Displays for Consumers

ENERGY STAR qualified displays include computer monitors, digital picture frames and professional signage which meet stringent energy efficiency requirements in On, Sleep, and Off Modes.

For small displays, the on mode power consumption limits are based on both viewable screen area and resolution. The on mode power consumption limits for large displays are based on viewable screen area alone. In general, larger, high resolution displays will have higher maximum on mode power consumption allowances than smaller, low resolution displays.

In Sleep Mode, all qualified displays must consume 2 watts or less. In Off Mode, all qualified displays must consume 1 watt or less.

On average, displays that have earned the ENERGY STAR are 20% more energy efficient than standard options.

Monitors originally qualified for the ENERGY STAR label in 1992. The Version 5.0 ENERGY STAR Displays specification covers computer monitors, digital picture frames, and professional signage, collectively referred to as ’displays’ under this specification. Version 5.0 of the specification went into effect on October 30, 2009 for displays under 30 inches viewable diagonal screen size. The specification went into effect for displays between 30 and 60 inches viewable diagonal screen size on January 30, 2010.

Displays Key Product Criteria: ENERGY STAR

Learn How a Product Earns the Label

When buying a new display, keep the following in mind:

Enabling your display's power management features and turning it off at night not only saves energy, but also helps computer monitor equipment run cooler and last longer.

Businesses that use ENERGY STAR qualified, and power management-enabled office equipment may realize additional savings on air conditioning and maintenance.

If you purchase new products for your home office (desktop computer, LCD monitor, and a multifunction device) that meet the current ENERGY STAR requirements, and enable the power management features on them, you can save up to $380 over the lifetime of the products.

If each computer and monitor in U.S. homes were to sleep when not in use, we would save $800 million in annual energy costs while preventing more than 10 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, equivalent to emissions from about 1 million cars.

You should also know...

By turning your display off when not in use, you can decrease the amount of energy your display consumes, as well as your electric bill. In most cases, it will still consume a small amount of energy, but generally much less than when it is in “On” or “Sleep Mode”.

Only after a display has been used for 20 to 30 years will switching it on and off five times or more per day increase the frequency of faults in power transistors in the control and deflection parts.

Always check to ensure that the ENERGY STAR power management features are enabled.

Screen Savers: Despite common belief, a screen saver does not save energy. In fact, more often than not, a screen saver will not only draw power but will also keep any associated processors from shutting down.

These are the top FAQs related to Displays and the ENERGY STAR program.