consumes 55 watts an hour. 10 less than a 19" CRT and 5 less than my LCD moniter. A new TV is in my future. <br /><br />Should be interesting and funny to watch the other computer manufactures tripping over each other in the Me To game.<br /><br />Acer already advertises the use of Low Wattage processes on their boxes, and the only boxes I see with the processors. More than likely Dell is already working on the Me To Game.<br /><br />Nothing new in this story at all.