Shut down or Sleep - Macbook pro clamshell w/external monitor?

[dspindl]

I have my 17" Macbook pro sitting in a BookarcPro stand in clamshell mode, hooked up to a Dell U2410. Wonderful setup and works great.
What is the best way to close and then start another session the next day? I do photo editing for appx 2hrs a day. If I "shut down" - then to start again I need to remove the laptop from the stand, unplug the mdp connector, turn on the laptop, plug in the mdp connector and turn on the display..check bluetooth keyboard/mouse and close lid.

Instead of doing that, is it safe to just "sleep" this setup and never "shut down"?

Thanks!
Dave

 

[GGJstudios]

Instead of doing that, is it safe to just "sleep" this setup and never "shut down"?

It's fine to let it sleep, but make sure you take it off AC power and run on battery for a while a few times a week, to keep the battery healthy. This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:

Apple Notebook Battery FAQ​

 

[RMo]

There is no problem with just letting it sleep. I rarely shut down any of my Macs--they wake so well from sleep and use such little power during it that it's not really worth it.

GGJ above recommended using the battery a few times per week; Apple says "Apple recommends charging and discharging its battery at least once per month."

From other reading, I'd say you can scatter this over a few times (e.g., a few partial discharges and then a charge), or you can use it until it's depleted once, then fully charge it again. Basically, just make sure you get at least one full charge/discharge cycle per month, or the battery will go bad faster.

 

[dspindl]

Thanks for the replies! I didn't realize that about the battery. I use my MBP as a desktop replacement primarily, and rarely use the battery.
Thanks, again...good information!

Dave