220-1101 Question 309
Single answerEnergy efficiencyA company is deploying 40 new Windows laptops to sales staff who spend most of the day away from their desks. Management wants to reduce battery drain during travel without noticeably affecting users when they are actively working. Which configuration should the technician implement on the laptops to BEST meet this goal?
- A
Set the power plan to Balanced and configure the display to turn off after a short period of inactivity when on battery
- B
Set the power plan to High performance and disable all sleep and display timeout settings
- C
Increase screen brightness to maximum and disable adaptive brightness so users can see the display more clearly
- D
Configure the laptops to never sleep on battery and require users to shut down manually whenever they stop working
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
For mobile users, effective energy-efficiency settings focus on reducing power consumption during idle or low-demand periods while preserving usability. In A+ Core 1 contexts, technicians should recognize that laptop displays are among the largest battery consumers, so display timeout and appropriate power-plan selection are high-value changes. The Balanced plan is generally the best default for business laptops because it adjusts performance based on workload, unlike High performance, which prioritizes speed over battery life. Microsoft power-management guidance and common OEM battery optimization practices support using balanced or battery-optimized plans, shorter display timeouts on battery, and sleep/standby settings to extend mobile runtime.
- A. Correct.
Correct. The Balanced power plan is designed to reduce power usage when full performance is not needed while still providing responsive performance during normal use. Setting the display to turn off after a short period of inactivity on battery is one of the most effective energy-efficiency adjustments because the display is a major power consumer on laptops. This approach aligns with practical mobile-device power management best practices.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. High performance keeps the system running at higher power states more often, which increases battery consumption. Disabling sleep and display timeouts also prevents the laptop from conserving energy during idle periods. A user might choose this option thinking it improves responsiveness, but it directly conflicts with the goal of reducing battery drain.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Maximum brightness significantly increases battery usage, and disabling adaptive brightness removes a feature that can help conserve power under changing lighting conditions. This is a common misconception because users often associate better visibility with productivity, but it is not the best choice for energy efficiency.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Preventing sleep on battery wastes power whenever the laptop is idle, and relying on users to shut down manually is inconsistent and impractical in a business deployment. Someone might choose this option believing shutdown saves more power than sleep, but the question asks for the best configuration to reduce battery drain during normal daily use without disrupting users.