One embodiment of the invention sets forth a technique for compressing and storing display data and optionally compressing and storing cursor data in a memory that is local to a graphics processing unit to reduce the power consumed by a mobile computing device when refreshing the screen. Compressing the display data and optionally the cursor data also reduces the relative cost of the invention by reducing the size of the local memory relative to the size that would be necessary if the display data were stored locally in uncompressed form. Thus, the invention may improve mobile computing device battery life, while keeping additional costs low.