How Wasteful Is Our Personal Computing?

Abstract

Personal computers (PCs) have become a crucial, supporting utility for almost all aspects of life. Improvements to computing hardware in recent years have ensured that individuals have access to growing amounts of computing power across all price points and form factors. Despite the widespread use, it remained unclear how much of this computing capacity is leveraged by users versus how much is routinely wasted. Extreme diversity of PC hardware and the individualistic nature of user’s computing habits have inhibited properly understanding how a user’s computing habits impacts their respective hardware utilization. To address these challenges, we introduced a methodology for modeling PC resource utilization through a parametric hardware model. We also derived data-based usage patterns to abstractly represent different types of PC usage that spans multiple individuals. Using this approach, we modeled how user behavior and hardware capabilities interact and we identify systemic PC resource under-utilization across every identified usage pattern and resource type. Furthermore, we extend these findings to quantify the environmental and financial consequences of inefficient PC hardware allocation and use.