Power Options — Linux Power Management Without Compromise

When Two Profiles Aren't Enough

Sound familiar? You configure TLP or auto-cpufreq, choosing between "battery" and "plugged in," but realize it's not enough for real-world scenarios. Power Options solves this by offering a truly flexible power management system with unlimited profiles.

Under the Hood

Power Options is a Rust application that combines best practices from Arch Wiki, Gentoo Guides, and popular utilities like TLP. But unlike similar tools, it offers:

• Graphical interface (GTK and WebKit variants)
• Intelligent profile creation based on system analysis
• Granular control over literally every aspect of power consumption

The Three Pillars of Power Options

1. Next-generation profile system

   • Unlimited number of profiles
   • Temporary and permanent overrides
   • Automatic generation of optimized profiles

2. Hardware control

   • Individual settings for each CPU core
   • GPU management (Intel/AMD)
   • ASPM, PCI, USB, and SATA settings
   • Radio module control (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth)

3. Two interfaces to choose from

   • GTK — lightweight and minimal
   • WebKit — advanced features for power users

Technical Details

The project is written in Rust using:

• GTK4 and libadwaita for a native interface
• WebKitGTK for the web interface
• System calls for hardware component management

Interestingly, the developer designed a modular architecture — you can install just the daemon and work through TOML configuration files, or add one of the interfaces.

Who Is This For?

1. Laptop users — real battery savings with fine-tuned settings
2. Enthusiasts — control over every aspect of the system
3. Developers — an inspiring example of a Rust + GTK application
4. Administrators — centralized power management for multiple machines

How to Try It?

For Arch Linux, packages are available in AUR:

yay -S power-options-gtk  # для GTK интерфейса
yay -S power-options-webview  # для веб-интерфейса

For other distributions, you can build from source:

git clone https://github.com/TheAlexDev23/power-options --depth=1
cd power-options/scripts
chmod +x *.sh
./install-gtk.sh  # или install-webview.sh

Power Options is a rare example of a project that combines technical depth with usability. If you've been looking for a truly comprehensive Linux power management solution, it's worth your attention. The profile system is particularly impressive — finally, you can create separate settings for working at a café, presentations, and resource-intensive tasks.

The project is actively developed, has clear documentation, and supports major distributions. The downside is limited hardware support (currently only Intel/AMD), but developers are open to pull requests.