Do you shut down your Macbook Pro when you are not using it?

[doktordoris]

I haven't turned my MBP off since I bought it six weeks ago.

I reset it very occasionally when I install something or switch from 32 to 64 bit kernels, but I never turn it off. WHy bother? If the machine isn't needed just shut the lid.

The only reason I can think of for shutting it down is to save battery if one is away from a charger for any length of time. I did an experiment the other day I left my MBP unplugged and sleeping for 12 hours. The batt. went from 100% down to 91% whilst asleep, so if saving power is important I can see why a mbp owner would shut the machine down.

 

[Hephaestus]

Around 80% of the time I just put mine into sleep because of the convenience but I occasionally shut it down when I won't be using it for more than 24 hours. Thats rather odd though regarding the above poster who loses 9% charge in an hour. When I put my unibody to sleep at night and open it when I wake up it loses 6% charge (over approx. 10-12 hours)

 

[Kavier]

I just put my MBP to sleep. I only turn it off when I won't be using it for more than 3 days or so.

 

[doktordoris]

Around 80% of the time I just put mine into sleep because of the convenience but I occasionally shut it down when I won't be using it for more than 24 hours. Thats rather odd though regarding the above poster who loses 9% charge in an hour. When I put my unibody to sleep at night and open it when I wake up it loses 6% charge (over approx. 10-12 hours)

oops, I didn't manage to hit the 2 key after the 1 key.

I meant to type 12, not 1.
sorry. ;-)

 

[puma1552]

in terms of putting it in a case, it will not overheat if its in sleep mode. its not actually producing any heat during sleep mode as the CPU and GPU and HDD etc are all powered off, and only the RAM is powered on. so you can put it in a sleeve without worrying about it overheating, it will actually cool down.

True, but a small correction--just like a car that has been shut off, the computer will see a small rise in temperature after it's shut off before it begins to cool down--this is because the computer will be producing heat until it's turned off, but once it's turned off the fans will no longer be running to get the heat out, so the temp will indeed rise a bit after shutting off before it cools down. Because of this if I happen to watch flash at the end of the night before bed, I won't put it in the sleeve after shutting it down--I'll wait til morning when I go to work to do so, and if it's really hot when I shut it down, I leave the lid open so the heat can dissipate faster (not necessary I know, just personal preference).

For me personally, I shut the machine down each night and then shut it down when I take it home from work. At work, or at home at night, anytime I'm away from it I just sleep it. This is admittedly a habit from my PC days, and I know sleeping it all the time won't hurt it, I just like to give the computer a complete rest. Not to mention, I've seen too many people's computers go up in flames via the magsafe, and knowing that Apple still struggles a little bit to nail sleep down just perfect, I've seen too many people who slept their computer and put it in a sleeve only to take it out X hours later and find it awake and burning hot because something woke it up.

Generally though you can't really go wrong doing some of each. Let it sleep a couple days, shut it down for a night, sleep it a day, shut it down for a few nights, sleep it, shut it down, etc; I think some of each is best for the machine, honestly.

I'm 1.5 years in with my original uMBP and she's flawless. I also clean my computer once every 1-2 weeks so I always shut it down for that.

 

[diazj3]

I try shutting it down every two or three days max, unless I travel long distances. I find it good for RAM resetting and feel's snappier after each restart.

cheers!