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    Does Intel and Nvidia Graphics Work Together?

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by reviewthis, Jul 17, 2011.

  1. reviewthis

    reviewthis Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello all,

    Just got my Dell XPS 15 L502X and I am loving it. I had it configured with the Nvidia Geforce 525M 1GB card with optimus technology. I was curious, if I run a game using the dedicated nvidia card, will the Sandy Bridge integrated graphics work with my dedicated card to improve performance, or is it one or the other?

    Thank you!
     
    reviewthis, Jul 17, 2011
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  2. travbjork

    travbjork Notebook Geek

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    Nope, it's just graphics switching, you're always using just one or the other. I'm no nVidia engineer so if I'm wrong, correct me, but on my optimus system I was required to choose just one or the other when running applications/games.

    There could be an exception when you have a separate display plugged into the HDMI port as that runs off the dedicated GPU only. Not sure if the Intel aids what's on the attached display though. So you'd have one display using the dedicated GPU and the laptop screen itself using the integrated.

    Travis
     
    travbjork, Jul 17, 2011
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  3. machiz7888

    machiz7888 Notebook Consultant

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    my understanding is that when you're using the nvidia card it does the crunching, or rendering but it always passes through the intel graphics anyways.

    but, take that with a fistful of salt.
     
    machiz7888, Jul 17, 2011
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  4. BobTheSniper

    BobTheSniper Notebook Consultant

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    The new AMD Llano chipset does this, but I'm not sure if there is a architecture problem preventing this.
     
    BobTheSniper, Jul 17, 2011
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  5. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    Yes the final display is done through Optimus. Also that is the reason why Optimus is not compatible with IPS screens (Intel IGP only goes up to 8 bit vs 10 bit IPS screens).
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Jul 18, 2011
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  6. conscriptvirus

    conscriptvirus Notebook Evangelist

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    You need a Sandybridge CPU to use this, but has anyone tried:

    Lucidlogix virtu
     
    conscriptvirus, Jul 18, 2011
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