Two dumb issues - Switchable graphics and Sleep mode

Sprung for a 170EM with the 7970M. Overall very pleased with the laptop, but have a few really dump questions:

1. In most games, when I launch them the default setting is to use the Intel HD4000 instead of the 7970. With the new 13.1 drivers there is a global setting to set the laptop to use the 7970 when plugged in. However, the closest this global setting gets to is to set a global default to all applications that are set to conditionally default when plugged in. That doesn't change that every time I run a new game or app, it will use the Intel graphics first; I need to quit, wait for the CCC popup, set to high performance, then restart the game. Is there a better way to do this or do I have to manually configure each game?

Also, along those lines, why is it that every game I run, or program I am executing, only show the Intel HD card? For example, when I run Dolphin for Wii emulation, the only graphics card showing up is the Intel. Is this normal? Happens in benchmarks, in Steam games, etc; even despite the app configuring for high performance.

2. This is kind of an annoyance. I can't put my laptop to sleep. If I close the lid, the LED lights on the keyboard stay lit but the computer is no longer responsive. All I can do is hold the power button until the system turns off, then turn it on again. During the boot mode before the Windows log-in screen comes up, it looks like the laptop actually goes to sleep. I have to press the power button again to get it working. I've searched for forums and have seen similar issues posted but no resolutions. Anyone else experience this?

Thanks in advance.

 

In reference to your sleep issue, try putting the laptop to sleep with fn+f4 instead. I've never slept mine by closing the lid before.

 

i right click my desktop and Configure Switchable Graphics and manually add the game .exe in and set to High before i first run the game.

 

Just tried the Fn+F4... Computer went to sleep, but same issue as when closing the lid. The keyboard lights stay on, and there's no way to get the computer to wake from sleep outside of holding the power button until it turns off.

Is the fact that every game say that I have an Intel HD4000 despite setting high performance normal? I'm just curious why no app recognizes that there's a 7970m in there (albeit it seems like given graphics performance clearly the 7970 is being used?)

What I run into is most games when configure settings assume poor performance and default to poor resolutions/settings. I know that the card can't run ultra on everything, but any benchmarking it does requires me to constantly tweak until I get a good balance of graphics and performance.

 

Because game only sees HD 4000 due to how the AMD card is hooked up (AMD Enduro, 5th gen switchable graphics). This is the same way NVIDIA Optimus works.

 

Thanks, that explains it quite well.

If only there was a solution to the sleep issue.