A user may invoke energy savings in the operation of a computational device performing a processing task. The device performs the processing task in the invoked energy savings mode and determines an energy amount expended by the device in performing the processing task in the energy savings mode, creating a net energy savings value as a difference between the energy amount expended and a standard energy expenditure amount predicted as required for the computational device to perform the processing task in high-performance mode. The device displays the net energy savings value to the user, with the user continuing the invoking of the energy savings mode or engaging another performance mode for the computational device as a function of the displaying.