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    Switchable graphics card possible issue

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by Roman5, Sep 19, 2011.

  1. Roman5

    Roman5 Notebook Consultant

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    Hi. I'd have posted this in the Dell forum, but I never get any replies in there and have found this forum and the what to buy forum more responsive. And this is games related anyway.

    So I've now bought a Dell Vstro 3550 i5 with switchable graphics card. AMD 6630M and integrated intel HD3000. I should receive the laptop tomorrow. I'm a bit concerned now because someone on another forum said this to me:

    "Your games have system requirements.
    The system you have bought is almost overpowered for the point and clicks you linked. Unless you run a DX10 game or up, the dedicated card wont even turn on."

    Most of the games I'll play happen to be DX9. Does this mean I have a laptop more than powerful enough to play them but because of some issue with switching cards, they'll run poorly on the crappy integrated card only? :(

    There's a thread about people with switching card issues for the 3550 and some sort of fix on the way. IdeaStorm | Update Vostro 3550 AMD 6630/Intel HD 3000 Switchable Drivers

    Some guy who works for Dell said "We have webposted a new GPU driver that is supposed to address 2 of the 3 main concerns I am seeing on this thread (OpenGL support for the ATI side, same for the Intel side, and application level control to lock in either discrete or onboard graphics). The OpenGL support for both GPU's should be included in the new driver. Please update to the new driver, and post back how it goes. As far as the application level control, this is an issue we are told ATI has to solve. At this time we have no visibility to thier engineering road map, but if and when we hear one way or the other, we will post back.

    Thanks for your patience, and please let us know how the new driver works. We will request this issue be changed to partially implemented"

    Apparently it hasn't be posted yet and may be about 2 weeks. But from what he said above, would that sort out DX9 problems?
     
    Roman5, Sep 19, 2011
    #1
  2. hockeymass

    hockeymass that one guy

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    What games? The discrete GPU may not even be necessary to run them well.
     
    hockeymass, Sep 19, 2011
    #2
  3. Roman5

    Roman5 Notebook Consultant

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    Roman5, Sep 19, 2011
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