Questions? Comments? Post them below or email us!īe sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums. So I assume it has something to do with graphics switching. Its confusing for the average user: What improves my battery time again: 'I' or. This may be convenient for some users however, it is still an experimental feature so try or use it with caution.ĭownload gfxCardStatus from the developer's website, it's free! Also worth noting, if I turn off GPU switching and keep the laptop running on the dedicated video card, it doesnt happen. Good program, but options should not be called Integrated and Discrete. The screen will go blue and then black, but will then reappear and the secondary GPU will be used. It feels that this is being done on purpose so that it appears to users that OS X offers a better experience and battery life over Windows.
Gfxcardstatus keeps switching pro#
While the program is built for the new Core i5 and Core i7 computers, I am able to run it just fine on a Core2 Duo system running the GeForce 9400M/9600M combination however, it is not supported and claims my system is running the GeForce 330M regardless of what GPU I have running.ĭespite this, the program does offer a unique advantage to users of the older MacBook Pro models, in that the GPU switching feature does allow for you to switch GPUs without logging out and closing down your applications. Since Apple introduced dual graphics chip laptops, they kept the low power/embedded GPU hidden under Window and they expose only the power hungry discrete GPU. This useful utility displays a bar showing the status of your graphics cards, allowing you to quickly identify which card is not working, and enables you to quickly switch. In addition to notifications and alerts, gfxCardStatus will list any processes that are using the current graphics processor, and allow you to manually switch the active GPUs on the system. GFXCard Status is an open-source utility for OS X that displays which graphics card is currently being used on MacBook Pro (and the older iMac) by monitoring a console. If you have the Growl notification system installed, gfxCardStatus will inform you in real-time whenever the graphics processor is changed.
To use a display, stay on Dynamic Switching. external displays You cannot use external displays (including projectors) while using gfxCardStatus in Integrated Only mode. I strongly recommend using Safari instead of Google Chrome for optimal battery life and user experience. When the system's computing demands change and the GPU is switched, this utility will show the switches in real-time, either by displaying an "n" (GeForce 330M) or a "i" (Intel HD) in the menu. Safari is more stable and graphics switching-friendly. GfxCardStatus is a small menu extra that displays which graphics card is the active one. The menu extra allows you to quickly change GPUs without logging out, including on older MacBook Pro systems. This is convenient however, Apple does not provide an easy way to manage the different GPUs on the system, and if you like to tinker you may find the utility gfxCardStatus useful, both for newer and older machines. On Apple's latest MacBook Pro systems, the dual GPU setup allows for dynamic switching between the onboard and discrete graphics chips to optimize performance and battery life, depending on the tasks at hand.
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