# Efficiency of Computers as Heaters

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efficiency-of-computers-as-heaters/154851>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 13, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efficiency-of-computers-as-heaters/154851 "2003-02-13T16:19:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efficiency-of-computers-as-heaters/154851/1 "2003-02-13T16:19:41Z")

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If you plug in a bunch of old computers and turn them on and run something like a continuous defragmenter to get a lot of activity, will it heat up a room as efficiently as a space heater that uses the same amount of electricity?

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**Author:** ![Da\_Bartender](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@Da\_Bartender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Da_Bartender)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efficiency-of-computers-as-heaters/154851/2 "2003-02-13T16:55:24Z")

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If anything it would use more elecricity, because computers today are just starting to become more energy efficient, but I supposed if one of the computers overheat and light on fire then it’s really efficient

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**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efficiency-of-computers-as-heaters/154851/3 "2003-02-13T17:57:22Z")

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Yep. Virtually 100% of the energy is turned into heat. No different from a space heater, really…

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**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efficiency-of-computers-as-heaters/154851/4 "2003-02-13T18:29:01Z")

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More heat comes off the monitor than the tower.