Apple Mods Intel Chipset for Auto GPU Switching

[Marcus Yam]

Instead of Nvidia Optimus, Apple makes its own automatic graphics switching technology.

Apple Mods Intel Chipset for Auto GPU Switching : Read more

 

[cabose369]

Someone should sue Apple for modifying their computers and put Steve Jobs in jail! LOL!! (see below if you don't get it)

http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/fpposted/archive/2010/04/07/fp-tech-desk-rcmp-says-modifying-a-video-game-console-punishable-by-10-years-in-jail.aspx

"Modifying a console and computer is considered an illegal act under section 342.1 of the Criminal Code and is punishable by imprisonment for up to ten years," the RCMP said in the statement.

 

[Zinosys]

Mmm, interesting. I wonder what Intel has to say about this...

But this looks neat. I don't see what's wrong with that, save the fact that you can't disable the 330 for battery purposes. Maybe we'll see a driver update in the future.

Looks interesting nonetheless.

 

[cabose369]

[citation][nom]Zinosys[/nom]Saying that Steve should go to jail is pretty far out. That's a bit silly. I really doubt anything definitive is going to happen. (as we well know, Apple's legal team knows how to bend laws a bit).[/citation]

It was a joke......

 

[Zinosys]

[citation][nom]cabose369[/nom]It was a joke......[/citation]
I take people too seriously :|

 

[cabose369]

[citation][nom]Zinosys[/nom]I take people too seriously :|[/citation]



It's hard to tell over the internet.

 

[mianmian]

[citation][nom]cabose369[/nom]Someone should sue Apple for modifying their computers and put Steve Jobs in jail! LOL!! (see below if you don't get it)http://network.nationalpost.com/NP [...] -jail.aspx[/citation]
Hum.... I have to say Intel does not sell COMPUTER to Apple, only chipset & CPU. So it teaches us a way to void be in jail: Do not buy a whole computer. Just buy parts and make our own computer!

 

[tpi2007]

So Nvidia is in real trouble... if Microsoft decides to do the same in partnership with Intel, there goes Optimus down the drain...

add Tegra that isn't doing too well, GTX4xx that are out of stock everywhere (newegg, etc) or not even in stock at all:

Amazon.com for example says "The item has not yet been released" (both GTX 480 and 470):

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=GTX+480&x=0&y=0

Whereas Amazon.co.uk says they will dispatch within 1-2 months (yes, not 1 to 2 weeks, they are talking months, Semiaccurate was right all along)

Don't believe it? Check it out: both GTX 480 and 470:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gtx+480&x=0&y=0


Nvidia is in deep trouble. This is bad for the competition. Good for business though. Intel might buy it in a few months.

 

[dragonsqrrl]

Not sure if I'm reading this wrong, but Optimus does seem to have one significant advantage over Apple's solution. It's capable of shutting off the discrete GPU when only the integrated GPU is needed. This means seamless and automatic powering up and down of the discrete GPU, and not just placing it into a state of hibernation.

 

[dannyaa]

Marcus - really? The OS intelligently auto detects when to turn off the discrete. The only time you would want manual control is if you NEEDED the power but would rather have one extra hour of battery life (assuming you used the computer's full charge for this given task). Who in the world would want one extra hour of battery life so they could play their game at 15fps?

This is great. They built in a better solution into the core of their OS to improve the end user experience, and made it completely transparent.

 

[phatboe]

dannyaa: you are assuming that the only time one of those API's (OpenGL, Core Graphics, Quartz Composer) are called is when the user is playing a video game. Not everyone plays games, hell Macs don't even have that many games to play on it. Those API's could be called for other reasons and maybe those other functions don't require the full power of the discrete card. In that case it would be better to have the ability to disable the discrete card for power savings.

 

[vant]

The power savings would of been 9 hours instead of 8. It's not that great. Also, wouldn't the computer end up working harder to choke by with the IGP? It might use more energy to do something that can be done easily with discreet.

 

[bachok83]

The solution is very obvious. Any company could have come up with the idea.

What sets Apple apart is that they delivered it.

 

[DM0407]

Who in the world would want one extra hour of battery life so they could play their game at 15fps?

What are these games you speak of? This is a Mac.

 

[archibael]

" In fact, Apple appears to have modified the baseline HM55 Express Intel chipset to accommodate for this more advanced switching technology, according to a teardown done by iFixit."

Um... not seeing that. Looks like the standard HM55 hub. Why does anyone think it's been modified?

 

[K-zon]

The idea of being able to switch from one gpu the another is good. Should of went an idea further maybe an added in the idea of allowing both gpus to work together. With wifi and such disabled. You hear about performance and such as a sell feature but yet you must disable parts of your motherboard to get other parts to work or switch between part you want to work from another. But progress is progress.

 

[nebun]

it's good to see apple come up with their own ideas, and not stick with the manufacturers specs and software or the way the hardware runs. keep it up

 

[Guest]

Maybe having to come up with this solution to have decent graphics with an Intel CPU did push them into meeting with AMD. As more and more applications can be accelerated by a GPU, it will push companies like Apple away from Intel, who lack a capable GPU, and appear to be unwilling to let Nvidia build chipsets containing theirs.

There is a 99% chance I will never buy a Mac, but I will buy AMD instead of Intel if they are putting out a better product at my price point; and that level of a corporate deal would be great AMD, and for competition in the CPU market.

 

[Jarmo]

[citation][nom]dannyaa[/nom]Who in the world would want one extra hour of battery life so they could play their game at 15fps?[/citation]

Maybe World of Goo at 30fps instead of 100fps or whatever?
An elegant solution nonetheless, much better than the previous one. Besides, it'll take about a week before someone comes up with an app or console script to do the switch manually.

 

[Guest]

Take a look at http://codykrieger.com/gfxCardStatus/

One can switch between the 2 GPUs with this utility.