Sleep mode is the best and easiest option when you’re just quickly taking a break from work and have enough battery power left (or when your laptop is connected to the power outlet). That RAM is then the only thing that draws batter and unnecessary built-in devices like your laptops processor, hard disk or DVD drive are powered down to save power. Sleep is a very power efficient way to give your device a quick rest without completely shutting it down: Once you click on that option (or close your laptop lid), everything you’re working on and everything that's running, such as Windows or macOS and your applications, are kept in your computer's main memory (the Random Access Memory, or RAM). Sleep mode What happens when you put your PC or Mac computer to sleep If you don’t feel like saving all your work but you need to go away for a while, hibernation is your best option.Įvery once in a while it’s wise to completely shutdown your computer to keep it fresh.
In situations where you just need to quickly take a break, sleep (or hybrid sleep) is your way to go. When to shut down, sleep, or hibernate your laptop?