Why I Don't Shut My Windows PC Down, and You Shouldn't Either

Should you power down your PC or let it sleep when leaving the office? I stopped powering down years ago, and I won't go back. Here's why I keep my PC running 24/7/365, and why you should consider it too.

My Past Sleep Mode Habits

I've never been one to fully shut down a computer. Even years ago, when that was standard, I only used sleep mode. I never saw the need for a complete shutdown.

While both methods have pros and cons, powering down never felt right. Sleep mode offered a reasonably quick wake-up, preserving my open programs.

There was a minor delay on waking, but my applications remained accessible. A full shutdown meant restarting everything, which I found frustrating.

Many people still put their desktops to sleep – often out of habit rather than optimal computer care. The power savings from sleep mode are minimal, especially for modern systems. An older i5 desktop might consume only 20W idle, compared to 5-10W in sleep mode – a small difference.

Sleep mode is still better than hibernation, which stresses the SSD by writing RAM data to it and then reloading it. Sleep keeps RAM active, minimizing power consumption.

Ultimately, I find sleep mode for desktops inefficient.

My Current 24/7 Desktop Setup

I can't recall the last time I shut down my office desktop.

I have multiple desktops at home: one in my workshop (for CNC and lasers), and one in my office for daily work and gaming. The workshop PC might be turned off for extended absences, but my office PC remains constantly on.

The power savings are negligible. My electricity costs $0.10 per kWh. My high-spec desktop (i9-13900K, RTX 3080, 32GB DDR5) uses 80-100W under load and 30-50W idle. A more moderate system (newer i5, 16GB RAM) might save around 10W when sleeping.

Shutting down for eight hours nightly saves approximately $0.12 every three days – $1.20 monthly, and $14.40 annually. For a more modest system, the annual savings might reach $2.92.

The convenience far outweighs the minimal cost savings. The extra three minutes saved each morning, avoiding boot-up and application loading, is invaluable to my productivity.

Why You Should Consider It Too

In a professional setting, powering down or using sleep mode makes sense. But at home, leaving your PC on is worth considering.

The primary reason for past shutdowns was to reduce hard drive wear. Modern SSDs are less susceptible to wear from power cycles; the main concern is TBW (terabytes written).

Therefore, the downsides of leaving your PC on 24/7 are minimal, beyond the power consumption. If you use your computer daily, the increased productivity from instant access outweighs the minimal energy cost. Consider the impact on your workflow – the time saved each day adds up significantly.

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