RSSMore PCs in 2009 to sport Switchable Graphics, says Intel exec
By Jacqueline Emigh | Published January 13, 2009, 5:07 PM
In 2009, a lot more notebook PCs from Lenovo and other big manufacturers will implement Intel's game- and video-friendly Switchable Graphics, predicted Michael Trainor, chief technology evangelist at Intel.
In a demo, the technology evangelist showed how the Centrino 2-based technology lets users switch between Intel's own built-in graphics and a graphics card from ATI, a division of Intel competitor AMD.
"You get the best of both worlds," Trainor said, speaking with Betanews at CES. Users can run the ATI card for applications such as 3-D games and video, which demand high-speed polygon rendering. Alternatively, you can use Intel's graphics to conserve energy for "still" graphics and other applications.
Lenovo, Sony, and Toshiba are among the vendors that implemented Switchable Graphics in 2008. Lenovo's T400 Thinkpad, for example, uses the new technology.
"But typically, manufacturers started out by [implementing] Switchable Graphics on only one or two models. Now, you'll start to see [Switchable Graphics] across broader segments of their line-ups," Betanews was told.
Trainor acknowledged that there's one hitch, at this point. You can't switch back to Intel graphics while a 3-D game is running, for instance. "But you probably wouldn't want to do that, anyway," he noted. "And we'll be perfecting the technology in future generations."
Intel's own built-in graphics consume only about one-half the energy of ATI's, according to the Intel exec.
Meanwhile, Intel's been focusing on anti-aliasing and other technologies for enhanced visual quality in still graphics.
Intel conducted the demo at CES on a notebook PC running Intel Core 2 Quad (Q9000) mobile processor technology for Centrino 2. Aside from ATI, Nvidia is another graphics hardware manufacturer that's rolled out an implementation of Switchable Graphics.
Not to intending to sound flip about this, but did anyone actually read the article or the tech brief at all? Three people have said this tech is old or dumb because they can already run dual displays or use the IGP for less intensive tasks. If you pay attention you will see that that is not what this tech does. This is about power saving NOT faster gaming. If your playing a game with one display and browsing the web with another, you're still powering both IGP and GPU. Using your IGP to surf the web on another monitor does NOT disable the GPU. It just doesn't use it at that moment. It's still ON!
Switchable graphics actually switch the main graphics card on or off completely to save power. It has nothing to do with dual monitors. In fact it's just the opposite because in these setups both the IGP and the GPU are used to drive the same display (or displays) but the GPU only engages and begins to draw power when needed. Even at idle the average modern desktop gaming card draws ~130W, that's an awful lot if you're not gaming. While primarily used in laptops at the moment this tech has a lot of potential for energy efficient small desktops and HTPC systems.
Lucid's Hydra tech is just platform-independent SLI/Crossfire. Again, nothing to do with power saving. I'm also pretty sure Hyrda doesn't work with IGP because it needs independent graphics memory, I could be wrong on that though.
Score: -1
|You are wrong.
But its fasciniating to listen to you chastise others for doing the same thing you did as you leap to form conclusions based upon your asumptions reading the literature.
And the same as SLI and Crossfire huh? Let's see them do that with integrated graphics.
When you get a clue, try again.
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|OK, I am wrong... How exactly?? I notice you don't really elaborate much. Perhaps you could share your obviously hard earned experience with us.
SLI DOES do that with integrated graphics. It's called HybridSLI, I've seen it work. It's no miracle, but it works. Have you actually SEEN Hydra work? If not the you are the one spouting nonsense from a brochure. But as long as we're on the subject, show me ONE place where Hydra is mentioned to work with an IGP?
Then again, from the nebulous nature of your response, I'm not even sure you understand the conversation being had. I apologize for speaking over your head. How very rude of me.
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|Let's see...Some of us have been talking about this subject for almost 6 months already. And here you show up , with your head up your posterior, parading your ignorance and expecting us to repeat all that has been discussed about it.
Yup. The irony is the Hydra was initially posited as a dynamic load balancing solution allowing multiple GPUs, be they IGP and/or add-on GPUs, to work simultaneously without any switching necessary, thus optimizing the video rendering capabilities, batteryboy. That was what made Apple's MacBook announcement so pathetic- where you have to log off and log back on.
Yup. I didn't elaborate much here, as it has already been done elsewhere. But I have listed several sites that go into quite a bit of depth; but then you would have to be able to both find the sites, read then, and find someone to explain them to you.
Believe whatever you want. The fact is that you are spouting as much nonsense and empty speculation as those you initially chastised.
And Hydra is topology agnostic. While your alternatives are ANYTHING BUT. Hybrid SLI...Now there is a widely used technology - that few if any of the MoBos with SLI capable slots support. Of course, with hybrid SLI you wouldn't even need SLI capable slots, as you would only be using the IGP and the ONE additional GPU. Sorta diminishes the purpose of employing the SLI moniker, doesn't it?
So stick to discussing Mr Nike Jordan's posts.
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|OMG would you please READ something before responding to it!!!
This article is about POWER SAVING TECHNOLOGY!!! It has nothing to do with SLI, Crossfire or Hydra. It is about SWITCHING from the GPU to the IGP and shutting the GPU off. It is NOT about COMBINING the power of several GPUs, or an IGP and a GPU or whatever. It doesn't matter how long you have been discussing GPU scaling, that still isn't what this article is referring to. I am not insulting hydra tech, I'm sure it will be great when and if it shows up in the real world but it is not a SWITCHABLE solution, it is a SCALING solution.
Say it with me... SWITCHABLE graphics. OK? Not distributed graphics. I'm done. Go argue with your mom about cleaning your room or something.
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|Nitwit, it is one focus, while the rest of the industry is focusing on utilizing multiple GPU sources more efficiently.
Like I really care simply about power saving. And let's think for a second. If load balancing can sense and distribute load, there is nothing tp preclude activity, or the lack thereof, as a trigger for for putting a more energy intensive GPU to sleep.
This is old news in load balancing on larger systems. But then, you are obviously ignorant of the fact that such technologies have been utilized in some of the larger enterprise level systems for a good 15-20 years with all sorts of devices.
What is humorous is to watch you become apoplectic as you have just now become aware of the subject!
Relax and take a bit more lithium. After all, if their sole concern is simply power consumption in a laptop, they can do what they have been doing on a laptop for years and simply use a low power/low capacity IGP!!!!!! Such radical innovation! And to think they have already solved that problem that you find so radical, years ago!
;-)
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|Yawn. Old news and old technology; meanwhile the real story is missed.
And for even more old, but more worthwhile, news, you might just want to check out Lucid's Hydra technology. A GPU independent load balancing engine that distributes graphics loads across all available GPUs, integrated or add on, transparently.
Why screw with 'switching' and not being able to switch back, or worse, as in Apple's implimentation, logging off and back on!?
But then the silence is a bit deafening on the 'cutting edge' technology information sites that are seemingly only aware of the latest marketing brochure received in the mail...
In keeping with this tradition, I would anticipate a 'cutting edge'(sic) article extolling the whiz bang capabilities of (end of lifecycle) Core2 CPUs any day now to compliment the already out of date 'switchable' graphics news....
http://www.lucidlogix.com/technology/index.html
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=607
http://www.engadget.com/...ra-technology-explained/
Score: 2
|Don't most multiple card setups use BOTH cards? My nVidia card (for gaming) drives my main monitor but a secondary (2D) card drives two additional monitors. They both run at the same time, driving 3 monitors. I cannot switch the 3D card off and choose to use only the 2D card when not gaming.
Being able to basically 'hot-swap' between video cards using one monitor makes sense... using the power consuming gaming card only when necessary and saving power while running typical office apps.
Score: -1
|This doesn't sound new at all to me. A computer with built in graphics and and additional video card....the built in used for less demanding stuff and the additional card for more intense things. It sounds more like a typical dual monitor setup to me. With each monitor designed for specific things. For a laptop, you would just need to be plugged into power when using the secondary monitor instead of running on the battery. What is so new about it? Infact, I see people do it everyday where I work. It's part of what docking stations are all about.
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