i5 G53jw - optimus enabled or not? how can you tell it?

Hello all,

Just got an Asus G53JW-IX045V last week.
The specs are: i5 460, 4GB ram, 500GB/7200 seagate momentus, gtx460m with 1.5GB ram, 3d Vision enabled - 3d glasses included, Windows 7 home premium preinstalled.

Now, how can i tell if Nvidia Optimus is enabled and working?
I've searched the forums here but didnt found an answer since most of people got the i7 version which doesn't have Optimus for sure (or my search skills are lacking )

 

Quick way to tell if Optimus is working is by seeing if you have a preferred graphics processor option in the NVidia control panel:



If this isn't enabled then check if you have an Intel IGP listed in your Display adapters. Optimus uses the NVidia gpu for processing but the IGP for rendering.

 

Thanks, I will (re)check when i get home, but I don't recall seeing the Preffered Graphic Processor setting in NVidia control panel and for sure I don't have another display adapter besides gtx460m listed in W7 device drivers.

That means it doesn's support it? Can i do something to enable it?
I know it's a gaming laptop, but sometimes one needs runtime not pure performance...

 

My G53jw, same config as you posted except the 3d stuff, did NOT have optimus. Don't think yours has.

 

G53JW does not support Optimus so is the new G73SW (even the CPU has Intel HD Graphics), another easy way to tell is go to device manager to see if it has Intel HD Graphics:

 

I just checked: no Intel HD Graphics in device manager and no Preffered Graphic Processor setting in NVidia control panel.
Bleah... This kinda sux...

 

Dear Lee,

Thx for the info regarding G73 not using Optimus as I'm really interested to buy the G73SW-3DE when it will be available... it sounds pitty that these laptops have the hardware and do not use it, while the N73SV which is equipped with a a 2630QM CPU and NVIDIA 540M uses optimus.

I would have complained of G73SW still using old 460M, but following
Mobile Graphics Cards - Benchmark List - Notebookcheck.net Tech
the 460M is on position 20, while 540M is on position 61...
on the other hand, would have been nice to see in G73 something like NVIDIA 470M (75 Watts as the 460M but at position 12 instead of 20)

 

What would be the possible reason why Asus didn't integrate the Optimus technology on their SW variants given that this could greatly increase battery life on typical use of the beast? Are they delaying the technology to earn much from the market?

 

Cost? Market Positioning? Market share towards other notebooks in their lineup?

 

It is really disappointing that they didn't include the Optimus technology. Good thing I'm not yet selling my G73JH-A2 for an SW as SW is just a JW with a new processor that's not meant to perform how it should. It's IGP feature is really wasted.

 

True; an upgrade from either jh or jw isnt justfied in terms of raw performance and the extra battery life provided you paid in full for them (jh/jw).

 

I would say that buying a G73SW 2630QM it's like buying A G73JH/JW with a processor that should be faster than the 940XM according to Mobile Processors - Benchmarklist - Notebookcheck.net Tech,
not to mention than autonomy read on this forum could be up to 3 or 4 hours...

So sounds like buying a G73SW now is much less expensive than any G73JH/JW with CPU upgraded to 940XM...

Any idea is Asus plan to have Optimus in the future in G73SW?

Also pitty that Asus web site do not yet show any spec of these new laptops... ok, it takes time to publish info... but I guess they had it before selling them...

Will the Asus Lamborghini VX7 use optimus? I guess not as it looks so close to G73SW... but with 3GB or Video ram instead of 1.5

 

Some have said that having optimus enabled would require a bios/software modification but I cannot recall where I saw that. Tbh I don't think Asus will enable optimus on the g73sw nor on the upcoming g53sw.

 

VX6 has optimus enabled, if VX7 will be sold with optimus enabled, then that would be better compared to JW.

 

In another thread I saw that it's possible to unmount the GPU from the G73 as it looks to be in a slot:
G73_Series_Chapter_02-v1.0.pdf
check page 21 of the maual, it states:
"Loosen 4 screws on the VGA thermal. Then remove the thermal. Remove 2 screws (M2*3) on the VGA card and remove the VGA card"

So does it mean that it would be possible to install another NVIDIA GPU?
Did anybody try?

 

You most prolly cannot as Asus uses a proprietary design (inversed mxm).

 

Hmmm... so it's like Asus could can have a top high power laptop that could be upgraded but they didn't allow it... that sounds pitty... their motherboards are so great, I discovered that their laptops are also, but these little limitations makes me feel a little unhappy (GPU not upgradable, no optimus, no e-sata...) but still ... a great laptop...

 

They most probably did that because they want people to buy what Asus has to offer each time they release new models/upgrades. That means more money for them, making our beasts not so future proof. But it's the reality. Innovation is so fast nowadays, and this fact is exploited on a whole wide basis Just a humble opinion.

 

Cost is the only reason they didn't use 470M.

Not just Asus, I notice most gaming latops has 460M or higher does not have Optimus enable, this is screenshot from MSI GT680R with i7-2630QM, Intel HD Graphics is not enable:

 

I read over in the alienware forum that the new m17x-r3,which basically has the same specs as the g73 with sandy bridge has optimus disabled if you have the 3dvision kit.
So it's possible that optimus isn't compatible with 3d.

 

Dear Lee,

Do you know if the 460M is manufactured by Asus?
If not, could it be upgraded with another NVIDIA GPU?
Did you try (or anybody else)?

 

It's not compatible with 120hz monitors.
The first gen (cheap)motherboards don't support intel on cpu gpu-s.

 

Yes it's manufacturered by Asus and it's not a standard MXM size even the slot is the same, 460M by Asus is a much wider card and the heatsink layout is also designed for it's own card, so I don't think it can be upgrade in the future because the heatsink won't be able to make good contact with vRAM.

 

Back to optimus...
iirc (I'm not in front of the laptop atm) in Properties on Computer i get the Memory installed value at 6GB and usable memory around 5.8 or so GB.
It may mean that the i5 onchip video controller is not disabled and it is reserving memory for its own use as video ram.

Can someone with an i7 fitted g53 check if their Win7 x64 is listing all the memory as usable as opposed to mine?

 

Some G51J and G73Jh has the same issue, it was either the loose RAM or mainboard problem:

 

Nah, I'm not talking about missing 2GB which is probably a lose memory in slot, but 6GB versus 5.86 like this

 

You can check yourself...Open Resource Monitor (click start button, type "resource monitor" (without quotes), click enter) and navigate to the memory tab. Look at the physical memory layout...

Also, MSINFO32.EXE will show you details on hardware memory use.

 

@<MarkS> I think that should give info about the memory used by windows so from those "Usable" 5.86GB ram and not from the missing memory

On a 64bit OS with dedicated video card the entire memory should be usable as opposed to a system that uses onboard memory for the video card...

like this:

 

This is what I have on my g73sw atm, but I do remember that on my former g53jw I had the same (4gb installed memory, 3.8..something usable). Never bothered to check why

 

which makes me think optimus is there, but not used... probably it needs activation in bios and also a "switcher" software

LE: I've searched the nvidia site and there is not a single driver that supports the optimus tech after 189.79 which seems to be a special release.
Every single "regular" driver release that supports the 400m series, bear the notice: "Notebooks supporting Hybrid Power technology with Intel chipsets are not supported by this release."

 

Thanks Lee.

Did anybody hear if Asus will upgrade their own 460M to a more powerfull and less consuming one for the G73 models?
(well... that's more a wish to be sent to Asus... hoping to not have to wait for Santa Klaus )
I do not speak about having such upgrade in the next 20 years of course :wub: