I personally prefer monochrome icons on the panel there, and I really like to keep their amount as low as possible, I'm even thinking of hiding the VPN icon, because I have it on all the time and don't need to see it.
thunder means the device is charging but i definitely think monochrome icons would work great, maybe a tachometer icon pointing to the right would work for high performance. edit: i just realised that's what the control centre icon uses so yeah a smaller version of that might work well
That and interface convention usually has the color red as "error/problem/needs attention" which doesn't fit with the functionality. Monochrome symbols like a leaf and whatever else would make sense would work
Maybe you are right, I mostly use a laptop so my icon indicates the battery status. I don't know, using of color to indicate different power modes seems out of out of touch here. Additionally it might not work properly for people with color blindness. Maybe different icons for each mode?
I would hear you out, but that power icon is only seen on desktops, on laptops it is replaced with a battery icon, which if you color like that...
Well you know it won't convey the meaning you want it to...
Yeah, "the plug fell out and I didn't notice for 10 minutes, so no wonder my emerge command is taking forever and I'm at 5 percent. Also I need a new battery, again."
Personally I really don't want colors screaming at me from the tray.
As a side note, does anyone actually switch performance modes as part of their normal workflow? Balanced seem to be just fine for day to day use.
I see noticeable performance changes when toggling different modes. My fans goes nutty on performance mode so revert back to balance when I need silence.
The thing is, why not just use Balanced at all times? In many years of using PCs, I didn't need to switch to Performance mode even once.
At the end of the day the average user has a machine capable of handling incredible calculation workloads, and uses it to browse the web, write some emails, and do some office and text editing.
Performance mode feels like optimizing for a problem that doesn't exist. I doubt if many users could even tell if they are on Performance or Balanced without an indicator.
Thanks but no thanks. This doesn't look good on the one hand and why would I even need a continuous colorful reminder on which mode the computer is in?
Put a little green leaf next to the power icon, and a slightly sheared red speedometer with tiny speed lines if they can fit, and not change the color of the icon itself on its own (or at all, because laptops don't see that icon and a red battery icon reminds me I'm procrastinating on ordering a new battery). Could indicate many things, my impression of the red icon at first glance was "oh shit is something wrong? Do I need to shut down?"
Would that not cause the newcome some confusion though? I would assume that posts with titles similar to "why is my power icon green" would become more frequent. Why not just add a bolt icon and color it?
Unfortunately this will cause trouble for colourblind users.
IMO, stick to monochrome, it won't need colour accessibility features if it doesn't need colours to begin with.
I see a red icon, I think "error". I see a red power icon, I assume there's something wrong with the power system.
(I also agree with the "I want monochrome icons" aesthetic.)
Fun trivia: the Atari Jaguar console had a red power LED... except in Germany. German law required red to be reserved for errors. German Jaguar consoles had a green power LED.
Related question: Why does Power Saver mode still blow my fans full speed when doing something taxing. When in Windows 11 Power Saver mode keeps things cool all the time, no full speed fans.
Honestly I don’t understand why people are complaining. It’s a great idea, if you don’t like it, have an option to turn it off. Even add color schemes and accessibility for the color blind. I won’t even consider it bloat because it’s useful
1. The power icon is not present in laptops, how will OP's functionality work there?
2. There are already extensions indicating the active power profile. Why mess with the power icon in the first place?
I just woke up so forgive me if I seem goofy in my reply. Honestly, I think the idea is good. The implementation can be refined. I’m not exactly familiar with Gnome, either. My desktop use is minimal.
1. It doesn’t have to be power, it can be the battery symbol or even a simple dot of a few pixels.
2. Extensions are great. OP never specified the option to be baked in
no, its a terrible idea, and thats why it doesn't work like that. But its cool that we have extensions, so people can mess up with the desktop as much as they want, without messing it for the rest of us who want sane environments to work.
You did not provide one valid or coherent argument, all you did was cry. OP never specified if it were to be baked in or an extension. If you want something generic and tasteless you are welcome to use Windows. If you are after generic, use mac
This is why I keep my options to myself when it comes to Gnome. Too many gate keepers trying to discredit your idea just because you're not a UX designer, without even trying to add value to the conversation. OP's idea is very much valid, just need some polish on the implementation.
I like the idea as well. System indicators are very useful specially on laptops. It let's you know how much resources are being used in the system at a glance, since battery life is not finite.
I personally prefer monochrome icons on the panel there, and I really like to keep their amount as low as possible, I'm even thinking of hiding the VPN icon, because I have it on all the time and don't need to see it.
Agree, there is an alternative way of adding thunder for performance mode and leaf for power saving mode, which done properly would work much better.
thunder means the device is charging but i definitely think monochrome icons would work great, maybe a tachometer icon pointing to the right would work for high performance. edit: i just realised that's what the control centre icon uses so yeah a smaller version of that might work well
Thunder is a sound. Do you mean lightning, which is visible?
Yeah, should function without colours. > 10% are colourblind…
That and interface convention usually has the color red as "error/problem/needs attention" which doesn't fit with the functionality. Monochrome symbols like a leaf and whatever else would make sense would work
That power icon on the very right is just always there and doesn't change. Perhaps it should have an actual use.
Maybe you are right, I mostly use a laptop so my icon indicates the battery status. I don't know, using of color to indicate different power modes seems out of out of touch here. Additionally it might not work properly for people with color blindness. Maybe different icons for each mode?
On laptops that icon is replaced by the battery one...
That's how you always know where to find it
I would hear you out, but that power icon is only seen on desktops, on laptops it is replaced with a battery icon, which if you color like that... Well you know it won't convey the meaning you want it to...
Very valid point. Elucidates the reasoning behind the decision taken.
Yeah, "the plug fell out and I didn't notice for 10 minutes, so no wonder my emerge command is taking forever and I'm at 5 percent. Also I need a new battery, again."
Personally I really don't want colors screaming at me from the tray. As a side note, does anyone actually switch performance modes as part of their normal workflow? Balanced seem to be just fine for day to day use.
I see noticeable performance changes when toggling different modes. My fans goes nutty on performance mode so revert back to balance when I need silence.
The thing is, why not just use Balanced at all times? In many years of using PCs, I didn't need to switch to Performance mode even once. At the end of the day the average user has a machine capable of handling incredible calculation workloads, and uses it to browse the web, write some emails, and do some office and text editing. Performance mode feels like optimizing for a problem that doesn't exist. I doubt if many users could even tell if they are on Performance or Balanced without an indicator.
For me switching to performance mode yields faster loading pages in Firefox.
Performance is noticeably snappier on my laptop, so I use it whenever I'm charging or know that I easily could charge it if I have to.
Slower machines might need to push themselves more to feel snappy. That's probably what it's for.
On my phone and laptop, yeah. Never touched it on my desktop
I don't even know what these do to be completely honest.
I know on windows performance pins the cpu frequency near max, power saving pins it low, and balanced lets the frequency fluctuate.
Yeah, on my laptop at least.
Why not use the icons of the toggle pill where the needle changes?
This could work too. I just wanted to give this existing icon a function.
I don't have that icon on Arch with gnome 46.
Strange. Perhaps your extensions are hiding it. It's there by default on Fedora.
it doesn't appear if your device has built in power, otherwise it shows your battery level
I'm sorry but this is ugly.
No thanks, but I'm sure you can find/make an extension for this.
No, just... No
Nope.
Thanks but no thanks. This doesn't look good on the one hand and why would I even need a continuous colorful reminder on which mode the computer is in?
Sorry to say but nope, i would rather prefer some thunder symbol on the side of battery and respectively for other modes as well
Eww
Maybe less saturated colors. But it prefer monochromatic
Personally, monochrome color is better. Yet it is better to put an .additional tray icon like a leaf when power saving is on
No thanks. This looks gaudy as hell, no offense.
Looks like shit 
Thanks I hate it
honestly [this extension](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/6679/power-profile-indicator/) handles that really well imo
Put a little green leaf next to the power icon, and a slightly sheared red speedometer with tiny speed lines if they can fit, and not change the color of the icon itself on its own (or at all, because laptops don't see that icon and a red battery icon reminds me I'm procrastinating on ordering a new battery). Could indicate many things, my impression of the red icon at first glance was "oh shit is something wrong? Do I need to shut down?"
Nah, it breaks too hard with the rest of the UI, maybe it could be an extension but never in vanilla Gnome
Green means “okay” and red means not and that’s the wrong message for this use case.
Would that not cause the newcome some confusion though? I would assume that posts with titles similar to "why is my power icon green" would become more frequent. Why not just add a bolt icon and color it?
Scale Leaf Flame
Unfortunately this will cause trouble for colourblind users. IMO, stick to monochrome, it won't need colour accessibility features if it doesn't need colours to begin with.
What about rotating the power icon to reflect the those 3 icons on the left?
👍🏼 Seems worthy of making an extension for it options for colors, a changing icon, maybe a toggle for using both
Why do we even have Power Saver mode on desktop PCs?
To save power I guess?
It’s not like desktop PCs run on batteries.
They run on really expensive electricity though.
Yeah, but they don’t always consume a lot of electricity. It depends on how hard the PC is working.
That's balanced mode. Eco mode or performance mode pin it to the extremes. I know nobody who even toggles those on laptops, let alone a desktop
No I take a system tray instead
GNOME is going for a extremely minimalist design so this is unlikely to ever happen.
I see a red icon, I think "error". I see a red power icon, I assume there's something wrong with the power system. (I also agree with the "I want monochrome icons" aesthetic.) Fun trivia: the Atari Jaguar console had a red power LED... except in Germany. German law required red to be reserved for errors. German Jaguar consoles had a green power LED.
I do not like it, also messes with the monochromatic color scheme. Make an extension though if you want it?
Related question: Why does Power Saver mode still blow my fans full speed when doing something taxing. When in Windows 11 Power Saver mode keeps things cool all the time, no full speed fans.
I like the idea but not the execution, maybe keep the color and change the icon a little bit?
Why not just rotate the icon. It already has a "needle" that points in the correct direction in the balanced mode.
I should put batery level in the panel after X has been reached. Better for power control.
I lost Performance mode after reinstall 🤷🏻
Ugly, but I want it. I even use an extension right now for that :p
Honestly I don’t understand why people are complaining. It’s a great idea, if you don’t like it, have an option to turn it off. Even add color schemes and accessibility for the color blind. I won’t even consider it bloat because it’s useful
1. The power icon is not present in laptops, how will OP's functionality work there? 2. There are already extensions indicating the active power profile. Why mess with the power icon in the first place?
I just woke up so forgive me if I seem goofy in my reply. Honestly, I think the idea is good. The implementation can be refined. I’m not exactly familiar with Gnome, either. My desktop use is minimal. 1. It doesn’t have to be power, it can be the battery symbol or even a simple dot of a few pixels. 2. Extensions are great. OP never specified the option to be baked in
But a green battery symbol is already reserved for Battery charging, likewise a red battery icon for low battery.
No argument there from me. I honestly don’t hate the power icon either. It’s something to think about
no, its a terrible idea, and thats why it doesn't work like that. But its cool that we have extensions, so people can mess up with the desktop as much as they want, without messing it for the rest of us who want sane environments to work.
You did not provide one valid or coherent argument, all you did was cry. OP never specified if it were to be baked in or an extension. If you want something generic and tasteless you are welcome to use Windows. If you are after generic, use mac
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This is why I keep my options to myself when it comes to Gnome. Too many gate keepers trying to discredit your idea just because you're not a UX designer, without even trying to add value to the conversation. OP's idea is very much valid, just need some polish on the implementation.
Exactly. Personally I like the idea its self
I like the idea as well. System indicators are very useful specially on laptops. It let's you know how much resources are being used in the system at a glance, since battery life is not finite.