Staff Sargent Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 (edited) Ok did some google searches and still not sure how amd does its graphics switch. I get optimus does it for me and some games can have issues with this, I have not read about issues with amd ati cards so I am wondering the followin1 is ati switching done by pressing button/s?2 if I want to use the better gpu say in photoshop (from what I know of the app it will use the added power of higher end gpu) would ati be better as I can manually switch when I want?3 if ati has auto switching are there issues with games like optimus? Basically trying to figure out what video gpu would be best for my high end graphic work, gaming, video editing not sure but maybe other stuff. I also think for the m17 the 6990 is the best gpu option over all options avail but just wanted to make sure I understood how the switching worked and if I wanted to use the gpu I can do so when I want with ease and what I know or at least think I know the amd/ati option will give me what I want plus I just want to know for sure how all this works from the users of the machine I am buying. Edited October 2, 2011 by Staff Sargent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Ok did some google searches and still not sure how amd does its graphics switch. I get optimus does it for me and some games can have issues with this, I have not read about issues with amd ati cards so I am wondering the followin1 is ati switching done by pressing button/s?2 if I want to use the better gpu say in photoshop (from what I know of the app it will use the added power of higher end gpu) would ati be better as I can manually switch when I want?3 if ati has auto switching are there issues with games like optimus? Basically trying to figure out what video gpu would be best for my high end graphic work, gaming, video editing not sure but maybe other stuff. I also think for the m17 the 6990 is the best gpu option over all options avail but just wanted to make sure I understood how the switching worked and if I wanted to use the gpu I can do so when I want with ease and what I know or at least think I know the amd/ati option will give me what I want plus I just want to know for sure how all this works from the users of the machine I am buying.Nvidia Gt 580m is the fastest option but 6990m is best price/performance. On my M18x I have the AMD 6970M xfire and I switch to the processors internal gpu by pressing a button or opening a app and hit okay and it restarts the computer so when the system boots the other graphics subsystem is completely disabled and seperated.. so only internal or add in gpu's can be used at one given time and it requires a restart... I think Optimius you can switch "on the fly" so no restart. My internal gpu works pretty good to save power and does okay for surfing watching movies etc and the add in gpus would be good for photoshop like you asked Staff Sargent and anything else like games. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Sargent Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Was hoping the switch would be on the fly but guess you can't have it all. Thanks for the info it will help me pick my options better now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Was hoping the switch would be on the fly but guess you can't have it all. Thanks for the info it will help me pick my options better now.You are more than welcome Sargent. How are you on a personal level, you hanging in there? The internal gpu for me gives me loads more battery life since each card can take about 90~watts AMd flavor and about 100~watts Nvidia... so the internal uses not even 25% of that is my guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Sargent Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Doing pretty good, being retired can suck at times with a bad kidney. Waiting on my second settlement offer just plain blows but I know in the end I will have a sweet machine to fill in my days with art and games and maybe a little programming on the side. I know having a real keyboard is going to be great too. This tablet is only good for movies in bed and basic web stuff. Most sites don't work well with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Doing pretty good, being retired can suck at times with a bad kidney. Waiting on my second settlement offer just plain blows but I know in the end I will have a sweet machine to fill in my days with art and games and maybe a little programming on the side. I know having a real keyboard is going to be great too. This tablet is only good for movies in bed and basic web stuff. Most sites don't work well with it.Well I am glad to hear you are hanging in there. Retirement can be boring. You tablet sound like me trying to surf on my phone... a fair amount of sites work fine and others don't like on my phone here I can only post in shoutbox anywhere else the cursor disappears when I select to type somewhere. Brian recently today bought an M18x off of Alienware's clearance area... maybe when you go to get your planned M17 you can get one off of there and add anything if its below spec... he got his M18x for 1700~ thats shocking mine was nearing 5k so you could save a lot of money doing it that way. The OUtlet: Alienware Laptops | DellM17x R3: http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineSales/Online/InventorySearch.aspx?c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh&brandid=2201&fid=1760 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Sargent Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 I want brand new lol, already know I can get what's in my sig its just a matter of when at this point. If the offer I get is much higher then the first I will be able to get upgrades faster. My sis in law has me and the wife stayin with her to save up over the winter and to wait on this settlement. My wife should get almost 5x what I get which will buy us a new car and pay rent for a year or so. My money will goto laptops for us both. I get a monlthy check from being in the army hence the name lol. Its not much but we live. Its just strange being 41 and retired I still feel like I did while I was in but my body tries to tell me different lmao 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I want brand new lol, already know I can get what's in my sig its just a matter of when at this point. If the offer I get is much higher then the first I will be able to get upgrades faster. My sis in law has me and the wife stayin with her to save up over the winter and to wait on this settlement. My wife should get almost 5x what I get which will buy us a new car and pay rent for a year or so. My money will goto laptops for us both. I get a monlthy check from being in the army hence the name lol. Its not much but we live. Its just strange being 41 and retired I still feel like I did while I was in but my body tries to tell me different lmaoThe one good thing about retirement is now your life can be devoted to you and your wife instead of serving the military. But yeah it must be a big change to get used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Sargent Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 I did 10 years with the govnt and 4 in the army itself. I joined up right after 2001 and did tours in Iraq and Afgan. it was an intresting experience and I am proud to have served america even if I let it go to my head a little. I have the habbit of saying I earned my rights but my wife keeps me grounded lol. Now that I have time on my hands besides computer projects and fixing up the inlaws house I want to visit DC, Boston and other tourist type sites and do some hunting as I miss shooting which having been a sniper is part of who I am now. Typing all that out feels strange, been a computer geek for 30+ years its strange to also be outdoors hunter/shooter type too besides the fact I look like the stereotype geek but with other skills too.Well totally lost the topic of this post hahaha as the wife says "at least your talkin to people" she will hate it once I get the alien as I will be on here and other forums a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 I did 10 years with the govnt and 4 in the army itself. I joined up right after 2001 and did tours in Iraq and Afgan. it was an intresting experience and I am proud to have served america even if I let it go to my head a little. I have the habbit of saying I earned my rights but my wife keeps me grounded lol. Now that I have time on my hands besides computer projects and fixing up the inlaws house I want to visit DC, Boston and other tourist type sites and do some hunting as I miss shooting which having been a sniper is part of who I am now. Typing all that out feels strange, been a computer geek for 30+ years its strange to also be outdoors hunter/shooter type too besides the fact I look like the stereotype geek but with other skills too.Well totally lost the topic of this post hahaha as the wife says "at least your talkin to people" she will hate it once I get the alien as I will be on here and other forums a lot.Well I'm enjoying talking with you and that is great. Don't mind the off-topic chat lol.. everything is very laid back here. I have no military experience myself. My step Dad (I feel as if he is my true father) served about 8 years I think... it was in the Army and they stationed him in Korea. My brother trained in the Marines and a year and a half into training before he was deployed he developed a mental disorder and was medically discharged. Yes now is a great time to enjoy the raw ever changing adventure that is life and getting out there and hunting, fishing and all other outdoors activities is a great way to experience it. Yes I've heard once you are used to shooting... you never forget and sometimes even crave to do it again... I guess its the nature of the beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder StamatisX Posted October 5, 2011 Founder Share Posted October 5, 2011 You can always use spoilers in case part of your message or your reply is offtopic. That way you can keep the offtopic discussion for a while here without distracting other members from reading the ontopic replies This is how you can use the spoiler tags: [spoiler] your offtopic message is placed between the spoiler tags [/spoiler ] <--- don't leave a space here 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Sargent Posted October 9, 2011 Author Share Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) You can always use spoilers in case part of your message or your reply is offtopic. That way you can keep the offtopic discussion for a while here without distracting other members from reading the ontopic replies This is how you can use the spoiler tags: [spoiler] your offtopic message is placed between the spoiler tags [/spoiler ] <--- don't leave a space here Its hard enough typing on this tablet you want me to add tags LOL not sure how to even get that bracket to place it in on this on screen keyboard. I can find these ( ) but not the others, not sure it even has em. Edited October 9, 2011 by mw86 added spoiler tags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw86 Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Its hard enough typing on this tablet you want me to add tags LOL not sure how to even get that bracket to place it in on this on screen keyboard. I can find these ( ) but not the others, not sure it even has em. Its okay Sargent we understand your on a tablet with probably no updates to its browser and basic text entry... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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