gfxCardStatus
When your MacBook Pro switches from integrated Intel graphics to the dedicated GPU, power consumption goes up considerably. Which API calls or program attributes trigger this switch is not totally clear, and programs that you least expect might be draining your battery.
Cody Krieger’s free gfxCardStatus will tell you when a switch occurs and lists which programs are causing this.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a list of which APIs trigger the discrete GPU. The system thinks that EagleFiler and BBEdit need it, even if they are just displaying text files.
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"The worst part is that on Retina MacBook Pros (yeah, you should feel really sorry for us)"
I genuinely do feel sorry for you folks.
I've got a fab piece of Apple gear, running a fab OS X version. It just works, and it just works well. Explain to me why I'd rather have a 'retina' MacBook 'pro' with poor spec tradeoffs, running a downgraded OS that perpetually seems to be in beta release instead?
This particular hardware rev seems to be for crazy people and devs.
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"The system thinks that EagleFiler and BBEdit need it, even if they are just displaying text files."
Maybe Apple has valid reasoning for thinking the rMBP needs the discrete GPU to most closely approximate smooth display of text, PDF, or HTML, given all the render jiggering the system needs to deal with? Or maybe not, but the theory doesn't seem all that farfetched to me, given what I've read.
@Chucky That example was from the 2010 MacBook Pro; I haven’t tested this on the rMBP yet.
using Core Animation will trigger the dedicated card. for 2011 MacBookPros a plist key NSSupportsAutomaticGraphicsSwitching can be used to tell os x that the dedicated card is not really used. for older MacBook Pros that doesn't work though.
@Karsten Yes, here’s the documentation for that. I suppose lots of APIs use Core Animation implicitly now…
That's not the worst part.
The worst part is that on Retina MacBook Pros (yeah, you should feel really sorry for us), going back from the dedicated GPU to the integrated GPU sometimes triggers a crash in windowserver because of crap drivers. This can happen at any time, it often happens repeatedly and it comes in periods. You just get dumped out to the login screen and all apps restart, restoring state whether you like it or not as soon as you log back in.
https://discussions.apple.com/message/18790392
Apparently this is fixed in Mountain Lion (although not in a hypothetical 10.7.5 release), but what a way to treat the people who shell out for their most expensive, flagship laptop.