dv6t-61XX / dv7t-61XX Switchable Graphics Discussion

Agreed. I just can't be grateful enough for his/her selfless efforts to help us dv6t/dv7t owners get this dynamic switching mess cleaned up.

Speaking of which, you should head on to this thread that LLStarks started a few days ago. Currently BrokenSocial, brian112358, and I appear to be the only (visible) testers, so I think LLStarks will definitely appreciate your participation. You'll need to learn a bit about Linux, but don't worry about it because even a noob like me managed to be of some help
Unfortunately I'm going to have to return my laptop soon because my 21 day return period is about to expire, so other testers like you'll be invaluable to the effort.

 

dv6t-6000 here, really hate seeing the "do you wanna switch gpu's" pop-up all the time. Especially when an application like Solidworks locks in the 6770 and all you get is fail, when you click yes.

 

Hey, I did not demand anything. I admire and respect the efforts they have done already! It is impressive, and I shall say pretty rare.
I can't help out much with the testing. I don't mean it as an excuse, simply, I just work all day, and the little time I have left for other things just fly by each nite...
But I have been fighting other fronts: HP customer service.

On the HP forum my latest post was edited. Appereantly I deserved that as I supported a guy posted just before me. They wrote this:
----
Hello,

Your post in "New dv7-tqe 6100 CTO - Will Not Switch to ATI Graphics (6770M 2GB)" has been edited as legal discussion is not allowed per Community Guidelines.
You can review the guidelines here.
Thanks,

MrMatthew
-----
And now my message is tagged as "Legal". Maybe only that they would take seriously...

 

One way to test a real OpenGL application is by installing the free trial version i.e. Photoshop. Then within 'Preferences' you can see whether the Nvidia card is recognized or not. Something like this:

Note that the "Enable OpenGL Drawing" option does not mean practically anything...

So this seems to be still an unclear issue. I know many of you reported on some games. I don't play games, but want to use the lappy on the go for heavy media editing: raw pix, 1080p video editing, etc. So please somone let me know if the manual option would be of any help in that regard. Cheers

 

So why would that be a problem? Battery life, noise, heat? Is there any problem with having a system with the gmx 560m in comparison to a similar system with the Radeon 6770m?

 

Mostly battery life, to a lesser extent heat and noise. The battery life is typically cut in half (given the same capacity battery).

 

Correct, battery life on the GTX560m systems is abysmal! The 6770m with switching graphics is by far the best power gpu/battery life combo available right now. Anything more powerful without switchable graphics will have horrible battery life, and lower you will be sacrificing performance for very little gain in battery life. Provided HP/AMD get the switching kinks worked out, I'm still very excited about the technology.

 

I'm getting a dv6qe with a 6770m. Is the switching graphics thing still a problem?

 

What do you mean ?? It depends on your usage..............switchable graphics is only a problem primarily if you require OpenGl based applications....correct me if i am wrong..other members

 

Guys..........I would prefer getting the HP Laptop from bestbuy then HP itself...do you think thr is any difference between this HP - Pavilion Laptop / Intel® Core™ i7 Processor / 15.6" Display / 8GB Memory / 750GB Hard Drive - Steel Gray - dv6-6190us laptop and dv6tqe ??

 

Are there any modern games and applications excluding minecraft that use OpenGL?

By the way the model I am buying is a dvtqe with quad core, 6 gb ram, 750 gb hard drive, 6770m, normal dvd drive, and 1920 x 1080 screen.

And it's only 949.99 with a coupon code. As far as I know this is the best deal you can get.

 

what coupon are you using....375 $ off................your price seems pretty good....i will have to go through best buy....am a silver member

 

You be the judge...

Here's a listing of all of the OpenGL API-based products for windows: OpenGL API-based Product Listings for Windows

Personally, not a whole lot here that the Intel HD3000 couldn't handle based on its Cinebench scores.

 

Sorry for hijacking this thread but there is no PM feature on this forum ?

Anyways the coupon code is the $375 off one NBU29176

$949.99

15.6" screen 1920 x 1080
Intel Core i7 2630QM
6 GB DDR3
750 GB 5400 RPM
AMD HD 6770M
DVD Super Multi

The only drawback to this $949 build is that there is only a 750 GB hard drive and no Blu-Ray. But both of these features I don't think most users really need.

 

Yes.

Just in case anyone takes this too literally, this is far from a complete list.

Yes, that is the current version of the dv6t QE, same as the one you would get if you ordered off the website. It is also configured as most people would configure a custom one, and at a price almost as good as we got with the coupon! If you really still want to go for the dv6 and can't wait a couple weeks, I would buy that one.

 

Why do you advise to wait??

 

just read over this thread

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...erstand-fix-dynamic-graphics-61xx-series.html

you'll get a good sense of what's going on with testing

 

To wait for the build time on the custom order. You can get a better price with this coupon.

 

Ahh..................i have tried this config with the coupon from HP ....the price is coming as 1238...............almost the same as here...........plus it helps if i get it from here...being a silver member

 

Actually, it is pretty much a complete list. Here's another list as well that isolates games to prove the point: List of OpenGL programs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Many applications, like the Adobe softwate use renders and were not developed based on the API. They also see very little performance gain on newer systems in Adobe Apps utilizing the OpenGL renderer. The i7 Sandy Bridge will eat 2D for lunch anyway, so OpenGL was overkill for 2d based applications with our processor. In fact, I haven't even tried enabling the HD3000 in Photoshop yet (provided the drivers support it), but I'm guessing I wouldn't see a difference one way or another.

Autocad has also gotten away from OpenGL with it's newer releases supporting DX. They even had a public announcement that went out a few years back saying they were moving away from OpenGL.

If not for Linux and Mac based derivatives, OpenGL would likely already be dead, despite arguments to the contrary. Not because it is lacking to DX, but because MS used it's financial resources to get in with the game manufacturers and catered to them. The rest has been history. OpenGL 4 was a much needed facelift, but it already appears to be too late. The truth is that the lack of OpenGL support in dynamic switching is coming from AMD/ATI, as previously documented in the technical papers. If OpenGL loses the GPU manufacturers, the battle is over! Perhaps the sadder truth is that most of us won't even miss it.

 

Nicely Explained...Totally Agree BTW How much did ur config come upto ??

 

While this is all true, it doesn't change the fact that I use applications and games that are not on either list. The simple fact of the matter is that lack of OpenGL support means that this computer may not meet everyone's needs.

And while you can run Photoshop on the Intel, and AutoCAD does have DX support, I would still recommend running them on a dedicated GPU in OpenGL mode. As an additional note to CS users, Premier and After Effects will not run on the Intel.

That said, this laptop will run fine for a large number of people. If you don't need OpenGL support, the dv6 and dv7 are still the best you can get for the money.

 

The config in my sig was just over $1200 with tax, after the 30% off coupon. I also got another $55 credited for the 8gb ram, which was later offered as a free upgrade, so figure mid to high $11XX final. I still think it was a killer deal for what I got, and have no regrets. In fact, if I had to do it again, I'd order the exact same thing.

 

http://www.costco.com/Common/Category.aspx?whse=BC&Ne=5000001&eCat=BC|84|56670&N=4047229+4294967277&pos=1&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&ec=BC-EC5-Cat84&topnav=

plus 90 day return policy no questions asked, no restocking fee.Return policy is peace of mind along with great price.

 

Better than the Costco..deal where it is for 1299 is the best buy deal HP - Pavilion Laptop / Intel® Core™ i7 Processor / 15.6" Display / 8GB Memory / 750GB Hard Drive - Steel Gray - dv6-6190us

 

oohh ok thanks Althernai.

 

I'm not sure which laptop you are referring to but as far as I can tell none of those prices come close to the $949 one I can get on HP online shopping web site.

half of them have a dual core not quad, or have integrated not 6770m, and dont have a 1920 x 1080 screen.

As a matter of fact those prices are some of the worst I've seen...sam's club or best buy gives better deals

 

Due respect, this is totally off the point and the topic (though a nice explonation of some of the background aspects). Taking away OpenGL would have been acceptable only if that was well-advertised, or at least well known, either officially, or through respectable technology sites/forums/blogs, etc. But as far as I know that is not the case. More likely, HP was (and has has been!) engaging in false advertising. Don't tell me that 'they did not know'...

I thought our task here is not finding justifications/excuses for why it may have made sense for AMD to make such (not too-reasonable) move, or to speculate on what is going on behind the scenes at AMD/HP.
I have been in touch with AMD customer service as well. The minimum goal is to find at least decent explonations to what just happened to manual swithc and OpenGL support. The maximum goal would be to get actual driver/bios/firmware/whatever updates from the manufacturers to make those things work. At least that's my take on it. Cheers

 

Saw someone mention the old $375 coupon and thought i mention in most cases you'd be better off using the 33% one NBQL6835.

i used it on my dv6tqe with the 2GB 6770 it should be here in a little over a week scheduled to ship on the 28th.

if there is anything I can do to help the linux guys id be happy to contribute although I read the OP in the data collection thread and I didn't understand most of it LOL maybe I can get someone to PM me instructions or edit the OP to be more noob friendly and id be happy to help.

 

Say a prayer every night that it doesn't get stuck in customs where mine has been since Sunday...lol

 

NBQL6835 has expired. The one I used has expired too (NBQ5286). NBU29176 is still valid for $375 off until the 26th or 600 uses. I'm sure there will be others but they go fast. Ok back on topic..lol

 

hey i just received my dv6t quad and i was afraid about the switchable graphics issue but here is the pic:






from what i see i can decide with which program use the 6770m and with which the integrated. I didn't test any gaming but is my laptop fine or i have the same problem that i herd on this forum?

 

that's the SAME screen I had and I couldn't run the ONE program I needed the Radeon for--FSX. that screen is NO INDICATOR that you are "home free". On the contrary, it shows that you have the problematic "auto switching" nonsense.

 

oh thanks how can i test it? i can i know if the laptop is using the integrated or the radeon?

 

That is the dynamic switching version of CCC. If you game at all, just install a game or two, run it, right click your desktop and make sure your program is switched to "high powered".

At least for games, the only issues I have read so far are, Dolphin emulator, minecraft, and Daves favorite FSX.

Dave, I'm just curious, did you try any other game out with your DV6?

So far for me, my games aren't having issues at all with the dynamic switching. You might have some issues with openGL games, but generally they are old and the intel graphics should be more than enough to run them.

 

Most importantly for Rift, pick a high population server if you can, it makes a huge difference.

I'm pretty sure Rift runs on DX10, maybe even DX11 as well. It looks a LOT better than WoW does, but the engine isn't very optimised, at least for Raedon cards IIRC. If you are running on your laptop screen 1080p you may have some issues with turning the graphics up to ultra/high.

If you lower the rez, to1366x768, Rift runs fine on Ultra (you may need to turn shadows to environmental) and it looks GREAT IMO. The only issue I have is dowscaling while using a 27in 1080p monitor...it kinda looks crappy on that lol

 

you'll be able to easily notice by the performance alone depending on the game. openGL programs like FSX don't switch to the Radeon but every directx game (most games and upcoming games) seems to switch just fine

with mine, it switches just fine for WoW, starcraft 2, league of legends, the witcher 2, and all of my steam games (something like 25 games)

 

Nope. Basically i wanted a fast new PC to run FSX and all of my photography s/w such as Lightroom, Capture NX2, PSE9. All other gaming I do on PS3. That's why failure of the latest version of the DV6 to work with FSX has been a deal-breaker. It's one of the main apps I bought it for.

 

Despite this problem, I'm still going to go ahead and buy the dv6t because nothing comes close to it in terms of price/performance (aside from the sketchy xoticpc sagers).

The Intel HD 3000 is capable enough for most things...and I think they'll fix it ultimately...

 

That's why I'm keeping mine whenever it gets out of freakin customs. About ready to go ape sh*t on HP. Let it be known though. AMD could fix this issue tomorrow or it could take weeks, months. I'm keeping mine because as was said, for the hardware you're getting you won't find a better deal anywhere.

 

the price might be good, but if it doesn't do what you needed it to do, as in my case, price is the last thing I'm concerned about. Sure I want a good "deal", but a "deal" is only good if the product does what one needs it to do. For me, the SG issue is a deal-breaker. bummer for me, because I'm in great need of a fast PC "yesterday". I'm still waiting to see if HP gets this fixed. After a little bit longer wait, I'll be forced to get something totally different, which means it won't even be a close second choice, but I've got to get something.

 

I have booked my laptop.....and specs are in my signature...lets see how dynamic switching works for me

 

Has anyone tried using the intel graphics driver on hp's website? Whenever I try installing the intel driver, it says something about not meeting minimum system requirements. Anyone else have this issue?

 

You are not the only one, same here. This occurs even after deleting the driver and installing from scratch.

 

So Dave, I don't recall you mentioning all your photo programs not working correctly, for you mainly it was JUST FSX according to your previous posts. Am I off base here? I do however appreciate your posts to HP to get this fixed,but hell, I and many other people think you might be going overboard concerning graphic switching issues. If your main issue is ONE GAME, perhaps you should just state that and just go attack HP rather than this forum.

If it is ALSO your photo apps running below par, post about that, but people are getting sick of your "FSX" won't run well therefore this computer is a piece of crap" rants.

 

So I finally had a chance to sit down with my laptop for the first time since I got it the other day, only for a couple hours (been working a lot lately / but I tested one game.

I ran Thrift (free 7 day trial) and I was able to run it with the graphics settings set to ultra so no problem there, obviously there wouldn't be though since it DX and not openGL.

I'm still in the process of installing some adobe software to see how well they work considering the issue seems to pertain to them and similar software products.

If the Linux people still need some testers just pm me what exactly you want me to do and so long as it's not risky i'll try my best to get it done Thursday since I'm off.

Edit: I wanted to add that I joined the cause of emailing HP but from what i'm reading now it seems that AMD is at fault and not HP (except for false advertising as some are proclaiming. I don't really buy that though, lol)

Anyways, if somebody is going to issue a fix would it be AMD or HP? Have we started emailing AMD yet? If so please send me the info so I can forward my HP message to them. Actually i'll probably write a new one because the one I sent to HP was pretty...profane, lol.

One more thing. Exactly how hard would it be to get a fix to this? Whether it be through the Linux people over here or AMD/HP. Is it really that difficult of a task?

 

It is a piece of crap unless we are given access to the hardware that was advertised. The bottom line is that if AMD advertised this gpu to support OpenGL and HP advertised the GPU without mentioning their "modifications" then this is false advertising and a crime against the consumer.

 

Hey, I was wondering...Does the Triple buffering work under the OpenGL settings?

 

Calm down guys, we're all on the same side here...

Anyways, i'v been in contact with HP customer service regarding a different issue my purchase (I filed a BBB complaint and was contacted by HP customer service manager to resolve my issue).

She was very kind and helped me with my concerns using whatever resources she was capable of using and in my last email to her thanking her for the help I added a note at the bottom explaining the switchable graphics issue and a link to this thread. I also asked if she could forward it to whoever was in a position to address our concerns. I also mentioned that some people are looking to file a class action lawsuit if the issue is not resolved, so hopefully she forwards it directly to somebody who can address us.

 

Cool. thanks for giving us that interesting info--maybe something WILL come of it. It just boggles my mind that HP has sat on this issue for about a month. It sure seems like this type of problem warrants a class-action suit, as it renders the units unfit for their purpose, for many purchasers.

Any lawyers out there considering filing?