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    Increasing resolution increases power consumption ?!

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Laptopaddict, Mar 18, 2010.

  1. Laptopaddict

    Laptopaddict Notebook Deity

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    MSI U115 here with native 1024x600 resolution but graphics card offers possibility to increase resolution to 1024x768.

    When I increase resolution, I see that power consumption (using RMClock) jumps by about 1 Watt, is this normal ?
     
    Laptopaddict, Mar 18, 2010
    #1
  2. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    very normal. increased resolution means that your cpu and gpu have to move more data around. don't worry about it.
     
    newsposter, Mar 18, 2010
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  3. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    Native resolution cannot be less than maximum resolution. I think you are using a wrong GPU driver.
     
    coolguy, Mar 18, 2010
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  4. Joel

    Joel coffeecoffeecoffeecoffee

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    It'd make sense, more resolution, means needing more power to do things with the extra space.
     
    Joel, Mar 18, 2010
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  5. jackluo923

    jackluo923 Notebook Virtuoso

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    That is only true for some laptops. My netbook can do 1920x1080 on the 1024x600 native resolution lcd screen.
     
    jackluo923, Mar 18, 2010
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  6. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

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    As jackluo said, it is possible. My friend could do 1920 x 1080 with XP on his Acer Aspire One, and I can do 1440 x 1080 on an old CRT only capable of 1280 x 1024. It just zooms into the screen instead, so when you use it, you have to scroll around the desktop around the screen to use it and see everything. Not everything is see-able at once.

    Sorry if I confused you more. :p
     
    Amnesiac, Mar 18, 2010
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  7. Wolf04

    Wolf04 Sony Fanatic

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    Yep, my old Toshiba had this "feature". The native resolution was 1024x768 but the highest supported resolution was 1600x1200. I had to scroll around the desktop area, quite annoying actually so I usually kept it at 1024x768.
     
    Wolf04, Mar 18, 2010
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  8. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

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    1280x1024 on a 1280x720 screen is nearly alright.
     
    namaiki, Mar 18, 2010
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  9. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    I thought the GPU driver detects the maximum/ native resolution of an LCD and sets it as the maximum attainable resolution.
     
    coolguy, Mar 18, 2010
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  10. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

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    Some do, some don't. It seems that a lot of older drivers or GPU's have this capability, a lot of the newer ones don't.
     
    Amnesiac, Mar 19, 2010
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  11. Laptopaddict

    Laptopaddict Notebook Deity

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    I tested again , it is more like 0.5 Watt
     
    Laptopaddict, Mar 19, 2010
    #11
  12. masterchef341

    masterchef341 The guy from The Notebook

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    maybe the graphics card is doing extra work to downscale each frame...
     
    masterchef341, Mar 19, 2010
    #12