Not shutting down the pc for months but only hybernation

1. How hibernation actually works — the simple mechanics

When you hibernate Windows, the system writes a snapshot of memory to a hibernation file on your boot drive and then powers off; on resume the OS reads that file back into RAM to restore your session ^[1]. Because that snapshot is essentially a RAM dump, the write size is roughly the amount of used RAM and can be large — which means each hibernate/resume cycle produces one full memory‑size write to the storage medium ^{[1] [3]}.

2. SSD wear: measurable writes versus real‑world impact

Flash SSDs have finite write endurance (TBW). Multiple outlets note that hibernation causes writes that contribute to that budget and that, in extreme cases (big RAM, small/low‑end SSD, many hibernations per day), the extra writes could shorten drive life ^{[1] [2] [6]}. Other tech guides and diagnostics conclude the effect is minimal for typical users — modern SSDs tolerate tens of gigabytes per day over years — so occasional or daily hibernation is unlikely to meaningfully reduce lifespan for mainstream SSDs ^{[1] [7]}.

3. Diverging takes: alarmist headlines vs. technical nuance

A recent article warns that “frequent hibernation can become a serial killer to a low‑end SSD,” especially with 16–32 GB RAM, framing hibernation as a major durability risk ^[2]. By contrast, How‑To‑Geek and other guides explain the mechanism but stress that for most users the additional writes are negligible unless you hibernate dozens of times a day or use a very small, low‑end SSD ^{[1] [7]}. The disagreement stems from differing assumptions about “frequent,” SSD quality (TBW), and how many gigabytes of writes you generate per day ^{[2] [1]}.

4. Performance, stability and security trade‑offs

Beyond write endurance, prolonged use of hibernation keeps your session intact and saves energy, but it also delays the regular refresh a full shutdown or restart provides; this can allow memory bloat, unflushed temporary files, or software state to accumulate and eventually degrade performance or stability if you never reboot ^{[4] [5] [8]}. Security and update behavior also matter: some updates require a restart to apply; relying exclusively on hibernate can postpone those patches ^{[4] [3]}.

5. Practical guidance — balance and diagnostics

If you rely on hibernate for convenience, sources recommend occasional full restarts to refresh drivers, apply updates, and clear temporary state ^{[9] [3]}. If you have a small/cheap SSD and a lot of RAM, and you hibernate many times a day, consider using sleep when plugged in, reducing daily hibernation frequency, or monitoring SSD health and TBW specs from the drive maker ^{[6] [2] [1]}. Available sources do not mention a precise “safe” number of hibernations per day that applies to all drives; endurance depends on SSD model and total write volume (not found in current reporting).

6. What critics and defenders want you to remember

Alarmist pieces highlight worst‑case scenarios for low‑end SSDs ^[2]. Practical guides emphasize that modern SSDs are engineered for heavy daily writes and that hibernation’s incremental wear is usually negligible for typical consumers ^{[1] [7]}. Both camps implicitly push actions aligned with their interests: worry sells clicks; product‑helpful guides reduce anxiety and point readers to normal maintenance ^{[2] [1]}.

7. Bottom line — a sensible routine

Hibernation is a useful, energy‑saving feature that writes a RAM snapshot to disk each time ^[1]. For most users with contemporary SSDs, occasional or daily hibernation won’t noticeably shorten drive life; for users with small, low‑end SSDs, very large RAM sizes, or dozens of hibernations per day, the added writes could matter — so mix in periodic restarts, monitor SSD health, and weigh convenience against long‑term endurance ^{[1] [2] [3]}.