A question as old as computers themselves: should you shut down your PC every time, or is it enough to put it to sleep? TECHBOOK clears up the myth.
Shut down the PC after work or put it on standby? This question also arises with classic computers. TECHBOOK explains what is better for the device, security and wallet.
Keep PC in sleep mode instead of shutting down?
The big advantage of hibernation: Most of the time, pressing a button or, in the case of a notebook, opening the display is sufficient to be able to continue working immediately. Restarting a computer, on the other hand, can easily take a minute on older devices. However, the latest models with fast SSD hard drives manage this process in 10 to 20 seconds.
Nevertheless: It is simply practical if you only use the sleep mode on the PC without the annoying startup and shutdown. In addition, we are used to the fact that our smartphones and tablets are always ready for use without having to switch them off completely all the time.
Rest mode is not the same as rest mode
However, the sleep mode often works differently depending on the computer, the operating system and the settings of the user. With Windows computers, the sleep mode usually means that the contents of the fast main memory (RAM) are loaded onto the hard disk and therefore no power is required.
With Mac computers, the RAM is not initially “emptied” in sleep mode, but continues to be supplied with a little power. This solution has the advantage that when you activate the computer you can continue working where you left off without delay. With the Windows solution, the data still has to be loaded into RAM. The larger the data, the longer this can take. The Windows solution hardly needs any power for this.
Also Read: 25 Windows Keyboard Shortcuts You Should Know
MacBooks can last up to 30 days in deep sleep mode
What Apple calls sleep mode, Windows calls standby mode. Here, in contrast to shutting down, the last working data is also preserved in RAM, which means that the PC can be reactivated more quickly.
Apple, on the other hand, has introduced an automatic deep sleep mode for Mac computers with an SSD hard drive. This becomes active after about one to three hours in normal idle mode. Here, too, the contents of the main memory are written to the hard disk. This protects against data loss and saves energy. For example, MacBooks that Apple has been producing since 2013 can remain idle for up to 30 days before the battery runs out. However, waking up is a bit sluggish until the contents are loaded from the hard drive into RAM. However, this solution is still much faster than completely shutting down and restarting the PC.
Shutting down the PC every now and then makes sense
But now to the myth: Is hibernation bad for the PC or should it be shut down? Since all components are deactivated both in sleep mode and in standby mode, you don’t have to worry about damage if you don’t switch off your computer completely for several days.
Nevertheless, shutting down, i.e. restarting the PC, makes sense from time to time. Especially when program updates run in the background and only take effect after a restart. Finally, when installing new programs or updates, you will be prompted to restart your computer.
In the end, however, the old principle still applies: At the latest when the computer is running too sluggishly and, in the worst case, programs freeze, you should restart it.