ATI, the graphics product group of Advanced Micro Devices, has been quietly working on a technology to allow notebooks to seamlessly switch between a discrete ATI Mobility Radeon GPU and an integrated Intel Graphics and Media Accelerator, enabling this way graphics performance boost as well as power efficiency. All Intel Centrino 2 laptops running under Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system can benefit from this technology.

ATI's Switchable Graphics technology comes from a partnership between the red company and Intel Corporation, and can provide Centrino 2 notebooks with the best features of various graphics adapters, namely the performance and feature-set of discrete GPUs along with the power-efficiency of integrated graphics processors (IGP). Intel worked With NVIDIA to provide a similar technology, allowing users to choose from a range of graphics processors.

Courtesy of the Switchable Graphics technology, select notebooks that include an Intel GS45 or GM45 core-logic set as well as an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3600 or 3400 graphics chip are enabled to dynamically switch between standalone and integrated graphics cores according to the power source and user's preferences. Also, the switch can be made without rebooting the PC. The dynamic switching between graphics cores does not imply that the chips need to include complex technology, yet the notebook and its BIOS must be specifically designed to feature the capability.

AMD-based mobile computers already benefit from a similar technology, the Hybrid CrossFire but, in this case, the IGP and GPU are also able to work collaboratively in a multi-GPU mode to enable leveraged performance of graphics. ATI has not officially introduced the Switchable Graphics technology. Currently, there are no Intel Centrino 2 laptops that feature ATI Switchable Graphics, which may be the explanation for the situation, yet it is also possible that AMD does not want to bring the platforms of its arch-rival into the spotlight.

ATI also introduced an external graphics platform (XGP) earlier this year. The XGP allows for specially-designed external graphics accelerators to be connected to notebooks or small form-factor desktops.