Acer :: Discrete Graphics In A Timeline, Wouldn't That Be Nice
Jul 24, 2009
The Travelmate business line of computers that are based off of the Timeline series have discrete ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4330 graphics cards. I think there are even some models in the European market that have the ATI graphics card.
Do you think it would be possible to install a graphics card like the HD 4330 into a 3810T (13.3" Timeline) or a 4810T (14.1" Timeline) notebook?
Is it even possible to do this with any notebook?
I'm leaning towards a 4810T as my first choices (the Asus P30A and Acer Travelmate 8371) have not been invited to the Canadian market. The only thing that holds me back is the integrated graphics card. Should I hold my breath and wait for a Timeline notebook with a discrete graphics card?
Why would Acer be reluctant to release a Timeline esque notebook in North America with a discrete graphics card? The ATI card doesn't suck up that much power.
I have an aspire 4745G which AMD Radeon Graphics might somehow be corrupted, and so ever since I was using the Intel dedicated VRAM, However I have accidentally changed graphics from switchable to discreet in BIOS and after restart all I get is black screen. I tried resetting the BIOS by shorting the jumpers beneath the WLAN card as per the manual but its still no good. The only thing it does after turning it on is that the HDD LED lights up for a second and then gone all black screen ...
I'll be buying an XPS M1330 soon. The only option I'm still confused on is the graphics card. I'm not a gamer and battery life is important to me as I'm on the road every week for work. However, with Vista now - which I have no experience with - is it true that you need a discrete graphics card to efficiently run Vista (and I guess certain options such as Aero).
Specifically, my questions are:
1. Will an integrated graphics card impair the ability to use Vista in any way and, if so, how?
2. What's the difference in battery life when using a dedicated vs integrated graphics card? I.e., how much extra battery life will I gain by choosing integrated?
3. Will an integrated graphics card cause my system to just not operate as efficiently in general - just every day navigating even - since Vista relies so heavily on graphics? And, if so, how does any inefficiency manifest itself? Slower time bringing up screens? Computer running hot because of a strain using graphics?
Subject says it all - 1555 appeared in UK this morning but only has 15.6in Widescreen High Definition (1366x768) WLED with TrueLife
I posted about a week ago about WXGA+ suddenly dropping off the 15.4" version and was hopeful of holding out and getting a higher res option with the 1555. No such luck.
I just went to the Dell US site to configure a 15 Studio laptop and notice when you go to configure the laptop the only choice for graphics is the integrated 4500HD!
I just got my new MacBook Pro 15" (with auto graphics switching) and was a bit surprised that the discrete graphics card was always on... so I started investigating what apps might be triggering that! As far as I could tell, I wasn't running anything graphics intensive... so it was a surprise to me what I found out
There are a lot more apps causing this than the ones I listed initially... a more complete and up-to-date list can be found at this thread on MacRumors forums.
It's possible to know what graphics card you're currently using by installing GPUInfoMenu or gfxCardStatus, the latter also allows to force switching from discrete to integrated, or vice-versa.
I have a 5810TZG basically it has an INTEL 4500MHD and a ATI HD4330 , I did a search and found only 2 other TZG results.
I bought a 5810T with only the INTEL 4500MHD , but returned it for a more powerful gpu.
So what does the Z in TZG mean.
What other versions are there.
Also the switchable graphics only work with the Acer drivers, I have tried v9.12 and above and get a blank screen unless i select dedicated ati only in the bios.
So it looks like we are stuck with catalyst v8.65 if i want switchable graphics or are we?
Version with Intel/Ati/Switchable options in Switchable Graphics menu: ftp://ftp.ad1ced.ru/JM31.127_SLIC.zip
Extended version with additional unlocked options: ftp://ftp.ad1ced.ru/JM31.127_SLIC_ad1ced.ZIP
Don't forget to change User Access Level to see all options
advan20092 is AWESOME!
Just to explain how awesome this modded BIOS is: It enables a new INTEL-ONLY graphics setting in the BIOS for the TG models. This disables the ATI chip entirely, basically making the Switchable Graphics TG models act like the T models, which "fixes" the bug where both graphics chips are active after a Resume from Standby.
This gives 3810TG owners the promised battery life of 8+ hours. One caveat - it disables the HDMI port. For HDMI you have to use Switchable or ATI-ONLY modes.
One is marketed as business-grade, another is consumer-grade. Both look very similar and I am not sure if the materials used are any different. So tell me, as I am preparing to buy my next laptop.
Was traveling from Florida to my hometown in North Carolina when I stopped at a local hotel halfway. Hotel had wireless so I popped on and noticed something weird. I start iChat and it goes nuts! Kept logging on and off at the speed of light without actually connecting. After 15 seconds it said connect later because you have tried to many times for now.
Well I fire it up 30 min later it starts but there is no windows popping up for it anymore. The top bar changes to ichat but no menu or window or anything.
Since I updated the BIOS to A15, I experienced a louder fan. So I turned off the computer and blew out the dust by blowing into the fins on the backside. Lots of dust came through the fan then.
When I turned the computer back on everything was very quiet... and also slow... 'til I realized the fan did not turn on at all!
The moment I recognized that I forced the computer off to avoid damage due to overheating.
Why would the fan not turn on after my little "basic" cleaning? Do you guys experience more fan noise since A15 too?
HP dv2500t with nVidia overheating problem about 2 years ago. About 3 months after my 2-year extended warranty expired, my laptop started having problems with the screen that split into 8 parts and showed lines running across. Unfortunately, HP was of no help since my laptop wasn't on the list of those recalled and asked me to pay an extra $400 to get it repaired.
After doing research on the net, including this site, about this problem, I decided to replace the motherboard myself. I ordered an exactly the same motherboard that came with the same nVidia chip from a reputable seller who specialized in selling used motherboards. He assured me that it was tested and even recommended adding a piece of copper on top of nVidia chip. So I carefully took apart the laptop, added a piece of copper that came with the new MB using instructions posted on this forum (with Arctic silver 5) and reassembled it.
To my surprise, the laptop wouldn't power up. When I plugged the charger, the blue LED light would go on both the front side and the right side where the charger goes. And then there were no other signs of life from the laptop. I thought maybe I didn't connect some wires properly. So I disassembled and reassembled the laptop 2 more times. All to no avail.
I usually just leave my laptop on overnight, and it just goes to sleep/hibernation mode then. But when i went to go turn on my laptop, you can see the lights on my laptop turn on but the screen stayed black. Â What could have possibly happened?/what can i do to fix it
The thing is: I use Linux and I don't really care for the discrete card nor this whole SLI thing.
I am fine with the 9400 only, but I got the laptop with the 9500 in a promotion and they only had this option.
As I use Linux and there's no support from nvidia to SLI, the discrete card even though useless consumes power lessening the battery life and running the computer warmer.
Looks like Apple's gone all-ATi now for discrete GPUs on the new iMacs. Could this be a sign that going forward, all MacBooks' discrete GPUs will be from ATi?
I'm thinking of buying a Thinkpad E540 with a discrete nvidia gpu. I am planning to install linux on it and I don't really need optimus for it (nor is it well supported) but I'd like to occasionally be able to use it on windows. Â I'd like to know if it's possible to completely turn off the nvidia gpu from the BIOS so it works only with the integrated intel one or should I buy one with intel gpu only. Â I have read that the lenovo changed the dual gpu implementation on the latest generation thinkpads.
I am new to having a thinkpad and I know that my system has a the intigrated graphics and the discrete nvidia nvs 3100m Optimus card. Here is the issue though. Â I have been trying to run some programs that are more video oriented (gaming). I discovered that my system is only reading the intigrated graphics and doesn't even acknowledge that the nvidia card is there. Â
I have updated to the latest drivers and checked the Bios to make sure things are there. Â Sadly they are not. Â I looked at the bios, followed the directions I found on the forum to set that to card to on only to find that the the only card it recognizes is the intigrated graphics. Â So the question is, how do I get the bios and the computer in general to recognize the nvidia card on my T410 (2522)?
this thread is for all Acer Timeline owners who suffer from 100% CPU load, when only thing that helps is restart.
1. If you are a Timeline owner - having this problem or not, please do report here, what model you own and tell us how is this happening for you.
2. Please inform Acer about this, so they know and can offer a solution (especially if you're from United States as this will have greater impact rather than me telling this stuff to Slovak Acer service)
Alright, this is what I got so far about this thing: -CPU will just go nuts at no specific time (idle, browsing, ...) -Proccess explorer shows 'Hardware Interrupts' as source of 99.9% of CPU power -unlogging won't help, only restart does -updating BIOS doesn't help -uninstalling acer epower managment doesn't help, even though it seems making these episodes less frequent somehow
Mine notebook is: 5810T with SU3500 and GMA 4500MHD.......................
My 4810T has the fan always on (not too loud, but on nevertheless...). I can't tell if it's because of the CPU (intel SU9400) or the GPU (intel gma 4500mhd).
Is there any option where I can control this? I'm on Ubuntu and I'm using the "CPU frequency scaling monitor" applet to throttle the CPU, but even in it's lowest frequency, the fan never shuts down.
I had installed Windows 7 and it was working fine but it blue screened and now it won't start. Fine, I decided I'd just reinstall it but if I put my flash drive in it will just stick at the Acer Empowering People splash screen and won't move for a while and then just goes to a screen about something being not connected and then it'll boot to the normal start Windows Recovery (Which doesn't work) and start Windows normally. If you try to start it normally it'll either stay on the Windows animation starting or get to login and then i'll input my password but it goes to Blue Screen.
I formatted the flash drive using this guide [url]
I've tried having USB FDD and USB HDD as the first boot option and still nothing.
I was looking at the Acer Timeline 3810t and I am thinking about purchasing it because the battery life is great and so is the performance. Yet, the one thing I found that may hold me from purchasing is the stiff mousepad buttons brought up in many reviews. I was wondering if anyone who has this laptop has experience with the touchpad buttons. Are the really stiff that it would annoy someone who uses their laptop on the go without an external mouse?
I uninstalled all the extra software that this laptop came with. One problem i am having is every SECOND start up, the computers loads very slow. The next time i turn on the laptop it will load really fast and all the icons and stuff will pop up right away. Then the next time it will be slow again, windows load then only the wallpaper visible, the icons on desktop and the start bar is not there for about 2 mins.
I tried to restart and i noticed it is always on the second start up.
Also i tried to format my laptop with XP on a usb stick. When i get to the set up, it can not detected the harddrive but only the usb stick.
