Tools for optimizing Linux power management
The Frugal Penguin
Linux offers several tools that help users analyze the power consumption of hardware components.
A computer consists of many electronic components. In addition to the motherboard with the processor (CPU) and the graphic chip (GPU), the list includes random access memory (RAM), drives and storage media, card readers, a hard disk controller, sensors, and network interfaces. In the case of mobile devices, the display, keyboard, and touchpad all run on the same battery.
All these components need power. Modern CPUs have different power-saving mechanisms that significantly affect the power consumption and thus the battery life. This article studies some tools that monitor and manage power usage for the system. These tools will give you the information you need to adjust the necessary settings for optimal power usage.
Power Consumption
Power consumption depends on the electronic components enabled and installed in the device and on the programs running on the computer [1]. A small tool by the name of Lstopo [2] visualizes the information on electronic components running on the system (Figure 1). Lstopo is part of the hwloc package of hardware tools that is pre-installed or available in package form for many Linux systems. Communication between the individual components is via the internal I2C bus (see the box entitled "I2C").
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Go-Based Botnet Attacking IoT Devices
Using an SSH credential brute-force attack, the Go-based PumaBot is exploiting IoT devices everywhere.
-
Plasma 6.5 Promises Better Memory Optimization
With the stable Plasma 6.4 on the horizon, KDE has a few new tricks up its sleeve for Plasma 6.5.
-
KaOS 2025.05 Officially Qt5 Free
If you're a fan of independent Linux distributions, the team behind KaOS is proud to announce the latest iteration that includes kernel 6.14 and KDE's Plasma 6.3.5.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 Now Available
The latest Linux kernel is now available with several new features/improvements and the usual bug fixes.
-
Microsoft Makes Surprising WSL Announcement
In a move that might surprise some users, Microsoft has made Windows Subsystem for Linux open source.
-
Red Hat Releases RHEL 10 Early
Red Hat quietly rolled out the official release of RHEL 10.0 a bit early.
-
openSUSE Joins End of 10
openSUSE has decided to not only join the End of 10 movement but it also will no longer support the Deepin Desktop Environment.
-
New Version of Flatpak Released
Flatpak 1.16.1 is now available as the latest, stable version with various improvements.
-
IBM Announces Powerhouse Linux Server
IBM has unleashed a seriously powerful Linux server with the LinuxONE Emperor 5.
-
Plasma Ends LTS Releases
The KDE Plasma development team is doing away with the LTS releases for a good reason.