The described techniques provide for the identification and utilization of different power consumption categories by a user equipment (UE) in wireless communications system. A power consumption category may correspond to a power consumption level (e.g., a powered circuitry configuration) of the UE. For example, a power consumption category may configure an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) resolution, a digital-to-analog conversion (DAC) resolution, a number of antennas, etc., that a UE may employ for communications. In some examples, a UE may report capability information to a base station, and the base station may use the information to explicitly or implicitly (e.g., via conveying thresholds or conditions to the UE for power consumption category switching or power consumption category selection) configure the UE with various power consumption categories. As such, the power consumption categories may be used by the base station and UE, in some scenarios, for reducing power consumption.