(11)
Your rating: Now say why...
gfxCardStatus is a free menu bar application that keeps track of which graphics card your MacBook Pro is using at any given time.
Features: Simple, clean "i" and "n" icons that signify Intel® HD Graphics, and NVIDIA® GeForce GT 330M graphics, respectively Automatically updates when the GPU switches, in real time Dependent process list - see which applications are currently using the 330M, if it's the active GPU! Growl support - so you know right when the GPU switches Tiny footprint - doesn't sit in your menu bar and hog RAM or CPU cycles Automatic application updating -
Features: Simple, clean "i" and "n" icons that signify Intel® HD Graphics, and NVIDIA® GeForce GT 330M graphics, respectively Automatically updates when the GPU switches, in real time Dependent process list - see which applications are currently using the 330M, if it's the active GPU! Growl support - so you know right when the GPU switches Tiny footprint - doesn't sit in your menu bar and hog RAM or CPU cycles Automatic application updating -
What's New
Version 2.1:
New In This Version (Lots!)
- OS X Lion support!!
- Huge preferences window overhaul - now looks like a standard OS X preferences panel.
- Graphical icons in the menu bar are no longer the default - they are now text. See the FAQ for info on how to change back to graphical icons.
- Added a preference for "smart" menu bar icons - e.g. use the first letter of the current GPU ('n' for NVIDIA, 'i' for Intel, 'a' for AMD). Doesn't apply to legacy dual-NVIDIA GPU machines.
- Added Czech, Russian, Ukranian, and Slovak localizations.
- Removed power source info from menu, as it was unnecessary.
- Moved to standard OS X app about box.
- Fixed some memory leaks.
- Enormous refactoring of the codebase.
- Power source-based switching doesn't work if the machine is sleeping when the power source is changed.
- Occasionally, when on Integrated Only, after all discrete-triggering apps have been quit, the machine will switch to Discrete Only.
Version 2.1:
New In This Version (Lots!)
- OS X Lion support!!
- Huge preferences window overhaul - now looks like a standard OS X preferences panel.
- Graphical icons in the menu bar are no longer the default - they are now text. See the FAQ for info on how to change back to graphical icons.
- Added a preference for "smart" menu bar icons - e.g. use the more...
Requirements
- Intel
- Mac OS X 10.6 or later
- 64-bit Intel CPU
- MacBook Pro with dual-GPUs (2010 Intel HD/NVIDIA GeForce 330M GT; 2008-2009 NVIDIA GeForce 9400M/9600M GT)
gfxCardStatus User Discussion (Write a Review)
Overall:
(17)
(17)
Displaying 1-10 of 17
-
-
-
gfxCardStatus is a free menu bar application that keeps track of which graphics card your MacBook Pro is using at any given time.
Features: Simple, clean "i" and "n" icons that signify Intel® HD Graphics, and NVIDIA® GeForce GT 330M graphics, respectively Automatically updates when the GPU switches, in real time Dependent process list - see which applications are currently using the 330M, if it's the active GPU! Growl support - so you know right when the GPU switches Tiny footprint - doesn't sit in your menu bar and hog RAM or CPU cycles Automatic application updating - checks for, downloads and installs new versions of gfxCardStatus automatically!
Features: Simple, clean "i" and "n" icons that signify Intel® HD Graphics, and NVIDIA® GeForce GT 330M graphics, respectively Automatically updates when the GPU switches, in real time Dependent process list - see which applications are currently using the 330M, if it's the active GPU! Growl support - so you know right when the GPU switches Tiny footprint - doesn't sit in your menu bar and hog RAM or CPU cycles Automatic application updating - checks for, downloads and installs new versions of gfxCardStatus automatically!
Copyright © 2012 MacUpdate LLC
- -
+2
JML54 reviewed on 19 Nov 2011
See http://tinyurl.com/72hsgtt for more information.
This application allows me to choose the card to use when I want to save battery power and have no external display connected.
But it resets automatic switching if it was turned off before the app was run. As far as I can tell, the app does permit power-source-based switching without the login display resolution problem! I have to test the effects on an external projector display next week when I'm in a classroom, however; it may limit the resolution available to me when running on battery power and connecting a projector. I just installed your app, and am at home, unable to test it fully.
+2
+338
+338
> "gfxCardStatus continues to work fine and solves all the display
> resolution issues, regardless of what's connected to serve as an external
> display. Turning off the Mac's automatic switching solves the login
> issue."
That's a horrible workaround for me. I really want the automatic switching to work to save battery life when it can. Oh well.
+2
This app works fine regardless of what display is connected when I logout and login. I don't mind the manual control over the selection; in fact, until Apple does something about the underlying bug, this is the ONLY solution that works. I appreciate the manual control and the ease of changing which card is in use.
-1443
"VMware Fusion is not compatible with gfxCardStatus software installed on your Mac. Graphics switching while a virtual machine is running can cause the virtual machine to crash. To prevent damage to your virtual machines it is recommended that dynamic switching be disabled while VMware Fusion is running."
+27
Antoinesynopsis reviewed on 29 Jul 2011
+4
Abbott reviewed on 27 Jul 2011
I have sent an email to the developer, but thought it would be useful to share this tidbit with potential users.
+4
-1443
+1
-5
+1
Chadcn: Incorrect - 2008-early 2010 models with dual-NVIDIA GPUs forced a logout. Newer ones with automatic graphics switching automatically switch.
+59
Macambulance reviewed on 18 Mar 2011
+1
+8
HACK-Design reviewed on 21 Jan 2011
+1
A-One69 reviewed on 13 Jan 2011
Why on earth isn't this built in as standard to the OS? Weird. Developer deserves our donations!
+1
+1
By reviewed on 18 Dec 2010
Very responsive developer, extremely helpful!
-2
+80
Kbeat reviewed on 17 Dec 2010
+27
Antoinesynopsis rated on 29 Jul 2011
-4
Orlandoech rated on 05 Jul 2011
Milan Dandukovic rated on 20 Dec 2010