Abstract: A dynamically configurable replacement technique in a unified or shared cache reduces domination by a particular functional unit or an application such as unified instruction/data caching by limiting the eviction ability to selected cache regions based on over utilization of the cache by a particular functional unit or application. A specific application includes a highly integrated multimedia processor employing a tightly coupled shared cache between central processing and graphics units wherein the eviction ability of the graphics unit is limited to selected cache regions when the graphics unit over utilizes the cache. Dynamic configurability can take the form of a programmable register that enables either one of a plurality of replacement modes based on captured statistics such as measurement of cache misses by a particular functional unit or application.