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Arch Linux Laptop Battery Tweaks Guide ​

INFO

This guide helps improve battery life on Arch Linux laptops.

1. Battery Optimization ​

WARNING

Avoid using both tlp and auto-cpufreq together as they can conflict with each other. Choose one power management tool.

1.1. Using auto-cpufreq (Recommended) ​

INFO

auto-cpufreq adjusts CPU frequency and power based on system load.

  • Install auto-cpufreq:

    shell
    yay -S auto-cpufreq

  • Test in live mode:

    shell
    sudo auto-cpufreq --live

  • Enable automatic startup:

    shell
    sudo auto-cpufreq --install

  • Monitor system behavior:

    shell
    sudo auto-cpufreq --monitor

  • View CPU stats:

    shell
    sudo auto-cpufreq --stats

  • Uninstall:

    shell
    sudo auto-cpufreq --remove

1.2. Using TLP (Advanced Power Management) ​

INFO

TLP optimizes battery life automatically.

  • Install TLP:

    shell
    sudo pacman -S tlp tlp-rdw

  • Start and enable TLP:

    shell
    sudo systemctl enable tlp --now

  • Check TLP status:

    shell
    sudo tlp-stat

  • Optional: Install GUI for TLP:

    shell
    yay -S tlpui

2. Adjust Swap Usage (Swappiness) ​

INFO

Reduce swap usage for better performance.

  • Check current swappiness:

    shell
    cat /proc/sys/vm/swappiness

  • Set swappiness to 10:

    Edit /etc/sysctl.conf:

    shell
    sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

    Add:

    shell
    vm.swappiness=10

  • Apply changes:

    shell
    sudo sysctl -p

3. File System Performance ​

3.1. (SSD) Configuring noatime ​

INFO

Disabling file access time noatime prevents unnecessary disk writes, improving performance and longevity, especially on SSDs.

  • Edit /etc/fstab:

    shell
    sudo nano /etc/fstab

  • Add noatime to the root partition:

    ini
    UUID=<your-disk-UUID> / ext4 defaults,noatime 0 1

  • Reboot to apply changes:

    shell
    sudo reboot

3.2. (HDD) Configuring HDD Spin Times ​

INFO

Make your HDD spin down after a given amount of time, this will improve longevity and save power. The value is in multiples of 5 seconds. Example: To set it to 10 minutes (600 seconds)

WARNING

Setting this too low may cause frequent spin-ups, which can reduce drive lifespan.

  • Set the spindown timeout:

    shell
    sudo hdparm -S 120 /dev/sdX

  • To disable spindown:

    shell
    sudo hdparm -S 0 /dev/sdX

4. System Monitoring Tools ​

4.1. powertop (Power Consumption Monitor) ​

  • Install powertop:

    shell
    sudo pacman -S powertop

  • Run powertop in interactive mode:

    shell
    sudo powertop

  • Optimize settings:

    shell
    sudo powertop --auto-tune

4.2. btop or htop (Resource Monitoring) ​

  • Install btop:

    shell
    sudo pacman -S btop

  • Install htop:

    shell
    sudo pacman -S htop