HP Envy 17 - Can I install Nvidia Optimus for better battery life?

Hello all.

If I were to purchase a HP 1150ea with a 2nd Gen Core i7 processor (i7-2630qm) which came with the ATI HD 6850 DDR5 Graphics card - Could I install Nvidia Optimus to force the laptop to run on the integrated GPU on the motherboard or is there some form of blockage?

If so, can it be overwritten?

Regards.

Edit. I've only JUST realised that the graphics card isn't even an Nvidia type. My god....
Is there any form of ATI software that does a similar job as Optimus?

 

Just to make sure, are you sure it's an 1150ea? If it is, it's first gen model, which is not 2nd gen Core i7... those are first gen, and the first gen Core i7s do not have integrated graphics.

The second gen, like the 2630QM you mentioned, does have the integrated graphics, but the Envy 17 model number would be 2xxx, not 1xxx.

 

Thanks for the insight friend.

Is it absolutely essential to have the 2xxx model number of the series?
If so, why?
I've recently come across ATI's development of "power express" which is meant to be their answer to Optimus.

 

The 1xxx model numbers should have previous-gen processors, the quad-core variants of which don't have integrated graphics. The processor you named, i7-2630QM would only be available on a 2xxx Envy 17 model as far as I know. A 2xxx Envy 17 will have switchable graphics out of the box, but a 1xxx quad-core Envy 17 can't use switchable graphics because there's no integrated graphics unit to switch to.

As for switchable graphics between ATI and Nvidia, ATI's early switchable graphics were purely manual - the user had to switch GPUs via a software interface. That option is still available on most current ATI systems that use switchable graphics, but they also have a dynamic system that switches based on need like Optimus does. Nvidia only has dynamic switching ala Optimus as far as I know, and I understand it to be buggy at times so it switches when it shouldn't or doesn't switch when it should. However, it's possible that Optimus can be configured for manual switching - I've seen the question asked before, I've just never stuck around to see the answer. Either way, the Envy series uses ATI graphics so their switchable graphics system is the one you should be concerned about.

From a quick search, it looks like the Envy 17-1150EA is a Polish model (only links I find for that particular model are from Poland, at least), and the processor is definitely listed as i7-720QM - so no switchable graphics on that model. I'm not sure if Sandy Bridge CPU's can even be installed on a Westmere platform, but even if it's possible and you're getting a user-upgraded laptop, it's unlikely that the BIOS for a first-gen quad-core Envy's motherboard would support switchable graphics, so I would say you're out of luck. I don't know about the current or coming generations, but first-gen Envy 17's didn't get very good battery life with or without switchable graphics...

 

Envy laptops with a model code ending in EA are European ones (AFAIK), so it is no surprise that you found the Envy 17-1150EA listed in Poland, though you may find it elsewhere if companies have old stock (or refurbs).

First gen i7s use the rPGA-988A socket and Sandy Bridge processors use the rPGA-988B socket. So they aren't compatible to my knowledge.