pctechguide.com

  • Home
  • Guides
  • Tutorials
  • Articles
  • Reviews
  • Glossary
  • Contact

Speedstep – Intel’s mobile CPU dynamic power management architecture

Just a few weeks after its launch of the Dixon, Intel demonstrated a revolutionary new mobile processor technology that was expected to close the performance gap between mobile PCs and their historically higher performance desktop counterparts. The demonstration was of a dual-mode mobile processor technology – codenamed Geyserville – that allowed a mobile PC user to operate at a higher frequency when plugged into a wall outlet and automatically switch to a lower power and frequency when running on battery, conserving battery life. The technology was subsequently introduced aboard mobile 600MHz and 650MHz Pentium III processors in early 2000 – under the name SpeedStep.

SpeedStep technology offers mobile users two performance modes: Maximum Performance mode and Battery Optimised mode. The system by default automatically chooses which mode to run in, depending on whether the computer is running on batteries or mains power. When running in Battery Optimised Mode, the processors ran at 500MHz and 1.35V, significantly lowering CPU power consumption and consequently preserving battery life. When a user plugged into an AC outlet, the notebook automatically switched to Maximum Performance Mode, increasing the voltage to 1.6V and the speed to the maximum the processor was capable of.

These transitions happen in only 1/2000 th of a second – so fast they are completely transparent to users, even if they occur in the middle of performance-intensive applications such as playing a DVD movie. Users also have the freedom to select the Maximum Performance Mode even while running on batteries. Making that switch is as easy as clicking an icon at the bottom of the screen, with no reboot required.

Intel has developed both the hardware and software components to make the SpeedStep technology work seamlessly, including the system BIOS, end user interface software, switch control ASIC and support in the chipset. No change to operating systems or software applications is needed in order to take advantage of the technology.

Filed Under: CPU Technology Tagged With: Intel's mobile CPU, power management architecture

Latest Articles

Object Oriented Programming 8

And that's it for our introduction to using Object Oriented (OO) design techniques. We've looked at inheritance, multiple inheritance and polymorphism, and you can see how designing the class tree structure in this way forces the designer to fully understand the problem. It also defines very … [Read More...]

What Tools Do You Need to be Successful in Sales in 2024?

Digital technology has led to major changes in the sales industry. Last year, salespeople around the world spent over $36 billion on software and online tools that help them optimize their sales strategies. That figure is growing by 16% a year and will be worth over $104 billion in the next six … [Read More...]

Remo Recover Mac Pro Review

PROS: This product is very easy to use, even for a novice. CONS: The price tag is a little steep, but worth it for ease of use and the data recovery options it offers. OVERVIEW: Remo Recover Mac Pro is designed to recover your media files and other lost data. It is for Mac users only, and will … [Read More...]

Gaming Laptop Security Guide: Protecting Your High-End Hardware Investment in 2025

Since Jacob took over PC Tech Guide, we’ve looked at how tech intersects with personal well-being and digital safety. Gaming laptops are now … [Read More...]

20 Cool Creative Commons Photographs About the Future of AI

AI technology is starting to have a huge impact on our lives. The market value for AI is estimated to have been worth $279.22 billion in 2024 and it … [Read More...]

13 Impressive Stats on the Future of AI

AI technology is starting to become much more important in our everyday lives. Many businesses are using it as well. While he has created a lot of … [Read More...]

Graphic Designers on Reddit Share their Views of AI

There are clearly a lot of positive things about AI. However, it is not a good thing for everyone. One of the things that many people are worried … [Read More...]

Redditors Talk About the Impact of AI on Freelance Writers

AI technology has had a huge impact on our lives. A 2023 survey by Pew Research found that 56% of people use AI at least once a day or once a week. … [Read More...]

11 Most Popular Books on Perl Programming

Perl is not the most popular programming language. It has only one million users, compared to 12 million that use Python. However, it has a lot of … [Read More...]

Guides

  • Computer Communications
  • Mobile Computing
  • PC Components
  • PC Data Storage
  • PC Input-Output
  • PC Multimedia
  • Processors (CPUs)

Recent Posts

The Browser Hijacker: CustomSearchPlus.com Virus

  The CustomSearchPlus.com is regarded as an unwanted browser extension, it is compatible with the popular internet browsers, namely, Internet … [Read More...]

Why Drupal Accessibility is Vital for Your Website

Drupal may not be as popular as WordPress, but it is still used in over 1 million websites. The Internet might be more conducive to our needs if more … [Read More...]

How to watch any online show from anywhere in the world

In these strange times, watching shows online is more important than ever. In March, a study found that Internet usage had increased 70% since the … [Read More...]

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2025 About | Privacy | Contact Information | Wrtie For Us | Disclaimer | Copyright License | Authors