The RAM continues to stay “awake” and draw power from the battery or outlet, while the rest of the computer shuts down (the processor, the hard drive, attached drives, etc.).

It’s the fastest and most convenient power-saving option - most laptops these days automatically go to Sleep as soon as you close the lid.īut what is Sleep Mode? Sleep is a power-saving mode that stores all of your open files, software, and other data in the computer’s main memory, or RAM. Whether you use a PC or a Mac laptop, Sleep Mode is a pretty universal option on most modern computers. Here’s our guide on when to put your laptop to Sleep, when to use Hibernate mode, and when to fully shut it down. So which one is best for your PC or Mac laptop? Is there a difference between Sleep, Hibernate, and shutting your computer down?Įach power-saving mode has its own pros, cons, and specific uses. Or you can manually put it into Hibernate mode. You can simply close your laptop and put it into Sleep mode - that’s usually the easiest thing to do. When it’s time to disconnect from your computer, there a few different options to consider.

Computer not staying in sleep mode