7. Powerplay 4: Speed To Fit Your Needs

Cars and graphics chips for mobile devices have one thing in common. While speed is always appreciated, energy efficiency is also at least as much of a priority. In addition to "clock gating," a technique that turns off the clock signal for those areas of the chip that are inactive, several other power saving features have also been implemented in the MR9600. This collection of energy saving features is called Powerplay 4.

Powerplay takes several factors into consideration when adjusting the performance and, consequently, the power consumption of the GPU:

Powerplay aims to find the right mix of 2D/ 3D power and energy saving features in every imaginable situation.

Battery charge level:

The power consumption of the GPU is adjusted in accordance with the remaining battery charge. If the notebook's battery is fully charged, the MR9600 is set to higher performance. As the charge diminishes, the performance level is cut back, reducing power consumption.

AC/ DC Mode:

In battery mode, the processor core automatically defaults to the lowest frequency and minimal voltage. When the notebook is plugged into a power socket (DC mode), clock speed and voltage are raised again to offer maximum performance.