New 15-Inch and 17-Inch MacBook Pro Restricted to Discrete Graphics in Windows

[MacRumors]

A new support document posted by Apple yesterday notes that the company's new 15" and 17" MacBook Pro models released earlier this week are unable to utilize the Intel HD Graphics package when running in Windows and are thus restricted to using the discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M graphics card under such usage. The restriction affects Windows 7, Vista, and XP.

Windows cannot take advantage of both graphics processors that come with some MacBook Pro computers. By default, Windows uses the NVIDIA GT216 discrete graphics processor when available.

"GT216" is an internal code name used to identify a handful of graphics processors from NVIDIA, including the GeForce GT 330M used on the larger MacBook Pro models.

The ability for the system to seamlessly switch between the integrated graphics from Intel and NVIDIA's discrete graphics has been touted as one of the major feature implementations that has enabled Apple to significantly boost the battery life on its new MacBook Pros. Restricting the machine to discrete graphics only while booted into Windows will certainly have a detrimental effect on battery life for those users.

The news may not be a tremendous surprise given that the automatic graphics switching technology was developed by Apple and is handled by Mac OS X based on the frameworks being called upon by applications. Some users have, however, looked for official confirmation of this fact, and Apple has now provided it in its support documentation.

Article Link: New 15-Inch and 17-Inch MacBook Pro Restricted to Discrete Graphics in Windows

 

[macUser2007]

Phew!

I am glad I bought a Mac Book Pro in the late Fall.

Is this some new Apple evil-doing, or just a shortcoming of the hardware? (It doesn't happen with the new 27" iMacs....)

 

[kolax]

Phew!

I am glad I bought a Mac Book Pro in the late Fall.

Is this some new Apple evil-doing, or just a shortcoming of the hardware?

You do realise that your MacBook Pro will only use the 9600GT when in Windows via Boot Camp and you can't switch to the 9400M?

 

[macUser2007]

You do realise that your MacBook Pro will only use the 9600GT when in Windows via Boot Camp and you can't switch to the 9400M?

I personally do not care to use the lower performance card in Windows.

The problem with the new Mac Books Pro is, that it is the reverse, thus they are useless for gaming.

 

[TealShark]

You do realise that your MacBook Pro will only use the 9600GT when in Windows via Boot Camp and you can't switch to the 9400M?

In my case I only boot into Windows when I want to game, so I have no complaints about this limiation in my old MacBook Pro.

 

[kolax]

In my case I only boot into Windows when I want to game, so I have no complaints about this limiation in my old MacBook Pro.

I personally do not care to use the lower performance card in Windows.

The problem with the new Mac Books Pro is, that it is the reverse, thus they are useless for gaming.

Eh?

Did you guys even read the post?

It is restricted to the discrete graphics when in Windows. This is no different from the previous MacBook Pro's!

 

[martynmc7]

At least it isn't restricted to the integrated graphics, that would upset a lot of people!

 

[Feng Shui]

I personally do not care to use the lower performance card in Windows.

The problem with the new Mac Books Pro is, that it is the reverse, thus they are useless for gaming.

Phew!

I am glad I bought a Mac Book Pro in the late Fall.

Is this some new Apple evil-doing, or just a shortcoming of the hardware? (It doesn't happen with the new 27" iMacs....)

Haha, you made my day. You're just jealous of the new MBP.

 

[macUser2007]

Eh?

Did you guys even read the post?

It is restricted to the discrete graphics when in Windows. This is no different from the previous MacBook Pro's!

Eh, duh.... I didn't register right.... In cursory reading he number somehow got mixed with the onboard one in my head.... My bad.

 

[macUser2007]

Haha, you made my day. You're just jealous of the new MBP.

Not so jealous, really. I have an i7 iMac and I can't tell the speed difference from my earlier iMac in everyday tasks, so ....

But you worship the Devil, my religious friend.

 

[thefunkymunky]

The news may not be a tremendous surprise given that the automatic graphics switching technology was developed by Apple and is handled by Mac OS X based on the frameworks being called upon by applications. Some users have, however, looked for official confirmation of this fact, and Apple has no provided it in its support documentation.

Not it wasn't. It was developed by nVidia. Apple have just written the drivers for OSX. If you have a standard PC notebook with the same dual-graphics cards Windows is able to switch between both.

 

[kolax]

Not it wasn't. It was developed by nVidia. Apple have just written the drivers for OSX. If you have a standard PC notebook with the same dual-graphics cards Windows is able to switch between both.

nVidia said Apple made this on their own and haven't used any Optimus stuff.

 

[macswitcha2]

I don't understand all this talk about gaming ... seems to me that Apple is not interested in making their laptops for gaming purposes.


It looks to me like iPad is what they see gaming being focused on.


I think Apple is presently preparing something just for gamers. I would say in two to three years they will come out with a gaming machine. Just watch.

 

[ltcol266845]

I'm surprised that drivers on the Windows side that don't come from Apple couldn't accomplish this.

Optimus isn't really an option as that would require an integrated nVidia card, no?

Either way, as many said, the biggest reason to boot into Windows is for gamin anyway, so no biggie.

 

[theelysium]

HA, Duh

Windows Sucks Behind!

Of course that inferior OS can't switch between graphic cards! It has trouble with just one, let alone two!

Apple has tons of games on their systems. You don't need windows for a lot of recent releases.

apple.com/games

 

[archurban]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

That's why it is still ripped off, over price, piece of ****. It doesn't need review. Excepting processor, nothing isn't changed at all. 256MB dedicated graphic memory with $2000 price? Are you kidding me? I expected something about more than 512MB at least. By the way, lower performance in windows side doesn't seem to fix by software at all in this time. Too bad. That's why no matter what MacBook is, don't plat game on it.

 

[archurban]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

Windows Sucks Behind!

Of course that inferior OS can't switch between graphic cards! It has trouble with just one, let alone two!

Apple has tons of games on their systems. You don't need windows for a lot of recent releases.

apple.com/games

Yeah, but the problem is that you can't enjoy recently released games right away. I can't wait for more than damn years to play. Who does? Stupid. Windows can switch automatically between intel HD and grahphic card when it needs. It was on PC first by Sony long time ago. Optimus is already avaliabke for Asus laptops. If you don't have info, just shut up, will you?

 

[BigJimmyC]

Windows Sucks Behind!

Of course that inferior OS can't switch between graphic cards! It has trouble with just one, let alone two!

Apple has tons of games on their systems. You don't need windows for a lot of recent releases.

apple.com/games

The reason graphic switching doesn't work in windows is because apple didn't bother to write a driver to do that. They're lazy and don't care about supporting windows fully, just enough so that people who are on the fence can buy a mac and have their windows too. As was pointed out earlier in the thread, nvidia makes windows drivers that switch between graphics cards. Whether or not those could be used on these models is another issue though. I've personally never tried running nvidia drivers on my mbp when in windows...

 

[macUser2007]

Windows Sucks Behind!

Of course that inferior OS can't switch between graphic cards! It has trouble with just one, let alone two!

Apple has tons of games on their systems. You don't need windows for a lot of recent releases.

apple.com/games

Who cares what you think about what we need? Who are you, Steve Jobs?

Windows, just like OS X, has its pluses and minuses. And Flash and games are one of its pluses....

 

[---]

So could I use the integrated graphics while using Windows through Parallels or Fusion?

 

[BigJimmyC]

So could I use the integrated graphics while using Windows through Parallels or Fusion?

Yes, but emulating another OS via Parallels/Fusion will suck up a lot more CPU power than running it natively, so I doubt you'd see much/any improvement in battery life.

 

[---]

Yes, but emulating another OS via Parallels/Fusion will suck up a lot more CPU power than running it natively, so I doubt you'd see much/any improvement in battery life.

Thanks.

Does anyone know what the battery life is when running with the discrete graphics (on Mac OS X)? It can't be too bad can it? I'm thinking an hour or 2 less, but definitely not 4 or 5 hours...

 

[Jamo12]

Thanks.

Does anyone know what the battery life is when running with the discrete graphics (on Mac OS X)? It can't be too bad can it? I'm thinking an hour or 2 less, but definitely not 4 or 5 hours...

On my late 09' MacbookPro w/ discrete graphics I can get 3 - 4 hours out of the supposed 7 hour battery while photoshopping. I would assume 4-5 with the better battery life

 

[foidulus]

Phew!

Is this some new Apple evil-doing, or just a shortcoming of the hardware? (It doesn't happen with the new 27" iMacs....)

Well, to be fair iMac users rarely have to worry about battery life

 

[thejadedmonkey]

If you disable the nVidia card in device manager, will the computer be able to use the 4500HD at all?