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New MBP: Do you have to MANUALLY switch to 9600 Graphics?

L

legaleye3000

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 31, 2007
1,377
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I heard that to enable the faster graphics, you have to log out and log back in to switch between 9400 and 9600... Is this true? If so, is there any word on when this will be automatic or if there is any current work around?

Also, how does it work in Windows 7 through Bootcamp? Same way? Thanks
 
That is true, you go through the energy prefs to change the CPU and that causes you to log out and back in.

You cannot change the GPU in windows or Linux, you can only run on the 9600m
 
Yeah, that's the truth. Next gen MBP will likely take advantage of nVidia Optimus which will automatically change between the GPUs depending on the workload.
 
Hellhammer said:
Yeah, that's the truth. Next gen MBP will likely take advantage of nVidia Optimus which will automatically change between the GPUs depending on the workload.
Click to expand...

Not according to nVidia, which stated that they had 'no plans' to develop Optimus for non Windows-based platforms. They could just be blowing smoke, but the bottom line is that we have no idea what Apple has planned for the phantom refresh.
 
SA22C said:
Not according to nVidia, which stated that they had 'no plans' to develop Optimus for non Windows-based platforms. They could just be blowing smoke, but the bottom line is that we have no idea what Apple has planned for the phantom refresh.
Click to expand...

nVidia just keeps their mouth shut so they won't leak anything. Nobody knows though, we'll see...
 
Indeed you do - rubbish, isn't it?

And that's the reason I've never actually used my 9600 card. For all I know, there isn't even one in there.
 
Hellhammer said:
nVidia just keeps their mouth shut so they won't leak anything. Nobody knows though, we'll see...
Click to expand...

Actually I believe nvidia were the ones who stated that this is windows only.

Edit:
Here's what I read
Speaking of Optimus, that also means that NG-ION netbooks are limited to Win7 systems. This won't be a concern for most users, but know in advance that installing Linux on such a netbook would mean the loss of your GPU functionality (short of some enterprising individuals figuring out how to do Optimus on their own, which I wouldn't put past the Linux community given time). NVIDIA informs us that there are currently no plans for Optimus on desktops or on other OSes.
Click to expand...

Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/2951/2
 
maflynn said:
Actually I believe nvidia were the ones who stated that this is windows only.

Edit:
Here's what I read


Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/2951/2
Click to expand...

Hmmm, interesting :(

Maybe they don't want to leak anything of Apple's plans? This is still in beta/prototype stage so maybe it's better that they concentrate on one OS and then they get it to work, then port it to other OSs.

As I said, we'll see... ;)
 
To be honest, I'm hoping that they said that so they keep news of future products under wraps.
 
Incorrect, the next gen MBPs will have ATI graphics with automatic switching technology codeveloped between Apple and AMD.
 
If you look on MACOSRUMORS there is an article about the rumored solution involving Apple and ATI (AMD) and Intel coming up with a new solution for realtime graphics switching. Now these people took everything to mean that Optimus would only work with an onboard Nvidia GPU and Nvidia discrete GPU but I find this to be false seeing as how Sony's Z series notebook uses it with a switch or automatically on the fly between Arrandale's IGP and a Nvidia discrete GPU.

With that said, I think it is highly possible that it could go either way but you can't knock off Optimus from the possibility list. There is evidence that Optimus can work with the onboard IGP and not just their own chipset like originally rumored. I don't know where these people got the ATI and Intel IGP switching rumor but I wouldn't rule it out given the high level of success of the recent ATI GPU's.
 
maximus06 said:
Incorrect, the next gen MBPs will have ATI graphics with automatic switching technology codeveloped between Apple and AMD.
Click to expand...
Source please.

Otherwise its just another rumor that may or may not be true.
 
Hellhammer said:
It's just a rumor with absolutely no backup. Yes, it's possible but it would be easier to believe if they had some evidence!
Click to expand...

Yeah like I said in my first post. There is no evidence and I've seen it no where else but in their rumor article. Now the Optimus possibility is totally a credible theory seeing how Sony integrated it in their Z series notebook as I stated also in my first post.

I know everyone is scared of having Arrandale's IGP as a possibility instead of a Nvidia integrated GPU to switch from but it is good enough for a $2000 Sony laptop obviously. You have to remember that this new onboard IGP is leaps over Intel's previous offerings.

ATI and Arrandale IGP switching would be welcome in my book but I believe Optimus will come to light giving that Sony is already using it.
 
Thing is, for all the ragging done on the 9400m, it's still better than Intel's most recent integrated GPU, so for those of us who have the MBP 13, getting an Intel IGP would be a step down.
 
SA22C said:
Thing is, for all the ragging done on the 9400m, it's still better than Intel's most recent integrated GPU, so for those of us who have the MBP 13, getting an Intel IGP would be a step down.
Click to expand...

As someone has already said on a different post, this is not necessarily true. It depends ultimately on the Arrandale chip used seeing as different models have different IGP's. Meaning that the IGP's come in at different clock speeds and whatnot. We all know that even sometimes Apple gets custom silicon from Intel that could come into play in this regard also.

Apple is a company that definately does not like to go backwards in performance so I seriously do not think they would use anything with less performance than the 9400m. That is just ridiculous and as has already been pointed out on another website the new IGP equals the 9400m in some cases and surpases it in other tests. This seems to be the trend when rating graphics processors against one another now. Intel would not have put this controller on die if they were going to keep the same ***** performance of old.
 
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