MacBook Pro mid 2009 preferences Energy Saver

[darmr]

Available Cards:
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory3
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR3 memory

Preference Options:
Better battery Life
Higher Performance

Which of these settings stops the graphics card switching between the two graphics cards?
I’d like to keep using the GeForce 9600M GT.

pmset -g shows:
Active Profiles:
Battery Power -1
AC Power -1*
Currently in use:
womp 0
autorestart 0
halfdim 1
sms 0
hibernatefile /var/vm/sleepimage
gpuswitch 2
networkoversleep 0
disksleep 0
sleep 0
hibernatemode 0
ttyskeepawake 1
displaysleep 0
acwake 0
lidwake 1

What relevance does the setting “gpuswitch 2” play in all this?
I have Higher Performance preference selected and my mac is running beautifully.
Am i correct in thinking the Better Battery Life is the option that would switch cards automatically?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

OS X will use the optimum card as needed why worry about it.

 

[darmr]

It’s not so much that i’m worried. I just like to understand how my mac functions.

It is running very well. However when i open a large project i “sometimes” see slight glitches in graphics GUI, not always!.. so i thought it might be the card actually switching.

Also when Energy Saving is selected i see errors in console like “Failed to update bookmark for item”…
When Higher Performance is selected they aren’t there?

I think it would be good to pin and only use the 9600 GT card, is this possible?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

It’s not so much that i’m worried. I just like to understand how my mac functions.

It is running very well. However when i open a large project i “sometimes” see slight glitches in graphics GUI, not always!.. so i thought it might be the card actually switching.

Also when Energy Saving is selected i see errors in console like “Failed to update bookmark for item”…
When Higher Performance is selected they aren’t there?

I think it would be good to pin and only use the 9600 GT card, is this possible?

You can use gfxcardstatus to choose whichever card you would like. See here for download.

https://gfx.io/

However I would think long and hard before you do it, that card is known for failing when put under more stress and yours has lasted well, forcing it on all the time may well be the cause of a failure for it.

 

[darmr]

You can use gfxcardstatus to choose whichever card you would like. See here for download.

https://gfx.io/

However I would think long and hard before you do it, that card is known for failing when put under more stress and yours has lasted well, forcing it on all the time may well be the cause of a failure for it.

Thank you. much appreciated.. I agree, my mac is running loverly, it isn't worth the risk.
I'm running El Capitan 10.11.5 and loving it.