I am using TLP for power management. But I suspect it doesn't really help extend the battery life on my Dell Inspiron 5346 with Ubuntu 14.04, so I ran `sudo tlp-stat` once with display brightness minimum and once with the display brightness on maximum. Both the times I get the same current drain as follows.

```
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/current_now                    =    882 [mA]

```

So my question is as follows. Does TLP really help to manage and extend battery life? And, secondly, if not, what are really good alternatives for my laptop?

The TLP log:

```
--- TLP 0.8 --------------------------------------------

+++ Configured Settings: /etc/default/tlp
TLP_ENABLE=1
TLP_DEFAULT_MODE=AC
DISK_IDLE_SECS_ON_AC=0
DISK_IDLE_SECS_ON_BAT=2
MAX_LOST_WORK_SECS_ON_AC=15
MAX_LOST_WORK_SECS_ON_BAT=60
SCHED_POWERSAVE_ON_AC=0
SCHED_POWERSAVE_ON_BAT=1
NMI_WATCHDOG=0
ENERGY_PERF_POLICY_ON_AC=performance
ENERGY_PERF_POLICY_ON_BAT=powersave
DISK_DEVICES="sda sdb"
DISK_APM_LEVEL_ON_AC="254 254"
DISK_APM_LEVEL_ON_BAT="128 128"
SATA_LINKPWR_ON_AC=max_performance
SATA_LINKPWR_ON_BAT=min_power
PCIE_ASPM_ON_AC=performance
PCIE_ASPM_ON_BAT=powersave
RADEON_POWER_PROFILE_ON_AC=high
RADEON_POWER_PROFILE_ON_BAT=low
RADEON_DPM_STATE_ON_AC=performance
RADEON_DPM_STATE_ON_BAT=battery
RADEON_DPM_PERF_LEVEL_ON_AC=auto
RADEON_DPM_PERF_LEVEL_ON_BAT=auto
WIFI_PWR_ON_AC=1
WIFI_PWR_ON_BAT=5
WOL_DISABLE=Y
SOUND_POWER_SAVE_ON_AC=0
SOUND_POWER_SAVE_ON_BAT=1
SOUND_POWER_SAVE_CONTROLLER=Y
BAY_POWEROFF_ON_BAT=0
BAY_DEVICE="sr0"
RUNTIME_PM_ON_AC=on
RUNTIME_PM_ON_BAT=auto
RUNTIME_PM_ALL=1
RUNTIME_PM_DRIVER_BLACKLIST="radeon nouveau"
USB_AUTOSUSPEND=1
USB_BLACKLIST_WWAN=1
RESTORE_DEVICE_STATE_ON_STARTUP=0

+++ System Info
System         = Dell Inc. A02 Inspiron 5548
BIOS           = A02
Release        = Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS
Kernel         = 3.16.0-53-generic #72~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Nov 6 18:17:23 UTC 2015 x86_64
/proc/cmdline  = BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-53-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=ff176661-2ba0-4348-9143-535a788862b4 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
Init system    = upstart

+++ System Status
TLP power save = enabled
power source   = battery

+++ Processor
CPU Model      = Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-5200U CPU @ 2.20GHz

/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_driver    = intel_pstate
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor  = powersave
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_min_freq  =   500000 [kHz]
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq  =  2700000 [kHz]

/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpufreq/scaling_driver    = intel_pstate
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpufreq/scaling_governor  = powersave
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpufreq/scaling_min_freq  =   500000 [kHz]
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq  =  2700000 [kHz]

/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpufreq/scaling_driver    = intel_pstate
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpufreq/scaling_governor  = powersave
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpufreq/scaling_min_freq  =   500000 [kHz]
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq  =  2700000 [kHz]

/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpufreq/scaling_driver    = intel_pstate
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpufreq/scaling_governor  = powersave
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpufreq/scaling_min_freq  =   500000 [kHz]
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq  =  2700000 [kHz]

/sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate/min_perf_pct      = 18
/sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate/max_perf_pct      = 100
/sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate/no_turbo          = 0

x86_energy_perf_policy: program for your kernel not installed.

/proc/sys/kernel/nmi_watchdog                          = 0

+++ Undervolting
PHC kernel not available.

+++ Temperatures
CPU temp               =    54 [°C]
Fan speed              = (not available)

+++ File System
/proc/sys/vm/laptop_mode               =     2
/proc/sys/vm/dirty_writeback_centisecs =  6000
/proc/sys/vm/dirty_expire_centisecs    =  6000
/proc/sys/vm/dirty_ratio               =    20
/proc/sys/vm/dirty_background_ratio    =    10
/proc/sys/fs/xfs/age_buffer_centisecs  = (not available)
/proc/sys/fs/xfs/xfssyncd_centisecs    = (not available)
/proc/sys/fs/xfs/xfsbufd_centisecs     = (not available)

+++ Storage Devices
/dev/sda:
          Model     = ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB                  
          Firmware  = 2BA30003
          APM Level = 128
          Status    = active/idle
          Scheduler = deadline

        SMART info:
            4 Start_Stop_Count          =      109 
            5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct     =        0 
            9 Power_On_Hours            =       87 [h]
          193 Load_Cycle_Count          =     2731 
          194 Temperature_Celsius       =       34 (Min/Max 20/44)  [°C]
          241 Total_LBAs_Written        =    0.004 [TB]

+++ SATA Aggressive Link Power Management
/sys/class/scsi_host/host0/link_power_management_policy  = min_power
/sys/class/scsi_host/host1/link_power_management_policy  = min_power
/sys/class/scsi_host/host2/link_power_management_policy  = min_power

+++ PCIe Active State Power Management
/sys/module/pcie_aspm/parameters/policy = default (using bios preferences)

+++ Intel Graphics
/sys/module/i915/parameters/powersave        =  1 (enabled)
/sys/module/i915/parameters/enable_rc6       =  1 (enabled)
/sys/module/i915/parameters/enable_fbc       = -1 (use per-chip default)
/sys/module/i915/parameters/lvds_downclock   =  0 (disabled)
/sys/module/i915/parameters/semaphores       = -1 (use per-chip default)

+++ Wireless
bluetooth = off (software)
wifi      = on
wwan      = none (no device)

hci0(btusb)         : not connected
wlan0(iwlwifi)      : connected, power management = on

+++ Audio
/sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save            = 1
/sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save_controller = Y

+++ Runtime Power Management
device classes   = all
device blacklist = (not configured)
driver blacklist = radeon nouveau

/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:00.0/power/control = auto (0x060000, Host bridge, no driver)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:02.0/power/control = auto (0x030000, VGA compatible controller, i915)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:03.0/power/control = auto (0x040300, Audio device, snd_hda_intel)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:14.0/power/control = auto (0x0c0330, USB controller, xhci_hcd)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:16.0/power/control = auto (0x078000, Communication controller, mei_me)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1b.0/power/control = auto (0x040300, Audio device, snd_hda_intel)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1c.0/power/control = auto (0x060400, PCI bridge, pcieport)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1c.2/power/control = auto (0x060400, PCI bridge, pcieport)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1c.3/power/control = auto (0x060400, PCI bridge, pcieport)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1c.4/power/control = auto (0x060400, PCI bridge, pcieport)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1d.0/power/control = auto (0x0c0320, USB controller, ehci-pci)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1f.0/power/control = auto (0x060100, ISA bridge, lpc_ich)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1f.2/power/control = auto (0x010601, SATA controller, ahci)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:1f.3/power/control = auto (0x0c0500, SMBus, no driver)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/power/control = auto (0x020000, Ethernet controller, r8169)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:03:00.0/power/control = auto (0x028000, Network controller, iwlwifi)
/sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:04:00.0/power/control = auto (0x038000, Display controller, fglrx_pci)

+++ USB
autosuspend        = enabled
device whitelist   = (not configured)
device blacklist   = (not configured)
wwan blacklist     = enabled

Bus 001 Device 002 ID 8087:8001 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms =     0 -- Intel Corp.  (hub)
Bus 001 Device 001 ID 1d6b:0002 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms =     0 -- Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub (hub)
Bus 003 Device 001 ID 1d6b:0003 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms =     0 -- Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub (hub)
Bus 002 Device 004 ID 1bcf:2b8a control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms =  2000 -- Sunplus Innovation Technology Inc.  (uvcvideo)
Bus 002 Device 003 ID 0bda:0129 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms =  2000 -- Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTS5129 Card Reader Controller (rtsx_usb)
Bus 002 Device 002 ID 8087:07dc control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms =  2000 -- Intel Corp.  (btusb)
Bus 002 Device 001 ID 1d6b:0002 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms =     0 -- Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub (hub)

+++ Battery Status
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/manufacturer                   = SDI
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/model_name                     = DELL VVMKC52C
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/cycle_count                    = (not supported)
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/charge_full_design             =   3900 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/charge_full                    =   3900 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/charge_now                     =    689 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/current_now                    =    882 [mA]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT1/status                         = Discharging

```