Amd Apu Dual Graphics - What`s The Switching Like?

Hi.

Is it as seamless as Nvidia optimus? , I had an optimus and you could not see it switch.

I am looking at a "HP DV6-6c12sa AMD A6 8GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, 15.6 inch Blu-ray Laptop"

Thanks for any help

John.

AMD Switchable Graphics Technology

 

It's basically crossfire.

 

AMD`s solution isn`t automatic like Optimus. You have to enable the switch between IGP and GPU manually.

I could be wrong on this but before you had to restart the machine between the switching but now you don`t have to

 

intel + amd = manually (they have seamless iirc but it was CRAP)
dual amd = seamless , may get a half sec flash when it turn on dGPU.

 

Oh AMD have automatic too? Nice

 

No, AMD's solution is pretty much the same a Optimus. iirc switching into crossfire is the same as switching into the dgpu. It does it automatically like Optimus.

 

I did not know that. I think I remember the Alienware owners had to manually switch between IGP and GPU but thats long time ago. Have they changed it or do I remember wrong?
Even with Intel CPU + AMD GPU?

 

Yeah its all automatic now, even intel+amd. There are some ways to enable manual switching, but again afaik all new laptops with swictable graphics come with automatic switching as default.

 

Let's try to set the record straight with regard to AMD's switching.

If the notebook comes with an AMD APU (A4, A6, A8) and lists the graphics as "Radeon xxx G2" then it comes with asymmetric Crossfire, which uses the IGP and a discreet GPU in tandem. All notebooks using this setup that I'm aware of have automatic graphic switching. If you disable Crossfire, the automatic switching works just like Optimus.

Many Intel CPU/AMD GPU notebooks have automatic switching as well, again just like Optimus. MacBook Pros offer this functionality as well, but only in OS X. The discreet AMD GPU is on all the time if running Windows via Boot Camp.

Regardless of CPU, the major flaw with AMD's automatic switching implementation is the fact that OpenGL games and software (eg Adobe CS, etc) will always run on the IGP. Some OEMs worked around this by offering BIOS and/or software updates to enable manual switching. HP was the first on board, providing a BIOS update to the Pavilion and Envy lines. Dell followed suit with a similar update to the Vostro. The Samsung Series 7 has not been fixed, and the company has basically said there's nothing they can or will do about it.

A few enterprising BIOS modders have made BIOSes to enable manual switching on some AMD/AMD notebooks, such as the Asus K53TA. These should be considered experimental at best and there are quite a few things you need to do to even get rudimentary manual switching on these machines.

 

Very clearly explained post.Great thanks, because i was looking for this!

 

In other words, if you're going to be doing OpenGL work... the Intel CPU/AMD GPU combo isn't what you need, unless you plan on getting a Vostro or HP with manual switching enabled.

As far as AMD for CPU/GPU/Chipset, you should be just fine. OpenGL should also be no problem.

 

The OpenGL problem affects all notebooks that use AMD's dynamic switching regardless of CPU.

One thing I should have added to my previous post is that most, if not all, Sony Vaio notebooks with an Intel CPU and AMD GPU have manual graphic switching via a physical switch. The only downside to this system is that you become reliant on Sony or 3rd-party software modders for video driver updates. Since those enterprising folks generally do a better job packaging the software than Sony does, this isn't a major issue.