[ GLOSSARY DEFINITION ]
Performance
TDP
Sustained power/heat a chip is designed for; higher allows higher performance with more cooling.
Also known as:
Thermal Design Power
Power Limit
PL1
Full Definition & Technical Explanation
TDP (and TDP (PL1): 35-54 W configurable) sets cooling and battery expectations. Laptops often expose configurable TDP (15W thin, 45W gaming); phones sustain 5–10W; desktop CPUs range 65–125W+.
Higher TDP means more sustained performance but more heat and fan noise. See TGP for GPUs and throttling for what happens when cooling is insufficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDP?
Sustained power/heat a chip is designed for; higher allows higher performance with more cooling.
What terms are related to TDP?
Related Performance terms include Thermal Throttling, Lithography, TGP, Power Efficiency.
Related Technical Terms
Thermal Throttling
Chips slowing down when hot to stay within thermal limits; higher stability % means less slowdown.
Performance
Lithography
The size of the smallest transistor features; smaller generally means more efficient.
Performance
TGP
The power budget a laptop GPU can draw; higher TGP usually means more sustained gaming performance.
Performance
Power Efficiency
How much performance a chip delivers per watt of power; high efficiency means longer battery and co…
Performance