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Samsung Display and Intel Debut SmartPower HDR to Cut OLED Laptop Power Use

It varies panel voltage per frame using brightness and pixel-activity data to deliver HDR with near‑SDR power draw.

Overview

  • Announced at CES 2026, the co-developed SmartPower HDR targets OLED laptops with claimed panel power reductions of up to 22% in general use and up to 17% with HDR content.
  • The system routes per-frame peak brightness metrics from the processor to the display timing controller, which computes optimal driving voltage using the on‑pixel ratio.
  • Samsung Display says the approach preserves vivid HDR visuals while curbing unnecessary power draw that conventional fixed‑voltage HDR modes incur.
  • Intel demos in 2025 on Panther Lake/Core Ultra platforms showed roughly 20% panel power savings and suggested tens of minutes of potential battery-life gains, though these are vendor estimates.
  • Neither company has confirmed which laptop models will ship with SmartPower HDR or when they will reach consumers, and reports projecting near‑term availability remain unconfirmed.