Sleep functions on laptops arelazy and often detrimental to the device’s performance, according to Jeremy Thompson, writing in MakeUseOf.
Modern computers with SSD hard drives are very quick to boot up, meaning there is little time saved by using the sleep mode.
The Fast Startup feature under Windows 11 can further speed up boot times, so that factor also fails to justify sleeping over shutting down.
Sleep mode on Windows can degrade performance over time because it recreates all the implications of never rebooting the machine, including software issues and slowdowns, and is also stressful for the hardware.
A laptop using sleep mode will drain its battery quickly, even when on standby, because it needs to retain data in memory.
Thompson argues that sleep mode can also interrupt system processes, leading to corrupt files and settings and app crashes, particularly when using memory-intensive programs such as Premiere Pro or AutoCAD.
His recommendation is to shut down a laptop each day and avoid using the sleep mode, and to invest in an SSD hard drive to speed up boot and wake times.
