PowerNow

PowerNow! is AMD's branding for its dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) technology used in mobile processors to balance performance and power consumption. By adjusting the processor’s clock speed and core voltage in response to workload and thermal conditions, PowerNow! aims to extend battery life while preserving responsive performance.

The technology was introduced in the mid-2000s with AMD’s mobile lines, including the Athlon XP-M and Turion 64 families. PowerNow! relies on a hardware power-management unit built into the CPU and software control from the operating system and BIOS to switch among multiple performance states. It is supported by major operating systems through their power-management interfaces and can operate alongside other AMD power features.

In operation, PowerNow! continuously monitors workload, temperature, and power conditions, selecting appropriate performance states to minimize energy use during idle or light activity and to scale up when higher performance is required. The result is reduced heat generation and longer run times on laptops without a noticeable loss of responsiveness during bursts of activity.

PowerNow! influenced later AMD energy-management approaches, contributing to the development of desktop and mobile power-saving features and to the broader shift toward standardized CPU frequency scaling. In AMD’s current generation of processors, power management continues to use DVFS concepts, branded and implemented through evolving P-state mechanisms and related technologies, maintaining the core goal of balancing performance with power efficiency.