The choice between shutting down, suspending or hibernating a computer is a dilemma that many users face, often without a clear understanding of What does each option entail?. We don't even know if we are harming the equipment or the battery by choosing one alternative or another. According to expert opinion, the choice between turning off the computer, leaving it in hibernation or leaving it in standby depends on the use that it is going to be given and the time that it is expected not to use it.
What is the difference between them?
The standard option of off Basically, it consists of the operating system sending a timed notification to all programs and systems that are running so that they stop reading and processing files before the shutdown occurs. Once the programs have received this signal, shutdown signals are sent to the remaining controllers, gradually decreasing power until all hardware is completely powered down.
However, when we choose “suspend” the team (or leave it “sleep” if it is a Mac), it will go into a mode in which energy consumption will be less than when it is on. But your system will continue to run, so its consumption will be higher than when it is off. The RAM does not reset, the hard drive or SSD continues to work and everything is ready to start working or playing once we press a key again or move the mouse.
With the hibernation mode, the operating system creates a partition on the storage device where it saves all the data of the session that was in progress. This includes open programs, browser tabs, and any other activity that was going on. When you turn on the computer again, everything will be in the same state as it was left in before hibernation.
Which is the best option?
The decision to turn off, suspend, or hibernate a computer is a choice that may depend on several particular circumstances. Hibernation, for many, could be the most sensible option. This mode allows the computer to enter a sleep state, completely stopping its energy consumption, but preserving information with which they were working. However, it is important to note that the process of restarting from hibernation may take longer compared to suspending.
If you're working or playing a game and need to take a short break, suspending might be the most practical option. This modality allows you to resume your activities quickly, without having to wait for the system reboot completely. In addition, it is important to highlight that you should not worry about degrading your equipment by leaving it in Standby.
On the other hand, if the energy consumption is one of your main concerns, then completely turning off the computer would be the more suitable alternative. Additionally, if the computer has been suspended for several days and when you turn it on you notice that the processor is overloaded, it would be best to simply turn it off and restart it. This process will clean the RAM and cache, which is especially important on computers with limited processing power.