I realize that the discrete graphics can't be turned off in bootcamp for the rMBP, leading to less than ideal heat and battery consumption when idle. Is this a feature that's available on other MacBook models with integrated and discrete GPU? Just curious if I should hold my breath on an update from Apple that allows switching.
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Turning off discrete GPU on rMBP in bootcamp
- Thread starter noiseordinance
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That only applies under OSX, not Windows.
As far as I know pretty much all of the dual GPU Macbooks use only the dedicated GPU under Windows.
No you shouldn't hold your breath for an update.
Apple has the muxing unit between both the gpus and they simply don't provide drivers under Windows for it. To Windows there is only the dGPU ever exposed and looped through the muxing unit by default apparently. The firmware simply doesn't let Windows in on the iGPU. It is not a missing feature, it is a deliberate choice. They would just have to make both available and provide or at least allow installation of the standard Optimus driver to allow swichting. Optimus is entirely in software and really only needs to get access to both GPUs. It cannot work without access to the Intel GPU.
Apple won't ever change that because they could have, ever since the 2010 models without much effort. They don't probably because they want OSX to look better besides Windows in battery life and heat characteristic. My guess or they are just incredibly lazy with bootcamp.
Apple has the muxing unit between both the gpus and they simply don't provide drivers under Windows for it. To Windows there is only the dGPU ever exposed and looped through the muxing unit by default apparently. The firmware simply doesn't let Windows in on the iGPU. It is not a missing feature, it is a deliberate choice. They would just have to make both available and provide or at least allow installation of the standard Optimus driver to allow swichting. Optimus is entirely in software and really only needs to get access to both GPUs. It cannot work without access to the Intel GPU.
Apple won't ever change that because they could have, ever since the 2010 models without much effort. They don't probably because they want OSX to look better besides Windows in battery life and heat characteristic. My guess or they are just incredibly lazy with bootcamp.
don't care so much about battery life in Bootcamp but macOS is way better for web surfing/emailing/messaging/faecbooking. Everything else = windows.
Apple is really too stupid to allow the graphics switching in Windows along with ACHI workining and better battery and heat optimized drivers. They want you to believe that yes Windows works great but yous believe that the Windows experience sucks compared to OS X. I use Windows on my MacBook Pro but I had to mess around with a few settings but yet my experience is that the notebook runs Windows better than any of the other notebooks I have had. I over look the heat issue and other stuff but even the battery life on it is still really impressive.