Intel is reportedly working with Google to reduce the power consumption of Chromium-based browsers on Intel-powered computers. According to a comment from an Intel engineer on the Chromium Gerrit, some of the latest processors from the company, such as Ice Lake, support ‘RGB10 overlay’, which improves power consumption.
The Intel employee, identified only as ‘Richard’, also said that engineers in both companies are working on a new feature that will allow Chromium-based browsers to play HDR videos through this new technology, resulting in enhanced efficiency. According to him, Intel platforms since Ice Lake support outputting HDR content through the new technology with RGBA10 format. “(Enabling) this feature would provide better energy performance on devices based on Icelake or above“, he claimed.
It’s worth noting that the feature is still in the developmental stage, but once it starts shipping, the improvements are expected to be available on all Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. However, it’s not going to show up in the stable builds of either browser any time soon, given that both Google and Microsoft have cancelled feature updates to their respective web-browsers in light of the coronavirus crisis.
While Google has already cancelled scheduled releases for Chrome 81 and Chrome 82, Microsoft is also delaying feature updates for its Edge browser with only security and stability updates slated to be released as needed. Either way, when the new power-saving feature does come through, it will be none-too-soon, given that Chrome, especially, has gained a reputation for being a power-hungry software on Windows devices.
Chrome to be less of a battery hog: An age old promise. Yet to deliver. I doubt it will be this time either.