To Sleep Perchance to Drain
Honestly, in the year 2010, computer power management should be a no-brainer. We’ve all had personal computers for 20 years, we know that a computer left running consumes upwards of 60-80 watts, and we know how adjust the sleep/hibernate settings.
But a few nagging doubts stand in our way:
- Doesn’t shutting off the computer cause more wear and tear on the hardware than leaving it on?
- Doesn’t sleep mode take too long to restart, and why does my computer always hang up?
- Does sleep mode really save any electricity?
These debates will doubtless continue well into the 21st century, but a little empirical data can go a long way toward putting our minds at ease.
A recent article over at lifehacker examined the effects of sleep mode on laptop battery power. Here is an excellent venue for testing our assumptions, because beyond saving a few cents worth of electricity, the stakes seem much higher when you ask “will I have enough juice to finish my business proposal before the battery dies?”
On a laptop, time is money is battery power.
Head over to lifehacker to see the study’s surprising conclusions. As with all complex problems, the answer is: “it depends,” but you should get a clearer understanding of how your lappy will respond to its “power nappy”.
I think I could use a power nap myself.
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