i5 and i7 620M... do they have integrated graphics built-in?

Thread title says it.

A few reviews I've read state that the i5s and the i7 620m have both a CPU and GPU on the same chip. Does that mean every laptop with an i5 or i7 620m and a discrete graphics card mean that they're capable of graphics switching?

 

Yes and no. They do have integrated graphics built in, but this does not mean that every laptop with one of these chips is capable of graphics switching. The latter has to be supported by both hardware and drivers (something like Nvidia's Optimus).

 

so even if you have an i5 with a supporting chipset, like HM55, you still might not have switchable graphics?

I mean you don't even need something advanced like optimus, just a little application that would manually switch graphics...

 

Optimus actually requires less than manual switching would. The issue is that the usual manual switchable graphics requires the screen/video output to be connected to both graphics cards at once, which requires a multiplexer.

Nvidia's Optimus requires no specialised hardware apart from the Optimus Copy Engine on the GPU, and so if you have an HM55 motherboard and a 40nm Nvidia card Optimus would be possible - however, the video outputs need to be connected from the IGP, which would require rewiring if your laptop is set up for discrete graphics only.

 

It all boils down to the company and if they are enabling (or actually including the IGP) it on the model.

 

Companies who sell i5 cpus can't really opt to remove the IGP, since it's physically built in to the chip itself. I guess enabling is another question.

 

"integrated graphics built in"???

 

No one sells a laptop with no graphics
Some laptops may use the integrated graphics which are pretty underpowered btw
You cannot add discrete graphics later to a laptop that wasn't built for them
Switchable graphics may be mature by the end of this year . .it isn't now

 

The smaller one is the CPU due to the smaller manufacturing process (32 vs 45nm), while the larger chip is the memory controller and gpu.

 

Then yes, it is the enabling of the IGP that depends on the company. For example my current laptop has an i5 processor, yet no IGP switchable graphics.

I'd say for your original question the answers is: it depends really on the company and model. You'd have to check the specs if the switchable graphics option is there or not.

 

Mine are not colourful like that . . and how do I get the lid back on now

 

someone is making a lot of assumptions about the differences between what used to be called an IGP, discrete graphics, switchable graphics, and the GPU as implemented in the current generation of the Core iXXX chips.

 

That's nice.

Have anything constructive to add?

 

read the white papers from Intel and Nvidia on the subjects. You won't believe anything anyone has to say on the subject unless you read it with your own eyes.