For many electronics manufacturers, turning on a device is not enough to indicate that the gadget is running. Many install a power indicator light that glows when the gadget is turned on. However, the power lights on devices like smart TVs often stay on even when the TV isn’t on. We’d insert a “This light confirms it’s off” joke from “The Simpsons” here, but that would imply that modern smart TVs are even capable of turning off.
When you turn off a smart TV, you’re not actually turning it off. According to manufacturers such as Sony, if the screen is not on but the power light is, the TV has entered “sleep mode.” Depending on the make and model, sleep mode can install apps and updates in the background, maintain voice recognition features, and quickly turn on the device to resume watching TV. It’s a bit like leaving your Switch 2 in sleep mode, although unlike that console, turning off those smart TVs can be a huge hassle.
Different manufacturers often hide an off state behind a maze of settings menus, although some, like Amazon Fire TV, simply don’t give you the option: you either have “On” or “Standby.” If you can’t find the option to turn off your TV (or it doesn’t come with one), you can always simply unplug it or plug in a smart plug between the TV and the wall so you can physically turn off the power via an app. Just make sure the TV is the only gadget connected to the outlet; you should never run a power strip through the smart plug.
Is sleep mode really that exhausting?
Like computers, putting a smart TV into sleep/wake mode uses more power than turning it off. However, modern technology has not limited itself to making these devices more powerful. They are also more efficient, maximizing the extra power from each kilowatt hour.
According to sites like ZDNet, the average cost of keeping a smart TV on standby requires so little money that you could probably cover it by looking for change on the couch covers. The site took two TVs – a 55-inch LG G5 OLED and a 55-inch Toshiba C350 – and crunched the numbers. Assuming over 200 kWh per year for each device, operating costs would only require $39.82 for the LG and $37.50 for the Toshiba, with the standby adding just $0.11 to the total bill. Of course, this is an idealized calculation and heavily dependent on your monitoring habits and your energy supplier, but the point remains. There aren’t enough hours in the day for a TV’s sleep mode to cut into your budget.
If you want to save money with your TV, you have plenty of options other than worrying about sleep mode. For example, many devices have an Eco mode that reduces power consumption at the expense of low performance. If you don’t mind this setting ruining your screen brightness (and other quality-enhancing features), turn on Eco mode and you’ll likely save more in a day than you would in a year of standby.