Do I have WiDi-ready laptop & can I have switchable graphics with 2670QM in PowerPro notebook?

First off:
Do I have a built in WiDi chip (see signature)...? I've only recently looked into WiDi technology and haven't seen it as an option to add to many laptops, so I wasn't sure if the chip was already built in and I needed drivers, or if only few select vendors selling. I know I will need a Push2TV receiver for it to work (assuming the chip is built in).

Second:
I know my 2670QM has embedded 3000 graphics, so I was curious if there was a way I could have switchable graphics from my 570m card to the embedded card or would my MoBo not support it? I can't seem to find out what piece to the puzzle is the one that allowed switchable graphics.

Thanks in advance and sorry for what is probably some very amateur questions.

 

Intel WiFi cards are what is required... I'm 99% sure of that.

EDIT: I meant the above is for WiDi. Intel requires you have one of their WiFi modules for WiDi to function.

For your second question, on notebooks that have GPU's like the one you have, the Intel IGP is usually disabled. If there's not an option in the BIOS to enable Optimus, you can't have switchable graphics.

 

To use WiDi you need the following:
1. A Sandy Bridge CPU (You have this covered)
2. A system that shuts down the GPU and is able to use IGP (Optimus or the AMD system), since the only way you can use WiDi is through the IGP (Don`t know)
3. One of the following wireless network cards:
Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000, 1030
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200, 6205, or 6230
Intel Centrino Wireless-N + WiMAX 6150
Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
(Don`t know)

If you don`t have this, you can get the WiHD (Wireless HD). Works on all laptops

 

It looks like the only thing my system is lacking is Optimus (It's sounding like this is the only way to get WiDi on a system with Intel). Would this be enabled by a different BIOS and drivers or is it something deeper? I don't fully understand the intimate intricacies of computer engineering, but I can flash my BIOS and install new drivers. Thanks for all of the awesome knowledge so far!

 

It would be both BIOS and Drivers unless you have a 3D Display. In that case, you might be out of luck. I know having a 3D Capable display automatically disables Optimus. But you need newer nVidia Drivers (download them from the nVidia website) and the drivers for the Intel HD 3000 Graphics Card (Windows Update or your Laptop Manu's website.) after that, Optimus should be in the nVidia Control Panel under "Manage 3d Settings."

 

Looks like I have an "Intel Centrino Wireless N130" wireless adapter in my config. It doesn't seem it qualifies for the requirements of WiDi according to Cloudfire's list. If a BIOS change and driver update are all that is required for me to have (internally supported) WiDi, I would definitely change out my internal wireless card for the sake of not having to need a wireless display USB dongle hanging off the side of my notebook .

I do not have a 3D display on my laptop. So you're saying if I find the IGPU (Intel HD 3000) graphics drivers and a BIOS that supports Optimus, I would be able to have switchable graphics *and* WiDi capability (assuming I change my wireless card for one that supports it)? I know this is a big stream of "ifs", but I have had an abundance of free time on my hands and this is my most recent topic of interest that I'm trying to get back into (I was a CSIS major for a couple years back in 2003 and then got out of the field, so I'm a bit out-dated as far as computer technologies have gone recently).

 

According to this list WiDi Compatibility List, your CPU and Wireless care aren't WiDi-Ready.

 

Yes his CPU 100% supports WiDi. Intel and their BS lists which they never ever update, god knows how many questions we have in this forum because of that.

His CPU is a Sandy Bridge and have IGP like all other SB mobile CPUs. Therefor he meets the requirements. @OP, for this reason I mentioned above (Intel is lazy), it could be that your wireless network card is good enough and qualify for WiDi but I don`t know. But you need to find out if you can switch from the GPU (570M) to the IGP (HD 3000). Cheers

 

My Vostro in my sig has the Intel Wireless-N 1030 and it's a great simple little card. Nothing fancy or dual-band, but cheap and reliable and has WiDi. WiDi actually works quite well with this card. You can read about how it works here:

WirelessHD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But yea, you'll need to be able to use your IGP to use it, like Cloudfire said.

Hmm... I never have a problem with Intel's lists, especially ark.intel's lists. I don't go to the others. I've never seen a wrong one really. They explicitly list it as Wireless Display capable.

Intel® Core? i7-2670QM Processor (6M Cache, 2.20 GHz)

 

Yeah but the CPU isn`t mentioned at this page where "all" the CPUs that support WiDi is mentioned. I don`t think Average Joe fancy looking at boring specs at ark.intel. That is my opinion anyways

And then we have the whole RAM debate where in my opinion Intel doesn`t mention the RAM speeds you actually can use with your CPU.

Why are you linking to Wireless HD btw? That is not WiDi. And you don`t need IGP with Wireless HD. It works with pretty much anything since you have a standalone transmitter and a reciever.

 

Intel's WiDi is a fork on this technology, or so I've read in places. Then in other places I've read it's a form of WiFi-Direct connection with HDCP.

Generally, I'm not sure. lol.

 

Yes, I too have heard that WiHD is better than WiDi.
Over a year ago or something WiDi was lagging when playing games (what you did on the notebook took almost a second to see on the screen). It was around 600ms. Impossible to game but works great with movies. There you had to have the same image on both the laptop and the TV and it supported max 720p. Then WiDi 2.0 came for about 1 year ago and the lag was reduced to 200ms. Maybe good enough for gamers, but not good enough for online gaming I bet. miliseconds is everything
Multidisplay was supported and you could use the laptop for other things while streaming the video to the TV that your friends is watching. 1080p support was introduced.

WiDi 3.0 is supposed to reduce the lag even more. Softpedia say it is introduced with Ivy Bridge this year. It will be optimized for gamers and you can stream the content to two TVs.

Other than lag for hardcore gamers I don`t think WiDi is any less of a technology. It too supports 1080p content. And it too suffers from bad out of sight reception. So I think some people are not updated on the current situation of this technology and maybe thinking about WiDi1.0
Intel WiDi 3.0 to Include Dual Monitor Support and Gaming Optimizations - Softpedia

 

Crud, even for single player gaming (which is what I would want WiDi for) it sounds like I would be better off with WiHD. I may just go that route since I do have a few occasional multiplayer games I would like to stream to my big screen (typically I play stuff like BF3 and MW3 on 360 or PS3), and I have a "smart tv" that I can just wirelessly stream video to over my LAN anyway :-/. Thanks a ton for all of the input guys, it has helped tremendously!

Kind of as an aside, has anybody enabled switchable graphics on a 16F2 or any notebook that didn't otherwise come with it from the factory, and notice better battery life?

 

Apparently Intel and I share laziness in common. I should've looked at the Intel page for the CPU and not the general list. I'm familiar w/ the Intel Ark, but figured the WiDi Compatibility List would be updated. Guess I expected too much. Thanks for the correction!