Pushing a chip beyond its normal operating mode in order to perform a short burst of computations that lasts only a few seconds. Decompressing a file or decoding an image takes an enormous amount of arithmetic operations that if speeded up would allow a smartphone or similar device to perform the function as if it were a desktop computer. After the sprint, the hardware has to rest so the heat cannot melt the ultra-fine lines and minuscule elements in the chip. See
active area.