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Found way to know what GPU is in use!

I just tested it in Safari as well, with both gmail.com and my iGoogle page, both of which force the 330M to come on. It almost looks like the 330M kicks in when the chat pain in either gmail or iGoogle finishes loading. Surely discrete graphics are not necessary in this instance.

I have a lot of add-ons in Firefox, Safari is completely untouched. I never use it. I wonder if one of the "Labs" features in gmail could be causing it?

EDIT -

I just tried another gmail account that doesnt have any Labs features enabled and it still uses the 330M in both Firefox and Safari.
 
I have a large number of tabs open in Firefox, gmail and google reader among them, and it is using the intel gpu.
My firefox has flashblock, weave, and test pilot installed as add-ons.

Additionally, skype causes the 330m to be used, though in a video call that could make sense.

Could this be related to which processor is in the laptop? Maybe the i5 chips kick in the 330m earlier than the i7 chips?
I'd call this unlikely, but it could be worth looking into.

FWIW, I have an i7 15" with the 1680x1050 screen.
 
Well I'm just confused... Literally all I have open is Safari with this page, no other tabs, and it still says I'm on the 330... Any idea why?
 
Scorch07 said:
Well I'm just confused... Literally all I have open is Safari with this page, no other tabs, and it still says I'm on the 330... Any idea why?
Click to expand...

Do you have any menubar apps open? Or perhaps it has something to do with the Flash ads that this forum has displayed. Try ClickToFlash.
 
WiLLGT09 said:
Do you have any menubar apps open? Or perhaps it has something to do with the Flash ads that this forum has displayed. Try ClickToFlash.
Click to expand...

I even closed Safari and it was still on it (and yes, I'm refreshing system profiler). So it has to be a background process. I had iStat menus open but I closed that down just in case.
 
Scorch07 said:
I even closed Safari and it was still on it (and yes, I'm refreshing system profiler). So it has to be a background process. I had iStat menus open but I closed that down just in case.
Click to expand...

Hmm that is odd. I'm currently using Intel HD graphics and I have Safari (multiple tabs), Twitterrific (Tweetie uses Nvidia), iTunes, iChat, Mail, Pastebot menubar app, and iStat Menu all open.

Have you run a Software Update? Have you installed the MacBook Pro Software Update 1.3? - http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1026
 
WiLLGT09 said:
Hmm that is odd. I'm currently using Intel HD graphics and I have Safari (multiple tabs), Twitterrific (Tweetie uses Nvidia), iTunes, iChat, Mail, Pastebot menubar app, and iStat Menu all open.

Have you run a Software Update? Have you installed the MacBook Pro Software Update 1.3? - http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1026
Click to expand...

Yup, I'm all up to date. Is it possible it's the "qmasterd" process even though Compressor isn't actually open?
 
Damn. I was about to pull the trigger on a new 15" 2.4 i5, but this particular issue has caused me to hold back for a while. Hopefully this will be fixable by a software update, and preferably in the very near future - my 2006 Core Duo machine is getting a bit long in the tooth!
 
Hmm... I tried restarting and quitting that qmasterd process I mentioned... still running. I can't figure it out...
 
I @replied Cloud App on Twitter. Cloud is one of the apps that will invoke the 330M. Here is their reply: "You'll notice that it says it turns it on when Core Animation is used. The menu bar uses Core Animation to do various animations"

So, even these mundane and graphically non-intensive apps that use Core Animation will activate the 330M.

:(
 
More from Cloud App devs...

from me: "could we have an option to disable animations? I've ceased using Cloud since I want to run it all time."

Their reply: "Unfortunately, that is not possible because it checks linked frameworks. I think this fix will have to be by Apple."

I don't know what this means, but hopefully Apple can fix it.
 
from the Path Finder dev.

This is a relay from the related thread at the Apple Support Discussions:

I'm the guy who wrote Path Finder. Just found out about this issue today and I've emailed a guy at Apple to see if I can get an answer. Path Finder uses Core Animation to draw the sidebar and a few other places, so that could be it, but I can't say for sure. In any case, I think this is something Apple is going to have to fix on their end. Path Finder does nothing special beyond drawing views in core animation layers which is not something that should kick in the high performance GPU.
Click to expand...

Again, more evidence that Core Animation is the problem point for this and that Apple may be the ones needed to address this, rather that individual app developers.
 
As long as Apple gets enough feedback about this and how it's affecting battery life, I think they will issue a proper fix. I wouldn't be surprised if it comes relatively quickly. They usually fix new machines quickly if there's big problems (recent iMacs and Mac Pros, for example) as long as they are aware of the problem.

That said, be absolutely sure that Apple does not read MacRumors forum threads looking for potential problems with their products.

The only way they will know it's an issue is if devs of Mac apps keep emailing them and for us end users to send them feedback.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

Could you imagine if they got 4,000+ feedbacks from everyone that has viewed this thread? Unfortunately, i'm sure almost nobody has done it.
 
skype in background cases 330m to run

FYI everyone!!!!! I just installed skype and unfortunately when skype is running in background, it forces the macbook pro to switch to the 330m. Does anyone have a workaround for that?
 
tworth23 said:
FYI everyone!!!!! I just installed skype and unfortunately when skype is running in background, it forces the macbook pro to switch to the 330m. Does anyone have a workaround for that?
Click to expand...

Yeah, we know about Skype on this issue. No workaround that I know of yet. That said, just open Skype and use it for when you need to and quit the app when you aren't using it.
 
I've noticed that my 330m (15" High Res i7) is always on. I've never seen the Intel GPU turned on yet.

I've restarted and shut down the computer a few times to see, and the same thing occurs - the Intel graphics chip is almost never used.

Is anyone else experiencing this?
 
Please note I've only tested this on my 17" MBP i7 - I don't have any of the other models available to test with. This will definitely not work with any previous generation MBPs...in fact, it will more than likely crash. The device names are hard-coded right now, as I wanted it to just be a quick-hit app. It's drop dead simple...just text, no fancy icon. Although I'd certainly be willing to modify it according to any suggestions, or if anyone has any issues with it.

Behold! gfxCardStatus:
http://codykrieger.com/gfxCardStatus/

Just go to the above page and click the download link. Be sure to let me know if it works out for you!
 
guitarfreak846 said:
Someone needs to make a utility that allows us to switch to integrated only.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to figure out how to do that - I have absolutely no experience with doing any kind of lowish-level device programming in OS X, but if I can muster it I'd be happy to build it into the menu bar app I just posted above.
 
bitninja said:
Please note I've only tested this on my 17" MBP i7 - I don't have any of the other models available to test with. It's drop dead simple...just text, no fancy icon. Although I'd certainly be willing to modify it according to any suggestions, or if anyone has any issues with it.

Behold! gfxCardStatus:
http://codykrieger.com/gfxCardStatus.app.zip

Be sure to let me know if it works out for you!
Click to expand...

epic. works perfectly for me. I'm gonna look into how to make an icon, thought the text works nicely too.
 
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