Editing Thermal design power (section)

== Alternatives ==

TDP specifications for some processors may allow them to work under multiple different power levels, depending on the usage scenario, available cooling capacities and desired power consumption. Technologies that provide such variable TDPs include [[Intel]]'s ''configurable TDP'' (cTDP) and ''scenario design power'' (SDP), and [[AMD]]'s ''TDP power cap''.

''Configurable TDP'' (''cTDP''), also known as ''programmable TDP'' or ''TDP power cap'', is an operating mode of later generations of Intel mobile processors ({{As of|2014|January|lc=yes}}) and AMD processors ({{As of|2012|June|lc=yes}}) that allows adjustments in their TDP values. By modifying the processor behavior and its performance levels, power consumption of a processor can be changed altering its TDP at the same time. That way, a processor can operate at higher or lower performance levels, depending on the available cooling capacities and desired power consumption.<ref name="intel-mh-lines">{{ cite web | url = http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/datasheets/4th-gen-core-family-mobile-m-h-processor-lines-vol-1-datasheet.pdf | title = 4th Generation Intel Core processor based on Mobile M-Processor and H-Processor Lines Datasheet, Volume 1 of 2 | date = December 2013 | access-date = 2013-12-22 | publisher = [[Intel]] }}</ref>{{rp|69–72}}<ref name="phoronix-amd-kaveri">{{ cite web | url = https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=amd_kaveri_tdp&num=1 | title = Testing Out The Configurable TDP On AMD's Kaveri | date = 2014-01-22 | access-date = 2014-08-31 | author = Michael Larabel | publisher = [[Phoronix]] }}</ref><ref name="amd-opteron-4200">{{ cite web | url = https://www.amd.com/Documents/Opteron_4000_QRG.pdf | title = AMD Opteron 4200 Series Processor Quick Reference Guide | date = June 2012 | access-date = 2014-08-31 | publisher = [[Advanced Micro Devices]] }}</ref>

cTDP typically provide (but are not limited to) three operating modes:<ref name="intel-mh-lines" />{{rp|71–72}}

* ''Nominal TDP''{{snd}} the processor's rated frequency and TDP.
* ''cTDP down''{{snd}} when a cooler or quieter mode of operation is desired, this mode specifies a lower TDP and lower guaranteed frequency versus the nominal mode.
* ''cTDP up''{{snd}} when extra cooling is available, this mode specifies a higher TDP and higher guaranteed frequency versus the nominal mode.

For example, some of the [[Haswell (microarchitecture)#MOBILE|mobile Haswell]] processors support cTDP up, cTDP down, or both modes.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.mobiletechreview.com/notebooks/Sony-Vaio-Duo-13.htm | title = Sony Vaio Duo 13 Review | date = 2013-07-22 | access-date = 2014-02-11 | website = mobiletechreview.com }}</ref> As another example, some of the AMD [[Opteron]] processors and [[AMD Kaveri|Kaveri]] [[AMD Accelerated Processing Unit|APUs]] can be configured for lower TDP values.<ref name="amd-opteron-4200" /> IBM's [[POWER8]] processor implements a similar power capping functionality through its embedded [[POWER8 on-chip controller|on-chip controller]] (OCC).<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://openpowerfoundation.org/press-releases/occ-firmware-code-is-now-open-source/ | title = OCC Firmware Code is Now Open Source | date = 2014-12-20 | access-date = 2014-12-27 | author = Todd Rosedahl | website = openpowerfoundation.org }}</ref>

Intel introduced ''scenario design power'' (SDP) for some low power Y-series processors since 2013.<ref name="anandtech-6655">{{Cite web |author=Anand Lal Shimpi |date=2013-01-14 |title=Intel Brings Core Down to 7W, Introduces a New Power Rating to Get There: Y-Series SKUs Demystified |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/6655/intel-brings-core-down-to-7w-introduces-a-new-power-rating-to-get-there-yseries-skus-demystified |access-date=2014-02-11 |publisher=anandtech.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Crothers |first=Brooke |date=2013-01-09 |title=Intel responds to cooked power efficiency claims |url=http://ces.cnet.com/8301-34435_1-57563024/intel-responds-to-cooked-power-efficiency-claims/ |access-date=2014-02-11 |publisher=ces.cnet.com}}</ref> It is described as "an additional thermal reference point meant to represent thermally relevant device usage in real-world environmental scenarios."<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Intel Core i7-4610Y Processor (4M Cache, up to 2.90 GHz) |url=http://ark.intel.com/products/76618 |access-date=2014-02-11 |publisher=[[Intel]]}}</ref>{{Promotional source|date=December 2024}} As a power rating, SDP is not an additional power state of a processor; it states the average power consumption of a processor using a certain mix of benchmark programs to simulate "real-world" scenarios.<ref name="anandtech-6655" /><ref>{{cite web | url = https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/01/the-technical-details-behind-intels-7-watt-ivy-bridge-cpus/ | title = The technical details behind Intel's 7 Watt Ivy Bridge CPUs | date = 2013-01-14 | access-date = 2013-12-22 | publisher = Ars Technica }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/datasheets/4th-gen-core-family-mobile-u-y-processor-lines-vol-1-datasheet.pdf | title = 4th Generation Intel Core processor based on Mobile U-Processor and Y-Processor Lines Datasheet, Volume 1 of 2 | date = December 2013 | access-date = 2013-12-22 | publisher = [[Intel]] }}</ref>