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    How do you switch between integrated / dedicated on T400/T500?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by meteorstorm42, Aug 13, 2008.

  1. meteorstorm42

    meteorstorm42 Notebook Consultant

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    Is there a hardware switch I missed?
    Or is it somehow software based? (How?)
     
  2. chun9430

    chun9430 Notebook Evangelist

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    I think it's software based. I've heard that when you are on the power supply it automatically runs discrete and when you are on the battery it's intergrated.
     
  3. YariYari

    YariYari Notebook Guru

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    so there's no way to run on integrated when your plugged in?
     
  4. keltix

    keltix Notebook Deity

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    i thought it was dynamic
     
  5. Dreamer

    Dreamer The Bad Boy

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  6. meteorstorm42

    meteorstorm42 Notebook Consultant

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    So you can still use dedicated when on battery power?
    That'd be nice :)
    well, having the option is nice anyway
     
  7. ultimate008

    ultimate008 Notebook Enthusiast

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    If it is like the vast majority of Centrino 2 laptops, it will have a graphics switch to go from integrated to dedicated.
     
  8. dietcokefiend

    dietcokefiend DietGreenTeaFiend

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    On the T400 it appears to be handled dynamically on the fly by software. In the BIOS you can lock it in either mode or leave it switching.

    No button to toggle modes externally.

    edit: not exactly sure how it works inside the operating system now. Unless I am missing something completely obvious, there is no setting besides max battery or max performance inside the ATI control. Has to be completely automatic, since it already gets as low as 10.2w at idle.
     
  9. gi3

    gi3 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Is dynamic switching supported under WinXP (downgrade) or does it require Vista?
     
  10. stewie

    stewie What the deuce?

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    If it dynamically switches on the fly, then that's pretty amazing, cause like the Sony SZ, even when you toggle the physical switch, it requires a reboot before it actually switch to the other card.
     
  11. Mackan

    Mackan Notebook Evangelist

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    One guy with the W500 said it's like a 5 sec blackout on the screen when you do the switching. Not sure if I remember correctly though.
     
  12. Dreamer

    Dreamer The Bad Boy

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    Yes, it does, no reboot is required. And the new Sony Z uses the same technology, so no reboot again.
     
  13. stewie

    stewie What the deuce?

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    Nice! That's a nice upgraded feature from the SZ to the Z, I was talking about the SZ before. I'm guessing the U330 will also have the same technology with its switchable cards.
     
  14. dietcokefiend

    dietcokefiend DietGreenTeaFiend

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    Not sure what he was doing, but the T400 I have in front of my doesnt even hiccup or flicker.
     
  15. zachman123

    zachman123 Notebook Geek

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    I assume it'll still auto-switch in Linux too... but I wonder if there's any control over it then.
     
  16. djh01

    djh01 Notebook Consultant

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    You will likely have to set it to either integrated or discrete in BIOS. I doubt there will be hybrid mode in Linux.