Forcing Integrated Graphics - New 15" rMBP

[daudi81]

Obviously the dedicated graphics makes the battery drain a LOT faster, so I've been trying to find solutions to force the laptop to run integrated only when I'm on battery. I rarely, if ever, need the dedicated when it's on battery, so keeping it integrated graphics only is optimal.

I downloaded a program called gfxCardStatus v2.3 - and it KIND of does what I want. However, the programs I run the most (Chrome, and some screen capture software) force it to run dedicated graphics. If I have those programs running, gfxCardStatus won't go to integrated.

The latter programs obviously don't require dedicated graphics, so i don't know why gfxCardStatus won't allow integrated graphics when they are running - but it gives me this reason: http://gfx.io/switching.html#integrated-only-mode-limitations. Something about Chrome being on the 'dependancies' list. Obviously Chrome does not NEED dedicated graphics to run correctly - so this is completely bogus. The screen capture program I use is very light and I can run it on my iPad - so obviously that doesn't need dedicated either.

Are there any other solutions?

 

[jondunford]

did you switch it to integrated only before opening those programs?

for me i get that message if i try switching with the programs open but if i switch then open them it works fine

 

[tcdesign]

You have to switch it to integrated before you launch the program - i.e. when the dependencies list is empty. Then when you launch Chrome it will stay on integrated.

 

[dusk007]

It helps to just read more carefully there is everything in your link.

gfxCardStatus v2.3 and above actively prevents you from switching to Integrated Only mode when any apps are in the Dependencies list

Anytime the dGPU is active you need to shut down all the programs in the depedency list to switch to Integrated ONLY Mode. They have to make you do that because otherwise the Mode doesn't work properly and the dGPU stays active. They used to allow it in early versionsof gfxCardStatus but eventually figured out the bug. There is just no way around it other than to restart your apps.
BTW although it isn't necessary it is sometimes advisible to restart apps that would normally trigger the dGPU but you forced to use Iris Pro (via integrated only mode) to restart once you go back to the dGPU. They won't work porperly quite often in my experience. Not so always true for Chrome as it is only seperate processes of Chrome that trigger the dGPU and they respawn on their own if you give them enough time.