New Integrated Circuit Cuts Standby Power Consumption

The CAPZero-4 provides a drop-in upgrade for power supply designs, targeting efficiency gains of up to 1000 mW.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Semiconductors

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of an archetypal microchip, representing hardware-level energy efficiency and systemic power conservation. — Power Integrations released the CAPZero-4, an integrated circuit that reduces standby power waste in electronic devices by automating capacitor discharge cycles. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Power Integrations has released the CAPZero-4 integrated circuit, a device designed to minimize standby power waste in AC-DC power supplies. The chip is a production-ready component intended for industrial and consumer electronics.

Why it matters

Reducing standby power consumption is critical for meeting tightening global energy efficiency standards in consumer and industrial hardware. This device automates the discharge of capacitors, which previously required constant power draw from passive resistors.

The CAPZero-4 consumes less than 0.75 mW at 230 VAC while managing input capacitance from 100 nF to 6 μF. It supports an operating temperature range of -40°C to 125°C and is pin-compatible with the predecessor CAPZero-3.

The players

Power Integrations

A designer and manufacturer of high-voltage power conversion integrated circuits for energy-efficient power supplies.

The details

The CAPZero-4 functions as an intelligent switch that disconnects the discharge resistor when the device is plugged into AC power, eliminating energy loss. When the power supply is unplugged, the circuit detects the loss of AC input and reconnects the resistor to safely discharge stored energy. This mechanism ensures safety compliance for X-capacitors—components that suppress electromagnetic interference—without the continuous power draw associated with fixed-resistance methods.

October 27, 2026: Announcement of the CAPZero-4 integrated circuit.

The Tech Race

The CAPZero-4 serves as an incremental upgrade in the power management market, following the established architecture of the CAPZero-3. It competes by prioritizing tighter standby power budgets while retaining the same physical footprint for developers.

Engineers can now integrate this component into new industrial and consumer electronics to meet a 300 mW total standby power target. Because the chip is pin-compatible with previous versions, manufacturers can upgrade existing board designs without significant layout changes.

The takeaway

The CAPZero-4 represents a refinement of existing capacitor-discharge technology focused on meeting lower energy-consumption mandates. Designers should watch for updated technical datasheets from Power Integrations to confirm thermal performance in specific high-density power supply applications.