"Just put it to sleep, restarting takes too long." We've all heard this advice. Maybe you've been running your PC for weeks without a proper shutdown. But what actually happens when you never restart your computer?
We decided to find out. Our team set up a dedicated test system and ran it continuously for 30 days - no shutdowns, no restarts. We monitored everything: RAM usage, CPU temperatures, system responsiveness, and stability. The results were... illuminating.
The Experiment Setup
Test System Specifications
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- RAM: 32GB DDR4-3600
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3070
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
- OS: Windows 11 Pro (latest updates)
Usage Pattern
We simulated typical power-user behavior:
- 8 hours of active use daily (browsing, productivity, gaming)
- Sleep mode overnight (not hibernate, not shutdown)
- Multiple browser tabs open continuously
- Discord, Spotify, and Steam running in background
- Weekly gaming sessions (2-3 hours)
What We Measured
- RAM usage at idle (measured at the same time each day)
- System boot time from sleep
- Application launch times
- CPU and GPU temperatures
- Gaming frame rates (same game, same scene)
- System errors and crashes
Week 1: The Honeymoon Phase
Week 2: The Degradation Begins
A memory leak occurs when a program allocates RAM but fails to release it when done. Over time, these small leaks compound. Most users don't notice because restarts clear them - but without restarts, they accumulate indefinitely.
Week 3: Things Get Serious
RAM Usage Over Time (Idle)
Week 4: Survival Mode
Why Does This Happen?
Memory Leaks Accumulate
Every application has bugs. Some of those bugs cause memory leaks - the program allocates RAM and forgets to release it. With regular restarts, these leaks get cleared. Without restarts, they compound until your RAM is full of zombie allocations.
Driver State Corruption
Drivers maintain state in memory. Over extended periods, this state can become corrupted through various edge cases that rarely occur in normal use. A restart initializes all drivers to a known-good state.
Windows Services Degrade
Many Windows services weren't designed for indefinite uptime. They log events, cache data, and maintain connections that slowly consume resources. Microsoft explicitly recommends regular restarts for optimal performance.
Thermal Cycling
Constant operation means constant heat. While modern components handle this well, the lack of thermal cycling (cooling down completely) can theoretically affect thermal paste effectiveness and component longevity over very long periods.
Sleep: Preserves memory state - all issues persist. Shutdown: In Windows 10/11, Fast Startup saves kernel state - some issues persist. Restart: Fully clears memory and reinitializes all drivers. For a true fresh start, you need a restart, not a shutdown.
The Restart: Instant Recovery
After 30 days of degradation, we performed a proper restart. The results were immediate and dramatic:
- RAM at idle: 4.1GB (back to baseline)
- Application launches: Instant response again
- Gaming FPS: Fully restored
- System responsiveness: Like a new PC
Everything we experienced over 30 days was completely reversed by a single restart. The "damage" was entirely in software state - no permanent harm to hardware.
Our Recommendations
For Regular Users
Restart your PC at least once a week. If you use sleep mode daily, schedule a weekly restart - Windows Update often triggers this anyway. You'll maintain peak performance without any extra effort.
For Gamers
Restart before important gaming sessions. A fresh system eliminates background resource competition and ensures maximum performance. Many esports players restart before every competitive match.
For Power Users
If you run resource-intensive applications (video editing, 3D rendering, development), restart daily. These workflows are most affected by memory fragmentation and driver state issues.
For Everyone
- Use Restart, not Shutdown, for a true fresh start
- Monitor RAM usage with tools like STX.1 to catch issues early
- Close applications properly instead of leaving them running indefinitely
- Apply Windows updates promptly - they often include memory leak fixes
Based on our data, system degradation becomes noticeable around day 7-10 for typical users. Restarting every 5-7 days keeps you in the "optimal performance zone" with minimal inconvenience.
Conclusion: Restart Your PC
The myth that modern PCs don't need restarts is exactly that - a myth. While hardware has become incredibly robust, software still accumulates issues over time. Memory leaks, driver state corruption, and service degradation are real phenomena that affect every Windows system.
The good news? All of it is reversible with a simple restart. Five minutes of downtime per week prevents hours of sluggish performance and frustrating crashes.
Your PC isn't a server designed for 99.99% uptime. It's a personal computer that performs best when you treat it like one - with regular maintenance and occasional restarts.
The bottom line: Restart weekly. Your PC will thank you.