CPU Idle Behavior and Power Consumption (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)
1/5/2010
CPUs consume varying amounts of power while idle. Ignoring other considerations, the less power consumed while idle, the better. You can improve battery life by choosing a CPU that consumes less power while idle.
In addition, CPUs have different behaviors when transitioning from idle to active mode. For example, a CPU may have a "light" idle mode and a "deep" idle mode. Target device makers should be aware of these tradeoffs and use the CPU modes that provide the best mix between response time goals and power consumption:
- The light idle mode consumes more power, but takes less time to transition to fully active mode.
- The deep idle mode consumes less power, but takes longer to resume full operation.