The best in greener computing

From wooden PCs to tiny laptops, our guide to the greenest computers in the shops and on the horizon.

Laptop, not desktop

Energy efficiency is the holy grail of laptop land. Not because their manufacturers are more green-minded - it’s all about battery life. That’s why the best models use only a fraction of the power of a desktop. The Everex Stepnote NC1500 claims to be the “world’s most energy-efficient laptop”. Its frugal 12-watt power requirement gives it 20% more battery life than similar systems - but it might be a trifle slow for chasing aliens around on Half-Life ...
Price tag: £250
USP: energy-efficient; keeps going longer

Teeny cappuccino

One company has taken a very straightforward approach to cutting energy and materials use: make the computer really teeny. Measuring just 6.5” x 6.5” x 2.3” and weighing in at a mere 1.15kg, Cappuccino PC’s Mini PC is only a tenth of the size of the traditional desktop and uses just a third of the power.
Price tag: From £350
USP: lightweight and easy on power

Green juice

We’re still waiting for Toshiba’s long-touted fuel cell powered laptop. But you could get your battery recharged with renewable electricity. And, to hook up with the ultimate power source wherever you are, you might want to invest in an Eclipse Solar Gear hybrid notebook case. The solar-panel-encrusted briefcase, which wouldn’t look out of place in a Bond film, charges an auxiliary battery that can also power devices like iPods, mobile phones or GPS units. Its integrated cooling system also keeps your notebook chilled and makes the juice last longer.
Price tag: Around £200
USP: converts any laptop to solar

Machine with a mission

Seven million of these low-cost laptops will head for the developing world this year as the One Laptop Per Child initiative comes to fruition. Robustly made with a rubberised finish, they’ll run on open-source software, and use piggy-back wireless networking - so users can contact each other independently, or chain together to share one internet connection. Consuming only 7 watts, they can run for ten minutes on one minute’s hand-cranking power.
Price tag: £76 (eventually £50)
USP: Low-cost, low-energy educational tool

Keeping it quiet

Manchester-based Tranquil PC is pushing the boundaries of both energy efficiency and quiet computing. Their new T7 model [above] has a super-efficient Via processor that cuts power consumption down to the amount a low-energy light bulb uses - 15 watts (conventional PCs use 150-200 watts). It emits so little heat that it doesn’t require a fan, offering the user virtually silent computing. Mmm...
Price tag: From £345
USP: cool, quiet computing

Growing on trees

The IAMECO wooden PC from Dublin-based Micropro is a strong contender for the title of world’s first ‘zero-waste’ computer. A third smaller than the average PC and using only 35 watts in normal mode, it’s well ahead of the competition in avoiding the use of PVC and brominated flame retardants (for which Dell, Sony and others are still at the phase-out stage). And it’ll grow with you as your life changes. No, not literally - just that you can go on upgrading for seven to ten years. The monitor also doubles up as a TV, saving you yet another purchasing dilemma. If it ever stops being useful, all its components are recyclable or reusable and housed in wooden casing. Buried in your back garden, this will biodegrade within three years.
Price tag: £750-£4,000
USP: fits in with the furniture; recyclable

Keep it going

As sexy as a new machine might seem, don’t forget that there are already 1.5 billion PCs in this world - many already in landfill, or dumped in Africa as e-waste. Do you really need to buy another one, when you could simply extend your computer’s lifespan? The easiest way is to upgrade its processor, memory or hard disk. The more adventurous can transform their old computer into a ‘dumb terminal’ with a fast net connection to a powerful server that stores all your data. Apart from the environmental benefits, it’s the ultimate in mobile working - you can access all your stuff from anywhere.

Sun Microsystem is bringing companies round to this dematerialised world of computing with its ‘thin client’ product range. The centralised server communicates with a low-energy terminal on your desk, and the system boasts power consumption as low as 4 watts.
Price tag: upgrading is pretty cheap; Sun’s thin client units range from £125-£450
USP: mobile, dematerialised computing

Go virtual

It’s not here yet, but the delightfully named Pen-style networking gadget package could be revolutionary. The concept uses five different ‘pens’ to create a computer: a processor, a camera, a communicator, a virtual keyboard that translates the action of your moving fingers into keystrokes in the device, and one that projects a screen onto nearby surfaces. The P-ISM is not yet being designed for commercial use, but one day maybe all we’ll need to carry around is a good old-fashioned pencil case...
Price tag: around £7,500 for a prototype
USP: tiny system with a huge screen

Stars and angels

If only a sturdy desktop from a well-known brand will do, look for the right labels. The familiar Energy Star reassures you that your machine isn’t the world’s worst power waster. The Blue Angel, which originated in Germany, goes further, with criteria not just on energy efficiency but on issues like recyclable design, hazardous materials and product take back. By these measures, the Fujitsu-siemens Esprimo, the HP Compaq Business Desktop d530 series, and Dell’s Optiplex desktop range are all on the side of the angels. Dell also topped Greenpeace’s Green Electronics list for recycling and product take back, as well as the phase-out of hazardous substances - though even they are far from perfect, says the campaign group.

Research by Jamie Smith.

9 March 2007

Jamie Smith