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Why I stopped using 'Modern Standby' on my Windows laptop to save battery overnight

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Why This Matters

This article highlights the potential drawbacks of Modern Standby on Windows laptops, particularly its impact on battery life during overnight use. For consumers and the tech industry, understanding these power states is crucial for optimizing device performance and battery longevity, especially as Windows continues to evolve with newer hardware and features.

Key Takeaways

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

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ZDNET's key takeaways

Sleep, hibernate, and shut down all behave differently.

Newer PCs support "Modern Standby", a state that's different from traditional sleep.

Shutting down your computer may actually be faster than restarting it.

Have you ever put your laptop in your bag, only to pull it out and find it's hot and the battery is drained, even though you put it to sleep? Turns out Windows may have gotten in its own way, preventing it from fully going to sleep.

Also: If Microsoft wants Windows 12 to succeed, it can't let history repeat itself - let me explain

Modern standby is the sleep state most newer PCs go into when you tell them to sleep. It cuts power to the display and CPU, but allows for minimal background processes to continue, so you can have that instantaneous wake time. This mode might not be the most efficient way to save your battery, however. Here's the breakdown.

What's the difference between Modern Standby and Sleep?

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