Power usage of computing device components is controlled in a holistic manner. The projected total power consumption for the computing device to satisfy a power consumption policy for the device is determined. Power usage of each component of the computing device is controlled in a holistic manner—i.e., balancing the power usage of the component against the power usage of other components—so that the total power usage of the computing device falls within the projected total power consumption needed to satisfy the power consumption policy. How the user is currently utilizing the computing device may be periodically detected, based at least on a power consumption distribution of the components of the computing device. A current usage model is determined based on how the user is currently utilizing the computing device. The power usage of each component of the computing device is controlled based on the current usage model.