That's really it-- it's a waste of resources, but it's such a tiny amount that all these effects are almost free. There's no point in not having a little fluff that makes the experience a bit more fun.
I always laugh at the people that take this notion way too seriously. If their CPU is only 98% idle, it's a travesty. I imagine the same people driving around in cars stripped of all paneling and upholstery, because every little bit of unnecessary weight hurts performance!
> There's no point in not having a little fluff that makes the experience a bit more fun.
Well put. Considering how much time we spend staring at these stupid little number boxes, things that makes the experience a little more enjoyable are worthwhile, even if they're dumb and frivolous.
Units of energy expended per unit of "enjoyment" is certainly a factor to consider, but in this case the extra energy consumed is very minimal.