X201 fingerprint reader - is it really always on?

[ari.pad]

My new x201 can be turned on by a fingerprint swipe - this is cool.

However I wonder if the fingerprinter reader is constantly drawing battery power, or if it is only turned on when the LCD of the laptop is open. Cos' as much as I like the feature, I would hate a small but constant battery drain.

Anybody knows if the fingerprint reader is on all the time when the machine is powered off, or if it turns on only when the LCD is open?

If the former, any clue about how big or small the battery consumption while power is off would be?

[i-SnipeZ]

I believe it is on all the time, however, the battery consumption is negligible.

[ThinkRob]

I believe it is on all the time, however, the battery consumption is negligible.

It is on all the time, but it's not quite true that the it can't increase power consumption. The fingerprint reader can cause a fair number of wakeups, and (if powertop is to be believed) keep the CPU from entering the deepest sleep states.