Does all i3 laptops have switchable gfx

[Mech0z]

If they have a deditacted GPU like HD5650 like many have? Just wonder as all i3s have integrated graphics and I really like the switchable system in the Asus UL50/80 series, but that gfx is not quiet powerful enough for me.

 

[taltamir]

not all have switchable gfx, many come without a full nvidia / ati gfx card in there and can only use the built in graphics... which is great if you don't intend to ever run video games on the machine.

 

[Mech0z]

Well Iam looking at a Acer with a HD5650, will that then have it ? I just want the opputinity to choose long battery time or decent gaming.

 

[taltamir]

Well Iam looking at a Acer with a HD5650, will that then have it ? I just want the opputinity to choose long battery time or decent gaming.

define decent... the highest end laptop gaming is a mere tiny fraction of the performance of a desktop. I think they are all unacceptable in terms of gaming experience.

 

[Mech0z]

I am not going to play the newest fps on it, I just want to be able to game on it. But thats not the point of this topic! I just want to know if it can turn off that gfx and only use the ondie one to save power for more battery.

If it dont then I will rather get the UL50 (UL80 is not available in Denmark) and loose some 3d performance but gain alot of battery time.

 

[jimhsu]

define decent... the highest end laptop gaming is a mere tiny fraction of the performance of a desktop. I think they are all unacceptable in terms of gaming experience.

Don't forget that most laptop gaming will be done at vastly lower resolutions and detail than desktops. Few if any people that I know hook their laptop to a 1080P TV to game. Many mainstream games (i.e non-Crysis) are designed for graphics hardware still in the 2006-2007 era nowadays, and things like the 4670 can actually run Crysis semi-playably at high at x768 resolution. Granted for desktop replacement purposes all laptop graphics are inadequete, but that doesn't seem to be the point most of the time.

 

[taltamir]

Don't forget that most laptop gaming will be done at vastly lower resolutions and detail than desktops. Few if any people that I know hook their laptop to a 1080P TV to game. Many mainstream games (i.e non-Crysis) are designed for graphics hardware still in the 2006-2007 era nowadays, and things like the 4670 can actually run Crysis semi-playably at high at x768 resolution. Granted for desktop replacement purposes all laptop graphics are inadequete, but that doesn't seem to be the point most of the time.

and yet, with all that, the average laptop graphics still suck. And due to the miniaturization requirements, you are paying more then you would for a desktop of similar power.

Laptops are wonderful work tools but are not worth it as a gaming machine, I work on my laptop and I play on my desktop (and console).

You CAN get a decent laptop gaming experience if you throw a lot of money at it... but for the average person this is too much (and at those kind of prices you can get an insane multi GPU and multi monitor system)

 

[Midwayman]

What Im starting to see is that companies are using switable graphics as a model line differentiator even if the laptop in question in hardware capable of it. Example, the Sony CW line doesn't have it even though the Z does, and both should be capable of it.

 

[Brainonska511]

What Im starting to see is that companies are using switable graphics as a model line differentiator even if the laptop in question in hardware capable of it. Example, the Sony CW line doesn't have it even though the Z does, and both should be capable of it.

Yeah, but enabling the feature adds to the cost of the notebook. Hence the reason why you'll only see integrated chips on lower end notebooks and only start to see switchable graphics on medium to high-end notebooks.

 

[vodrin]

Enabling the feature doesn't add cost to the notebook if the hardware is all there. Its a H55 motherboard and has a video card and i3/i5 clarkdale. They have already done the R+D for the Z line. Its purely a model line differentiator. I'd get a CW if it was available. Its possible a 3rd channel will enable it though so I'm keeping an eye out.

 

[Midwayman]

Enabling the feature doesn't add cost to the notebook if the hardware is all there. Its a H55 motherboard and has a video card and i3/i5 clarkdale. They have already done the R+D for the Z line. Its purely a model line differentiator. I'd get a CW if it was available. Its possible a 3rd channel will enable it though so I'm keeping an eye out.

I'm betting on a hack to enable it as well. They hacked the bios to make the VT work on sony laptops, and this an area of much wider interest.

 

[Brainonska511]

Enabling the feature doesn't add cost to the notebook if the hardware is all there. Its a H55 motherboard and has a video card and i3/i5 clarkdale. They have already done the R+D for the Z line. Its purely a model line differentiator. I'd get a CW if it was available. Its possible a 3rd channel will enable it though so I'm keeping an eye out.

I didn't realize they had dedicated graphics. If that's the case, it is pretty dumb that they don't have the feature enabled.