Going Green with your electronics is a noble cause; less power usage, more recycled parts and less use of toxic materials help people help the environment while still continuing to have access to technology. Unfortunately, many mainstream computer companies still churn out power-hog machines from less-than-current parts because they can buy these cheap from third-party factories.
If you want a Green machine, the best tactic is to build it yourself. This allows you to choose each component specifically for its environment-friendly potential. Another advantage of assembling your own computer is that you get full control over what features you actually need to include.
Pay attention to how much each part decreases its power usage from the standard version and in the end you can tally just how much better your new machine is for the environment. There are numerous certifications out there to indicate energy-efficient parts; EnergyStar compliant devices, for example, consume twenty to thirty percent less power than their standard non-Green counterparts.
To build your own computer, you’ll need the following basic components:
Motherboard
Box or tower (the outside case)
Mouse
Keyboard
RAM
Graphics card
Sound card
Power supply
Monitor
Speakers
CD/DVD-ROM drive
Hard drive
The necessary cords and cables
Here are a few examples of energy-efficient parts you can use to build yourself a Green machine:
Antec Earthwatts power supply – Quiet, 80 Plus certified and high-quality.
Lenova D185 Wide EnergyStar compliant 18.5” monitor – Draws only 13.8 watts while in active use as compared to the 100 or more watts drawn by other monitors.
ASUS motherboards – The latest ASUS motherboards are EnergyStar 5.0 compliant, the first computer motherboards to hold up to the new and even more energy-efficient standards.
When making your own computer, ordering the parts online is the quickest, most cost-effective method. More importantly, you’ll have all the Green options available to you so you can make your Green machine exactly what you what it to be.