Leaving computer on

[Slymother]

Can I leave my All in One HP pc on 24 /7 without switch it off? What would be the downside of this action?

[Dragon-Fur]

@Slymother 

Whether you leave it on is a personal choice.

Observations / Conservative View Point

Is the computer connected to a battery backup in case of power loss?  While backup units are not generally recommended when one is testing the power, in practice, large backup units can help save data and prevent damage by power surges, sudden loss, or drops (called Brown out in the USA - power drops below standard levels).

Computers that lack internal batteries are generally more vulnerable to sudden power loss.   Many systems are vulnerable to power surges and dips.

Is the computer in a fairly well protected area?  That is, locate the computer NOT in the babies room, and not blocking the only door from the home.  This scenario is so unlikely as to be ignored, but "what if" might happen and is worth a few seconds of consideration.   This is somewhat connected to the first point regarding power except the only consideration is whether the power is safe, regulated, meets code - the sort of thing you consider when leaving any appliance connected.

Most obvious

Are you willing to occasionally check and Restart the computer to let it complete updates?  Assuming the computer is running a recent version of Windows 10, it is likely that Windows needs to be restarted sometimes.  If the computer is new-ish, it may need the occasional Restart as a result of HP Software and Drivers having been installed.  One rather disconcerting consequence is having left the computer running - perhaps running favorite games or leaving open documents, and the HP update software sneaks in and Updates the BIOS or other critical software when you are not expecting it.  This is usually OK but sometimes, not-so-much.

What else?  Back to personal choice.

In our home office, we use a combination of "let it sleep" and "switch it off".  The larger desktop systems, that is, those that pull the most power and are the most vulnerable to power loss, are shut off at night.  Most of the time, there is usually at least one workstation (notebook) sleeping as opposed to having been shut off after use.

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[Prométhée]

Hello
 @Slymother  I will be more direct than @Dragon-Fur 
The answer is no !
Not to mention anything that has been so well stated, whether for security or otherwise, a computer just needs not to be on all the time.
It must be switched off and restarted regularly (updates or not).
Even if you use standby, or hibernation, it doesn't have to be constant!

[Dragon-Fur]

@Slymother 

There you go - two opinions.

I believe that it is a matter of choice - as @Prométhée says, leaving the computer on all the time presents risks.

In the case of being conservative, careful, and proper:

Shut off the computer after you are done with it for the day.

In the case of personal choice - "but, I want to do it this way":

Let the computer sleep and restart it on occasion so it can clear itself and update.

Stay Safe.

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