Sleep is not really sleep

[GreyFox7]

I have exactly the same problem.

Every time I leave the office or home or go to bed, I thought I was putting the SP3 to sleep by pressing the on/off button or putting the keyboard case on.

More of a problem when I am on the road in my motorhome and need to conserve power. Overnight it can run down to almost nothing.

In simple terms how do we put the SP3 to sleep - no jargon now! Or are you all saying that shutting down Chrome will solve the problem?

Best regards

Chris

It's a completely different power management scheme. Just like in the Matrix when the kid says 'there is no spoon' under the new Intel Power Management scheme 'there is no sleep'

 

[Chris Grew]

Thanks for the response. So does that mean it should be switched off particularly when I don't have easy access to power?

Regards

Chris

 

[GreyFox7]

Just Shutdown.

I started into a more elaborate explanation but figured you'd accuse me of jargonizing and there currently really isn't a better option to shutting down. You could run the sleepstudy and ferret out all the culprits draining battery in Connected Standby which really should last overnight but only if the battery suckers are killed off or brought under control.

I think in the future Intel will continue improving power management and perhaps they will add a power-saver core to CPUs like some of the ARM SoCs do. Eventually all the Legacy Desktop Apps will die or get killed off and the Chromes of the world will enter a period of enlightenment but until then we are in transition (purgatory) or Power Hell.

 

[zhenya]

I have exactly the same problem.

Every time I leave the office or home or go to bed, I thought I was putting the SP3 to sleep by pressing the on/off button or putting the keyboard case on.

More of a problem when I am on the road in my motorhome and need to conserve power. Overnight it can run down to almost nothing.

In simple terms how do we put the SP3 to sleep - no jargon now! Or are you all saying that shutting down Chrome will solve the problem?

Best regards

Chris

If you want to locate what the problem is you can use the powercfg command to generate reports that can help narrow down what is preventing it from sleeping. For me, Chrome was the most common culprit. Switching to IE has produced a much more consistent battery experience - it drains far more slowly when you are using it, and sleeps far more reliably with less drain during that period.

It could be something else, but I would just try shutting down Chrome and using IE for a day and see what happens. (Make sure Chrome shuts down from the System Tray as well).

 

[Chris Grew]

Thanks GreyFox7,

At least I know now and thanks for not going into the jargon!

I know it is not right to compare and guess it is what you mean, but it would be great if the battery lasts as long as my iPad 4!

Regards

Chris

 

[Chris Grew]

Thank you Zheyna,

I am a bit tied into Chrome, but may look at IE again.

Perhaps MS is making sure we use IE!! I feel a conspiracy theory coming on!!

Regards

Chris

 

[zhenya]

Thank you Zheyna,

I am a bit tied into Chrome, but may look at IE again.

Perhaps MS is making sure we use IE!! I feel a conspiracy theory coming on!!

Regards

Chris

I actually feel the same way. Google is clearly trying to sabotage Microsoft with the performance of their software on Windows.

I am heavily tied to Chrome as well, but the switch was not that difficult after the first couple of hours. I'm much much happier with the battery of my device after the change.

You'll never get battery like your iPad, but the closest you can get is to stay in the Touch side of Windows. You'll likely get an hour or two of extra use by avoiding the desktop.

 

[GreyFox7]

Thanks GreyFox7,

At least I know now and thanks for not going into the jargon!

I know it is not right to compare and guess it is what you mean, but it would be great if the battery lasts as long as my iPad 4!

Regards

Chris

If I use my Surface like an iPad I get 7-9 hours but I don't think that will happen if you spend a great deal of time in Chrome or using power hogging Desktop Apps that were written for a computer that's hardwired to the Power Plant. The way you use the Surface determines to a large extent how long the battery will last.. with an iPad your choices are limited to all new stuff no legacy to drag you down, no USB ports to burn power... Know your environment, you can direct a better outcome.

 

[Chris Grew]

Thanks for the comments, makes a lot more sense now.

Will definitely shut down when away in the motorhome. I have an inverter when not on external power, but it is annoying to wake up and find the battery almost run out!

Best regards

Chris

 

[GreyFox7]

Interesting read on Intel Sleep States and the Sleep Zero idle states S0ix
/inline rant (what the heck happened to my font and why does a Zero Look like the lowercase 'o' 0o)/inline rant
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6355/intels-haswell-architecture/3

 

[zhenya]

FWIW I happened to leave a single Chrome tab open when I closed the device at the end of the work day today. That single tab kept it from going to the deepest sleep slate and used 8% of my battery in ~4 hours of connected standby.