AMD PowerTune
 | |
| Design firm | Advanced Micro Devices |
|---|---|
| Introduced | December 2011 |
| Type | dynamic frequency scaling |
AMD PowerTune is a trademark for a series of dynamic frequency scaling technologies built into some AMD GPUs and APUs that allow the clock speed of the processor to be dynamically changed (to different P-states) by software. This allows the processor to meet the instantaneous performance needs of the operation being performed, while minimizing power draw and heat generation. AMD PowerTune aimes at solving Thermal Design Power and Performance Constraints.[1]
Besides the per se desirable goal to reduce energy consumption, AMD PowerPlay helps to lower the noise levels created by the cooling in desktop computers and extend battery life in mobile devices. AMD PowerTune is the successor to AMD PowerPlay.[2]
Overview
AMD PowerTune was introduced in the TeraScale 3 (VLIW4) with Radeon HD 6900 in Dec 15, 2010 and has been available in different development stages on Radeon- and AMD FirePro-branded products ever since.
Over the years, a couple of reviews which document the development of AMD PowerTune have been published by AnandTech.[3][4][5][6]
An additional technology named AMD ZeroCore Power, has been available since the Radeon HD 7000 Series implementing the Graphics Core Next microarchitecture.
The pointlessness of a fixed clock frequency was accredited in January 2014 by SemiAccurate.[7]
Operating system support
AMD Catalyst is available for Microsoft Windows and Linux and supports AMD PowerTune since version.
The free and open-source "Radeon" graphics device driver has some support for AMD PowerTune, see "Enduro".[8]
See also
- Cool'n'Quiet & PowerNow! – power saving technologies for CPUs
References
- ↑ "AMD PowerTune Technology" (PDF). AMD. 2012-03-23.
- ↑ "AMD PowerTune vs PowerPlay" (PDF). AMD. 2010-12-01.
- ↑ "Redefining TDP With PowerTune". AnandTech. 2010-12-15.
- ↑ "Introducing PowerTune Technology With Boost". AnandTech. 2012-06-22.
- ↑ "The New PowerTune: Adding Further States". AnandTech. 2013-03-22.
- ↑ "PowerTune: Improved Flexibility & Fan Speed Throttling". AnandTech. 2014-10-23.
- ↑ "What is AMD’s PowerTune 2.0 and what does it do?". SemiAccurate. 2013-12-16.
- ↑ "Radeon feature matrix". freedesktop.org.
External links
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