For those with HP dv6tqe Quad Edition...

If you have received this laptop,

How seemless are the switchable graphics? Any glitches? And can use AMD drivers?

How is the 1366x768 screen? I currently use a non widescreen 14" at 1024x768.

How is the HDMI connection to external monitor? Support for 1920x1080?

 

From what I've seen (not an owner here), you have to go into the Catalyst Control Center and choose the other GPU. Then the screen flashes a few times (like hooking up a projector) and it's done. Not as seamless as Optimus but what can you do.

 

Also with the amd switchable, you need to close all apps before switching or you going to get odd video behaviors on programs ie flash, WLM or video games.

 

With Optimus, however, your performance on the descrete chip is crippled. Perhaps this will be fixed in a future driver update, but for now, the performance of optimus systems is horrible. If you look in the owners lounge for the Dell XPS 15 and 17, you'll see what I mean.

 

perhaps even from ppl who have AW and are on optimus (certain apps...but enough to annoy the owners,,)

i'd have manual switching over auto any day

 

The sad part is the optimus has at least of a dumb way of a manual switch when compared to the dv6/7 6100 series.

I grew dislike to manual switch for my mobility work. To me, I have no use of my discrete card on the go anyways.
I prefer battery life when mobile. Switch without restarting my apps and without glitches.

Well, at least AMD are starting to a better direction.

 

The quality probably won't be as good as older 4:3 laptops. Very limited viewing angles, poor color saturation. Not as bad as other 1366x768 screens, but it's a Samsung panel (A.F.A.I.K.) and the only manufacturer I've seen make any decent-quality 15.6" 720p screens is LG.

Get 1920x1080 if you can. I went from 14" 1024x768 to 15" 1600x1200 to 15" 2048x1536. Didn't take long to adjust at all.

 

Is it possible that this is now an issue with the new ATI system? If you look in the Gaming thread you will see that many people are now reporting the Radeon is running on 8 lanes instead of 16. My GPU-Z shows even worse, using only 1 lane. Is there any way to confirm if this is accurate?

 

i have the 17 inch version of this laptop and if you ordered it right now you'd get the 6100 version which doesnt require you to manually change back and forth between the two

basically you set your program (like your video game) to high performance if you want it to use the AMD graphics or power saving if u want it to use the intel graphics

no screen flashes or anything. i quite like it

 

I don't think the dynamic switchable graphics are the end of the world. It's taken me a bit to get used to configuring applications / dealing with the drivers, but we are really only talking about a matter of minutes. In the long run, once I "settle into" my computer, I think the new switchable graphics will be for the better.

 

You can't possible have installed every program under the sun that requires the services of the Radeon, so how can you say the SG are working well for everyone (your comment about SG not being the end of the world). SG is not working well for many people. it works in limited circumstances. people at the HP site are also complaining.

 

Allow me to preface... it's not the end of the world for me. As someone who doesn't utilize too many applications that need the GPU, I've been spared and am therefore content with this feature.

I can understand your frustration though. I'd be steaming if the things that used to run right on my old computer were no longer nearly as functional.

 

ah.

yeah, I'm pretty bummed as I need a new, fast pc ASAP. sigh.

 

the dynamic switching is completely seamless. i dont see why people dislike it to be honest

hell i was even playing league of legends at ~30fps with the intel gpu and changed league of legends.exe to high performance mid game and instantly noticed a switch to 60fps, no screen flashes or anything

 

While it's not nearly as bad as I feared, there were some initial concerns from many people wondering if it would be possible to confirm if the Radeon was even working. So far, the only way I have found is with HWMonitor, which your average user has never heard of.

Additionally, we still can't be sure how many applications aren't working with the dynamic switching. Though thankfully, it doesn't appear to be an issue yet for anyone here.

 

it is much better to use msi afterburner to see if the 6770m is working. when it is - the core and mem clock shoots up to 725/800, and when it's not, it would show 100/150 instead.

 

good for you. however, neither I, nor HP could get MY PARTICULAR SAMPLE to switch to the Radeon. Just as my first DV6 failed to get the Intel My WiFI feature to work (which worked fine on the second unit which had graphics issues).

on my first DV6, I had framerates of 25-45 most of the time, in FSX, PLUS i was able to use DX10. On the second DV6, there was no option for DX10 BECAUSE IT WAS RUNNING ON THE INTEL CARD, so I was stuck with DX9 and jerky, micro-stuttering, frame rates of around 12. Get it, now??

 

Sorry you've had such a crappy time, but I'm just curious, did you try any other games, or was your GPU/Switching just fuxxored? I see people can't get Minecraft to recognize their Raedon either, just wondering if it was strictly related to FSX for you.

 

HP and I couldn't get it to switch no matter what. Untold hours of frustrations. The only game I want to load is FSX (actually, a "sim". -- I do my hardcore gaming on a PS3. Just got the Escalation Pack for BO)