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Turn Off Between Uses ?

R

Robert4

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 20, 2012
666
30
Hello,

Just an opinion kinda thing -

I typically use my MAC for perhaps an hour in the am, and maybe another hour in the late evening.

Forgetting the electric costs, does it make sense to shut off between uses, or just leave running ?

My guess is that the turn on and turn offs diminish the life more than a constant running.
But not sure ?

Or, truly immaterial ?

Thanks,
Bob
 
I've never turned off any of my computers. I let the iMac and Windows PC go to sleep and they do backups in the early hours of the morning. I just close the lid on my MacBook. Never had any problem.
 
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If my Mac is not going to be used for a short while I will just let it sleep. But for longer periods I turn it off. It is good procedure to switch it off, as the restart procedure helps to clean up caches that may cause slow downs from prolonged use.
 
I leave my iMac on 24/7. What's more, I have turned off sleep mode so only the display goes off. This is because I have some server activities going on like Plex and Emby and I like regular backups with Time Machine to happen as and when. I have always done this - whether I am using Windows or MacOS.
 
I put my iMac to sleep when it's not being used, but I also have it connected to a UPS just in case the power goes out which might cause some data corruption. However, I turn off laptops when traveling to avoid the chance they might wake up and get overheated in my travel bag.
 
I have a Mac Mini as my "main machine", but follow this with my Macs:

If it's going to be idle more than [perhaps] 3 hours, I power it down.
ALWAYS off at night. Everything in my computer room is plugged into power strips, and they are shut off, as well.

During the day, if I'm away for a while, I just turn off the monitor. The rest "stays alive" (I have it set to "never" sleep -- the CPU, that is).
 
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I simply close the lid on my MBP and let it sleep. Consumes virtually nothing power wise. I don’t shut my refrigerator off either lol.
 
If you have an ssd and it boots in ten seconds turn it off save your electricity , if you have to wait minutes for it to boot keep it on.
 
I turn it off at night when I go to sleep and just put it to sleep during the day if I will not be using it for longer than an hour.
 
chabig said:
It depends on your age. If you’re 50 or older, shut it down. If your under 30, let it sleep. Between 30 and 50 either is ok.
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Huh? What does your age have to do with running/sleeping/shutting down your Mac? :confused:
 
maflynn said:
Huh? What does your age have to do with running/sleeping/shutting down your Mac? :confused:
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Nothing.....it's called humor.
[doublepost=1517422194][/doublepost]Being in electronics for the last 40 years my experience is most electronics lasts longer and has better reliability if just left on.
You start power cycling electronics means huge temperature swings and current surges through components resulting in reduced life/reliability.
 
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I have a 4,1 MP, and try and shut it down when not in use. I seem to recall it uses 30 watts or so sleeping. With an SSD, it boots to desktop within 45 seconds. All laptops - we just close the lids.
 
Buerkletucson said:
Being in electronics for the last 40 years my experience is most electronics lasts longer and has better reliability if just left on. You start power cycling electronics means huge temperature swings and current surges through components resulting in reduced life/reliability.
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^This. I'm an electronic engineer by trade and was a computer hardware engineer for some years plus many years in the IT industry in general, and in my experience it's usually the machines that are left on 24/7 that seem to have the fewest problems, probably because of temperature swings and current inrush during startup which will still be there to some extent even in well-designed equipment. Of course there are always exceptions where any machine might fail at any point whether it's left running or not, and you will use some more electricity with it powered all the time, plus the (probably very small) risk of something like it bursting into flames, but overall I'd take that for the improved likelihood that it will still be working when I need it.

Of course, having said that you know my iMP will stop working then burn down, fall over and sink into the swamp any second now.
:rolleyes:
 
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