MacBook Pro Graphics Switching Issues

zerilliworks · 06-23-2011, 07:30 PM

So most of you are aware that the newer MacBooks are capable of toggling between the low power Intel graphics and the high-powered Nvidia or ATI graphics. Specific to my issue is a brand new MacBook Pro 17 inch, with the ATI 6750M and Intel HD 3000 chips. I often connect and disconnect my notebook from power, and using the (added-on) gfxCardStatus utility, it switches from exclusively Intel graphics on battery to exclusively ATI graphics when plugged in. Steam does not play nice with this. Switching graphics modes causes Steam to throw you a message saying that the video card is not supported when trying to play a game. It happened to me specifically with TF2. The solution is simple, quit and restart Steam. I was just not sure if this is a documented issue.

So if any of you use gfxCardStatus, which is a great little piece of software, by the way, then this may be the cause of many issues.

NasherUK · 06-24-2011, 12:19 AM

Switching graphics drivers/hardware (or any drivers) while a program is running is never going to work. I doubt there is a way to "fix" it.

What they should have done is just have the ATI card and switch that in to a low power state instead. Bad hardware design tbh :/

Janichsan · 06-24-2011, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NasherUK

Switching graphics drivers/hardware (or any drivers) while a program is running is never going to work. I doubt there is a way to "fix" it.

^ This.

Quote:

What they should have done is just have the ATI card and switch that in to a low power state instead. Bad hardware design tbh :/

It's not as if they had much of a choice. When you want to use Intel's i3, i5, i7, iWhatevernumber, you have to use their chipsets. So the Intel HD graphics is in the computer, no matter what.

NasherUK · 06-24-2011, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janichsan

^ This.

It's not as if they had much of a choice. When you want to use Intel's i3, i5, i7, iWhatevernumber, you have to use their chipsets. So the Intel HD graphics is in the computer, no matter what.

Depends which motherboard you use. Cheaper ones usually have built in graphics (which really should be disabled if using a seperate gfx card) , this applies to desktops and laptops. High-end boards have no onboard graphics, better quality sound cards and more room/bandwidth for a PCIe card (or 2).

TheSpaceMarine · 06-24-2011, 05:15 AM

i have the same complaint as OP (and running a similarly brand-spanking new 15" MBP i7 with 6750M), but i don't typically play TF2 when on battery power so it's not much of an issue for me. when i want to, i just set gfxCardStatus when on battery - otherwise, i force it to integrated by default...

i hear ya, but there's no way that this is TF2's department - you shouldn't be able to switch graphics cards in the middle of a 3d shooter - and if you did, you shouldn't expect it to end well for ya...

06-23-2011, 07:30 PM	#1
zerilliworks Join Date: Jun 2011 Reputation: 0 Posts: 2	MacBook Pro Graphics Switching Issues So most of you are aware that the newer MacBooks are capable of toggling between the low power Intel graphics and the high-powered Nvidia or ATI graphics. Specific to my issue is a brand new MacBook Pro 17 inch, with the ATI 6750M and Intel HD 3000 chips. I often connect and disconnect my notebook from power, and using the (added-on) gfxCardStatus utility, it switches from exclusively Intel graphics on battery to exclusively ATI graphics when plugged in. Steam does not play nice with this. Switching graphics modes causes Steam to throw you a message saying that the video card is not supported when trying to play a game. It happened to me specifically with TF2. The solution is simple, quit and restart Steam. I was just not sure if this is a documented issue. So if any of you use gfxCardStatus, which is a great little piece of software, by the way, then this may be the cause of many issues.

06-24-2011, 12:19 AM	#2
NasherUK Join Date: Feb 2007 Reputation: 52 Posts: 1,002	Switching graphics drivers/hardware (or any drivers) while a program is running is never going to work. I doubt there is a way to "fix" it. What they should have done is just have the ATI card and switch that in to a low power state instead. Bad hardware design tbh :/ Last edited by NasherUK: 06-24-2011 at 12:22 AM.

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06-24-2011, 05:15 AM	#5
TheSpaceMarine Join Date: Mar 2011 Reputation: 5 Posts: 120	i have the same complaint as OP (and running a similarly brand-spanking new 15" MBP i7 with 6750M), but i don't typically play TF2 when on battery power so it's not much of an issue for me. when i want to, i just set gfxCardStatus when on battery - otherwise, i force it to integrated by default... i hear ya, but there's no way that this is TF2's department - you shouldn't be able to switch graphics cards in the middle of a 3d shooter - and if you did, you shouldn't expect it to end well for ya...