HP DV6Z Quad Edition - Video Card Questions

Hello, thanks for taking the time to read my post.

I have recently ordered a new HP laptop with the following specifications:

• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• AMD Quad-Core A8-3550MX Accelerated Processor (2.7GHz/2.0GHz, 4MB L2 Cache)
• 1GB AMD Radeon(TM) HD 7690M GDDR5 Discrete Graphics(TM) [HDMI, VGA]
• 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 750GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection

I'm reading all kinds of things about the video card for this laptop series, I do plan to game on this machine and I would like to make sure I have everything updated and working properly, and if I can I would also like the hybrid crossfire mode running as well.

- How would I go about manually switching from integrated to discrete graphics cards?

- I understand that the AMD A8 CPU and the Radeon 7690 are capable of a hybrid crossfire mode, how would I go about activating that manually?

- Should I download a crossfire profile for it from the AMD website?

- I've read that HP does not have the correct updated drivers for the Radeon 7690, so how would I go about updating it?

 

- How would I go about manually switching from integrated to discrete graphics cards?

There is no manual switching unless you flash a mod'd bios. When you run a GPU needed program , it should prompt you to pick "High Performance" or "Power Saving".

- I understand that the AMD A8 CPU and the Radeon 7690 are capable of a hybrid crossfire mode, how would I go about activating that manually?

It should be on by default.

- Should I download a crossfire profile for it from the AMD website?

Some say it helps on some games, and it wont hurt to install them.

- I've read that HP does not have the correct updated drivers for the Radeon 7690, so how would I go about updating it?

You can get the latest driver directly from AMD site.

 

Thank you.

 

Be sure to read the driver readme though. Many of the WHQL releases don't support switchable graphics, but the pre-release versions do. Many of us are using the 12.1 or 12.1a pre-release and they've been running great. To change Crossfire mode though go into graphics properties (right click desktop) and under "gaming" or "performance" there should be something labeled CrossfireX or Dual Graphics and you can turn it on/off there.

 

Also go to the " Definitive HP DV6z & AMD Optimization Guide" thread where you can find out everything you need to know to get the most out of your dv6z.

 

Thanks. Do any of you know if the 12.2 preview drivers will also work? Or 12.2 when it fully releases sometime this month?