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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