MacBook Pro - Ubuntu Linux: 21 Watts, OS X: 9 Watts

[phoronix]

Phoronix: MacBook Pro - Ubuntu Linux: 21 Watts, OS X: 9 Watts

Earlier today I published the long-awaited benchmarks of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion vs. Ubuntu 12.04/12.10. The benchmarks showed strengths and weaknesses of both operating systems, resulting in the the usual spectrum of comments from Phoronix readers. Here now are the power consumption results when comparing OS X and Ubuntu Linux on Apple hardware...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTE2Njk

[chuckula]

You do raise some good points but:
1. Is this a Linux problem inherently or just Ubuntu being Ubuntu?
2. Is the issue inherent to Linux and the standard userland (e.g. lots of background processes that love to wakeup the CPU for dubious reasons and eat power)?
3. If the issue is not just Ubuntu and is not Linux in general, is it because of a lack of ACPI driver support on the Mac systems?

Unlike some people I'm not going to insult you for running Linux on Appler hardware (a certain Linus Torvalds has done the same thing...). I would like to know more about the scope of the problem though.

[Michael]

You do raise some good points but:
1. Is this a Linux problem inherently or just Ubuntu being Ubuntu?
2. Is the issue inherent to Linux and the standard userland (e.g. lots of background processes that love to wakeup the CPU for dubious reasons and eat power)?
3. If the issue is not just Ubuntu and is not Linux in general, is it because of a lack of ACPI driver support on the Mac systems?

Unlike some people I'm not going to insult you for running Linux on Appler hardware (a certain Linus Torvalds has done the same thing...). I would like to know more about the scope of the problem though.

I intend to try the Fedora 17 tonight or tomorrow.

[aliasbody]

Hello Michael,

Excelent test indeed I'm honestly sad to see Ubuntu perform that way.. but I'm thinking if Unity 3D can be one of the causes of this power consumption, so a test with another DE like Unity 2D, Gnome3, Xfce, or better, with another Distribution (like Fedora or Arch) would be awesome ...

But just in case, it is possible to test Windows 7 and/or Windows 8 ? I know that OsX is adapted to their hardware, so it is kind of normal that it runs fast and with less power than on other OS (like any Linux Distribution), but I would love to see Windows 7's power consumption compared to the other 2.

If possible of course

PS : Sorry for the spell errors, English is not my native language.

Have a Nice Day,
Luis Da Costa

[d2kx]

The new Compiz build with *much* less CPU usage, wakeups (power consumption) and better performance is in quantal-proposed now and landing soon for Ubuntu 12.10.

[aliasbody]

The new Compiz build with *much* less CPU usage, wakeups (power consumption) and better performance is in quantal-proposed now and landing soon for Ubuntu 12.10.

Didn't knew about that :S... But good to know ! I think that my netbook will love to know that

[thefirstm]

Does the laptop have an Nvidia graphics card? If it does, can you do another power test while running the binary driver?

[blackout23]

Slap Arch with Core i optimized linux-ck Kernel and Awesome WM on that thing.

[nightmarex]

I intend to try the Fedora 17 tonight or tomorrow.

That's cool man. To add to this there has been some nutty power/heat/load issues in some of the kernels lately https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/29850 Ubuntu users also were hit with this.

With that aside, I have no idea why Linux power usage is becoming so gluttonous lately but I have witnessed it as well. Poor show on power savings. My HDMI audio had to be manually disabled as it was continuously active without a cable insert.

[ElderSnake]

Slap Arch with Core i optimized linux-ck Kernel and Awesome WM on that thing.

That and the whole she-bang of cpu-freq etc set up and blob graphics drivers (if applicable) and I'd be surprised if it used much more than the Apple OS.

My AMD Fusion Netbook running Arch and the Catalyst driver seems to have the same or even better power usage than the Windows 7 starter it came with, but I have no figures to back that up. Lasts as long as advertised on battery still though.

EDIT: Though I should mention, the lack of being able to suspend is a bit of a downer LOL