Why can't MBP use both GPU's at the same time?

[namethisfile]

Not sure if a similar thread exist, but, why can't the MBP leverage the integrated GPU and the dedicated GPU (in the 2010 and 2011 models) to work at the same time?

is it because one is Intel and the other is Nvidia and/or AMD?

 

[neondrgns]

yeah! and why can't I run and walk at the same time?!

 

[alust2013]

I think it may just be that one is integrated and one isn't. It's also possible that that would just use a lot of power, plus you can't use multiple GPUs for one display simultaneously.

 

[dagamer34]

FPS benefit in games isn't worth it, even if it were possible.

 

[Dalton63841]

Next-gen MBP's will have NO integrated graphics. Instead they will have 2 discrete AMD cards in Crossfire...
JUST KIDDING PEOPLE

 

[namethisfile]

i was thinking that it could help in games or 3D graphics or even in video editing.

 

[ZeroXX7]

I think it may just be that one is integrated and one isn't. It's also possible that that would just use a lot of power, plus you can't use multiple GPUs for one display simultaneously.

uhhh Yes you can, have you never heard of SLi or CrossfireX, the high end 17" Alienware has 2 ATI GPU's working together for 1 screen.

 

[dagamer34]

uhhh Yes you can, have you never heard of SLi or CrossfireX, the high end 17" Alienware has 2 ATI GPU's working together for 1 screen.

Those are always two dedicated cards at once, with the multi-GPU setup designed by one company. Notice how you can't combine an ATI card and a nVidia card and just expect them to magically work together.

 

[Bossboss]

yeah! and why can't I run and walk at the same time?!

this.

 

[namethisfile]

uhhh Yes you can, have you never heard of SLi or CrossfireX, the high end 17" Alienware has 2 ATI GPU's working together for 1 screen.

i am not really an engineer or techie, but, i was thinking of crossfire and sli, too and wondered why they can't do it with an integrated gpu and dedicated gpu using the open cl standard.

my initial (nonexpert) thought is that intel drivers can't "talk" work w/ drivers from amd/nvidia.

but, a recent article today has me thinking if this could be possible in the future, either from apple or windows, since neither platforms takes advantage of the integrated graphics to work at the same time with the dedicated graphics. currently, this is only possible in sli or corssfire configs with 2 dedicated gpu's in the windows platform.

article here:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/01/amd-compares-upcoming-llano-fusion-apu-with-intel-core-i7-kil/

so, perhaps, if AMD ever puts that out, apple can make Macbook (Super) Pros with SLI/Crossfire-like capabilities. they would have to adopt AMD's platform, of course, which is similar to Intel's Sandy Bridge w/ inetgrated GPU's, except, AMD's uses AMD's own GPUs and if, future vendors such as Apple puts a dedicated AMD GPU, then, wouldn't 2 AMD GPU's (inetgrated + dedicated) be easier for OS x or Windows to leverage both graphics to work at the same time?

 

[DarkVinda]

this would in theory work - there are motherboards that perform a hybrid xfire such as the ati hd3 series will then xfire with a certain video card if i remember rightly it was a 6 series card.

nope its a 780G chipset which is a HD3200 ati onboard gfx and then matched with a HD3xxx series pci-e video card

surely this must be a possibility for apple macbook pro's in the future if intel remove the stick from there rear end!!!

Vinda