AMD is working on a FreeSync Panel Replay technology superior to Panel Self Refresh. PSR (Panel Self Refresh) technology is used to save power when the display is idle.
FreeSync Panel Replay promises to improve notebook battery life
Panel Self Refresh was designed to save GPU resources when there is no on-screen motion, as it does not need to transmit 60 frames per second (60 Hz or more) in a static image. This saving of GPU resources is beneficial for improving efficiency in notebooks, above all. Intel and Nvidia, AMD only started to support PSR with DCN 3.1 and later (AMD Rembrandt APU series).
AMD wants to further enhance this feature with FreeSync Panel Replay. This feature has recently been described with a patch of the AMD display driver for Linux.
The frame replay function would reduce latency by keeping the source and transmitter synchronized, allowing easy control of the display refresh rate. By replaying pixel data at the receiver, power consumption could be limited. As an evolution of PSR, FreeSync Panel Replay will enable the function for more cases, in addition to reducing input latency, which is also important.
FreeSync Panel Replay will support mobile platforms with VRR and FreeSync support. At this time, we don’t know if the technology will be limited to only AMD GPUs with DCN 3.1.4 and later versions. FreeSync is a technology developed by AMD for variable refresh rate (VRR) support in displays. It synchronizes the refresh rate of the display with the graphics card’s output, reducing screen tearing and providing a smoother gaming experience. FreeSync itself does not directly affect notebook battery life; its primary purpose is to improve visual quality during gaming.