Firefox 4.0 and Chrome 10 activating dedicated video card. MBP 2011

[Derango]

The new generation of browser uses the GPU for rendering. Which is a good thing.

I will make the counter argument that this = more performance. Which to me, I would take over battery life. But I know most people will boo hoo about this.

The problem is that they switch to the discrete GPU whether or not what you're doing requires it. More performance yes, but it's more performance in the way that using a Ferrari to drive your kids to school is more performance. It gets the job done, but it's not getting the job done any better or faster than the mini-van in front of you.

Almost nothing that a normal browsing session is using the GPU for requires the discrete GPU. Safari does this correctly. It only switches when you do full screen flash video.

 

[grayh0und]

Ive always had this too, so unless i have an external monitor connected, i just switch gfxCardStatus to integrated only. Flash and everything still works perfectly, even HD youtube videos.

 

[SuprUsrStan]

Almost nothing that a normal browsing session is using the GPU for requires the discrete GPU. Safari does this correctly. It only switches when you do full screen flash video.

Exactly. The move to hardware acceleration is great because it allows browsers to run more smoothly flash and all. In the case of the 13 inches, they get the hardware acceleration from the 3000HD while still saving power (more or less). For us 15 inchers, the downside is rather than using the 3000HD, it's using a 6750M w/ 1GB mem. Unnecessary Overkill. Not to mention it keeps it powered up 100% of the time.

Chrome 10 is SLIGHTLY better as it kicks on the dedicated only when it needs to, ie. flash. However once you're done with the flash, because of how Chrome is programmed, the subroutine doesn't actually go away and keeps the card active.

As I said before, software developers for OSX NEED to realize that a simple port from windows is not enough. I bet you Firefox and Chrome and maybe even skype will eventually fix their code so that, at the least, it'll use the dedicated video card only when flash or some other intensive app. That or Lion fixes this mess up.

 

[darkeartg]

So I initially created this thread to look for a program to show when the video card was active but I've found one myself. http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/33905/gfxcardstatus

Now my problem is it seems like whenever Firefox is open, the video card kicks on. Even if it's just a blank screen with no webpage open. That probably explains why I only got 4 hours of battery life last night while browsing. As soon as Firefox is completely closed, the dedicated symbol changes to integrated.

Chrome seems to have this issue as well while Safari does not.

This is precisely the reason why I use safari now when i'm on battery, i get crazy battery life that way. At home i sometimes use chrome but after using safari eh, chrome isn't that much better. my computer also runs alot cooler obviously with safari getting under 40C

 

[diamond.g]

Just a note. The Thumbnail Updater process for Safari does cause the dGPU to be activated. That must be a new feature because I don't recall seeing it do that prior to the most recent Safari update.

 

[endless17]

The problem is that they switch to the discrete GPU whether or not what you're doing requires it. More performance yes, but it's more performance in the way that using a Ferrari to drive your kids to school is more performance. It gets the job done, but it's not getting the job done any better or faster than the mini-van in front of you.

Almost nothing that a normal browsing session is using the GPU for requires the discrete GPU. Safari does this correctly. It only switches when you do full screen flash video.

The problem isn't that of the browser - it should and needs to be an OS or driver-level decision as to whether the discrete part is utilized or not. On the Windows-side, this is a driver issue. Firefox 4 will typically throw my GTX460 from its idle state at 50mhz to 400mhz+ when in use.

 

[wandrer2]

This is quite annoying. If I force Intel graphics with gfxcardstatus, then scrolling in Firefox 4 is significantly less smooth.

I would almost consider downgrading...

(2010 MBP)

 

[matins]

chrome and firefox definitely need an update for this. right now if you want to use your new shiny mbp pro 15 or 17" for light browsing, you are obliged to use safari in order to have a good battery life...

 

[PurpleMarmalade]

chrome and firefox definitely need an update for this. right now if you want to use your new shiny mbp pro 15 or 17" for light browsing, you are obliged to use safari in order to have a good battery life...

Absolutely' it's the first time in living memory that I have switched to Safari. gfxcardstatus feels, to me, like a hacky solution to a problem that should not exist.

 

[ryanrich]

gfxcardstatus feels, to me, like a hacky solution to a problem that should not exist.

That's Apple. On my iPhone and Mac I have quite a few apps doing tasks that should really be integrated by default...

 

[diamond.g]

Absolutely' it's the first time in living memory that I have switched to Safari. gfxcardstatus feels, to me, like a hacky solution to a problem that should not exist.

I guess the question becomes how does Apple know when to switch between gpu's?

That is the problem that is seems, so far, that no one seems to know how to solve.

 

[nygfan80]

I had the same problem with firefox 4.0 so I switched back to 3.6.15 and then got an update for 3.6.16 and it's running even cooler now. I am averaging in the low 30's C now with my 2011. So far, it's browser that runs the coolest.

 

[Genocyde]

I noticed this also happens when I have Sparrow (Gmail client) open, the only way to get decent battery life I've found is to force integrated with gfxcardstatus. I emailed the Sparrow dev and received the following response:

As Twitter for Mac, and certainly a lot of future apps on Lion, Sparrow makes extensive use of Core animation. OS X triggers the GPU automatically and there's not much we can do about it.

 

[diamond.g]

I noticed this also happens when I have Sparrow (Gmail client) open, the only way to get decent battery life I've found is to force integrated with gfxcardstatus. I emailed the Sparrow dev and received the following response:

Yup, Apples way of doing it is easier to manage than any other way (ie the Windows way).

 

[daze]

Chrome is good, but not so good that I'd lose more than half my battery life. I'll use Safari, thank you very much.

 

[Blue Sun]

Chrome is good, but not so good that I'd lose more than half my battery life. I'll use Safari, thank you very much.

Why don't you just use gfxCardStatus?