Integrated/discreet GPU selection in EboSuite?

MNDMTH · June 24, 2019, 6:11pm

I recently upgraded my MacBook to a very high end 15" model with discreet GPU and i9 processor in order to cope with all the live video and audio drum triggering I’m doing in Ableton and EboSuite. However, I’m noticing that as soon as I load Ebosuite the discreet GPU kicks in and my MacBook starts heating up and the fan starts running. I obviously want to use the discreet GPU for performing live video triggering to get the best results but in some situations (such as travelling by plane or train, where the MacBook might be on my lap) and when I’m working on relatively simple video triggering projects that don’t require the discreet GPU it would be good to use the integrated GPU to try and avoid it heating up like this.

Is there a way to force Ebosuite to use the integrated GPU?

Thanks. Stuart

Jeroen · June 26, 2019, 10:47am

Hi Stuart, you could use the gfxCardStatus app to do that. I saw your reaction on Facebook and I have the same issue. When I switch to ‘Integrate Only’ the ‘i’ will be shown in the menu bar and the integrated card (Intel) is shown in the app menu, but ‘Discrete Only’ is selected in the app menu.
unnamed
When I launch Ableton Live the app switched to ‘Integrate Only’ in the app menu and it will use the integrated grahicscard. Does your system behave differently?

It is interesting to add this option to EboSuite in the future to make this easier.

MNDMTH · June 26, 2019, 11:57am

How do you have your graphics switching preferences set in Energy Saving Preferences?

MNDMTH · June 26, 2019, 12:08pm

My menu bar shows r even though I have integrated selected (with or without Live running). If I select dynamic switching then it changes to I and when I launch Ableton it stays with integrated but then when I open an eSampler or other EboSuite device it switches to discreet. Is it possible the gfxcardstatus is just not compatible with Mojave?

Jeroen · June 26, 2019, 12:20pm

Automatic graphics switching is turned off in the Energy Saving Preferences.
These are the system requirements according to their site:

OS X Lion (10.7) or newer
2008-2012, 15-17" dual-GPU MacBook Pro

So Mojave should be supported, but newer MacBook Pro’s might not. I only have an older MBP with High Sierra here now. I can try tomorrow with a newer MBP with Mojave. Maybe you could mail the developer of gfxCardStatus?