According to Intel, the performance of laptop batteries is one hour better with Windows 7, compared with the same hardware running on Windows Vista with SP2.

Microsoft and Intel engineers have managed to reduce the power consumption of Windows 7 in 20% compared to Windows Vista. This energy savings normally mean an extra running hour. Intel has worked closely with Microsoft to develop the new operating system launched last October.

Among other things, Windows 7 has better capabilities for disabling hardware components that are not being used by the system, while some run on Intel circuits that turn to stand-by for as long as possible, as fast as possible. Similarly, Windows 7 is also able to “wake up” more efficiently devices or services that are idle. That means a better user-experience for multi-media and a faster processing for any other application.

Windows 7 runs daemon services on a demand-only basis and avoid starting services that could be useful – like printer drivers – but are only occasionally used. When Windows 7 is idle, there are almost no service running in the background. Only the services needed to awake the operative system are active. And any service can be idle in Windows 7.

But the advantages don’t stop here. The performance of other services has also improved. Windows 7 has a better caching when reading information from external sources. In the case of a DVD drive, that translate into spinning the disc less times.

Windows 7 also includes a “Device Stage” that allows you to modify the power preferences of drivers connected to the system via USB ports – among other functions. It has to be noted that almost no current device is “Device Stage” compliant. However, many manufactures are eager to adapt their devices to this new standard.