MSI Z77A-G45 Thunderbolt features APS (Active Phase Switching) technology. APS technology is an intelligent design that helps to save energy on MSIs mainboard. The underlying idea is to switch off the power supply as soon as no electricity is needed, & when the system needs more resources again, APS will automatically adjust electricity supply accordingly. APS will automatically detect your processors loading at any given time & save energy accordingly. This is only possible by means of a very advanced power controlling technology. Other than software-based solutions, APS technology stands out from MSIs own research. The specially developed IC chip can operate automatically depending on the demands of the power supply, which is to reduce the total power usage.