GPU switching

GPU switching is used on laptops with multiple graphics controllers. The standard situation gathers an integrated graphics device and a discrete video card, the latter consuming more power than the first but also providing higher 3D performances, such as needed for game playing and CAD. This dual graphics solution may then enable longer battery times when no high-performance graphics is needed.

Windows support

Windows 7 fully supports this feature by dynamically switching from one device to the other when needed. The change is then transparent to the user.

Linux support

In the Linux systems, a patch named vga_switcheroo[1] has been added to the Linux kernel since version 2.6.34 in order to deal with multiple GPU. Here, the switch requires a restart of the X Window System to be taken into account.

Ubuntu Control Center allows the user to access vga_switcheroo functionality through a GUI.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ http://kerneltrap.org/mailarchive/git-commits-head/2010/3/4/28037


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