How energy saving is sleep mode?

[yonyz]

Is sleep mode on ML efficient enough so I could use it instead of shutting down the computer?
It wakes so fast on my computer, so I'd like to know if I'm not wasting much energy by using it.

 

[Mal]

When your computer is asleep, it uses a very small amount of power. Many of us here use sleep mode almost exclusively, only shutting down when required for updates or other procedures.

jW

 

[Benbikeman]

It uses 1% battery per hour, so 24% per day. I only ever sleep mine as it's used every day.

 

[yonyz]

Assimilated, I don't understand your use of battery percentage.
I am running a desktop Mac, not a laptop.

Also, is hearing a popping sound from external speakers when waking up normal?

 

[inlinevolvo]

It uses 1% battery per hour, so 24% per day. I only ever sleep mine as it's used every day.

I've left my retina mbp unplugged for 12 hrs while asleep only to find no change in battery %.

 

[GGJstudios]

Assimilated, I don't understand your use of battery percentage.
I am running a desktop Mac, not a laptop.

The comment about battery life is due to the fact that you didn't mention what Mac model you have, and many of these sleep/shut down questions relate to battery life of notebooks. It makes no difference if you sleep or shut down. It draws very little power in sleep mode. Many Mac users go several months without shutting down.

 

[Benbikeman]

I've left my retina mbp unplugged for 12 hrs while asleep only to find no change in battery %.

Not in sleep mode, presumably.

 

[GGJstudios]

I've left my retina mbp unplugged for 12 hrs while asleep only to find no change in battery %.

It wasn't in sleep mode for 12 hours. After 1 hour, it goes into standby mode, which can last up to 30 days.

Apple Portables: About standby mode

 

[Weaselboy]

Is sleep mode on ML efficient enough so I could use it instead of shutting down the computer?
It wakes so fast on my computer, so I'd like to know if I'm not wasting much energy by using it.

This has more to do with the iMac's hardware than the OS.

There is a PDF linked on this page for both the current 21.5 and 27 inch iMacs,, and those PDFs show power usage when running and when asleep.

Here is the info for the 21.5 inch model. As you can see, it has very low power consumption when sleeping.

 

[inlinevolvo]

It wasn't in sleep mode for 12 hours. After 1 hour, it goes into standby mode, which can last up to 30 days.

Apple Portables: About standby mode

Ahh, thanks for the clarification.

 

[yonyz]

Thanks for the info, guys.
I'm actually running a "Hackintosh"...

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks for the info, guys.
I'm actually running a "Hackintosh"...

You could hook a Kiil a Watt gizmo up and see what it is using if you are curious.

 

[yonyz]

Thanks, but I'm not THAT interested to know.

 

[WesCole]

I have started leaving my iMac running 24/7, unless I am out of town. My electric bill hasn't gone up much at all this month compared to last month when I had it set to sleep after 20 minutes. I have a couple of Firewire drives attached to it that would sleep also. I think since I use my computer several times a day after it went to sleep that it didn't really save much power because it had to spin up the internal hard drive and external drives, which uses more power each time it does this.

 

[macneubie]

Thanks for the info, guys.
I'm actually running a "Hackintosh"...

why get some pc to run hackintosh, knowing well it won't 100% behave like the real thing?