Optimus support for Linux

[Beryl]

Before one week ,we reported on GPU switching and then delayed GPU switching appeared to Linux through some Linux kernel hacks, but NVIDIA has just launched a latest technology for dual-GPU notebooks and that is "Optimus Technology."

NVIDIA's Optimus is similar to the hybrid-switching technologies that have been available on notebooks up to this point for switching between ATI/AMD, Intel
, and NVIDIA GPUs on notebooks based upon the graphics workload, but with Optimus the experience is treated to be seamless. With NVIDIA's Optimus, there is nothing manual intervention is supposed to be required but the notebook will automatically switch between onboard GPUs depending upon the graphics rendering workload.

Thanks

[Devasis]

It looks like new marketing on an existing method. You can perform it already if your system contains two GPUs of with the similar level, you just requires some advance in the driver. It's commonly power selective multi-gpu. Wire one to the displays and then render using the quick or slower one based on what power mode you are in. When the other one is not in use, ramp it's clocks down.

[Solomon]

Now, NVIDIA has launched a latest technology known as Optimus, that makes the switching process automatic and transparent in running with Windows.

Despite a lot of laptops already shipping with two graphics processors - a minimum-power integrated one and a discrete powerful one - software compatibility for switching between the two has been a bit problematic. Running with Windows Vista and Windows 7, you required to manually switch between the two through the power configuration or the graphics tray icon. Upon switching, the screen would switch into blank for a few moments.

[MrChris-]

There are so many conflicts between this procedure and the support with the Linux and according to my opinion.
As far as I can say that "Optimus" does not switch GPUs only when the power mode changes happens but when the strong GPU is needed. where as, it can switch to the integrated GPU even while the laptop is connected and can switch to the discrete GPU even if the laptop is on battery.

[Calvin K]

NVIDIA's Optimus technology provides just that type of activity. It will recognize when an intensive 3D application is opened, and will switched on the discrete GPU accordingly, without user intervention, without screen flicker, without logging in or out. The only issue spot here is that the system relies on application profiles that you quickly download from NVIDIA - where as, if you come to run into an application or game without a profile, you might still require to power on the discrete GPU manually.