If you’re seeing better runtime power draw with a TLP config, I suggest looking at measuring power efficiency (using the rapl interface). If you’re less efficient at lower power consumption are you actually better off? It’s a trade off.
Also make sure your measurements are specifically done on battery. Remember framework adjusts APU coefficients from their EC based on adapter connected.
Also, if you can please narrow down specifically what about your config is improving things it can be used to discuss better defaults without TLP in the picture. My knee jerk reaction (guess) would be screen brightness is the biggest contributor which can have a very dramatic impact.