Omen 15t equipped with GTX 1650, is it possible to switch to UHD 630 integrated GPU ?

[huey_placard]

Just purchased OMEN 15-dc1054nr.  This version has i7-9750H and GTX 1660 ti max q.

I just assumed this would have Nvidia Optimus, since the GTX 1660 ti itself can support Optimus according to Nvidia.  But when I couldn't find it, started researching.  It looks clear that either the HP hardware design or the HP BIOS doesn't allow the use of the igpu,  when equipped with the GTX 1660 ti. 

Here is my question, and everything else is just me rambling on and on..... Does anyone with a GTX 1650 version of the HP Omen 15t know if NVidia Optimus is enabled?   According to the following link, Optimus is supported in Omen 15 when equipped with the GTX 1650, but not for cards above it like the GTX 1660 ti.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/HP-Omen-15-Review-affordable-entry-level-gamer-with-decent-battery-lif...

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This is the link where Nvidia indicates that GTX 1660 ti itself is compatible with Optimus.  
https://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/optimus/supported-gpus

I didn't get this laptop for gaming but rather as a more affordable alternative to a workstation for 3D rendering, video editing, ... (although it will at times be used for gaming, now that we have it).

I need the GPU capacity about 50% of time, and need to use it as a general purpose laptop about 50% of the time. When I need the discrete GPU I need it, and when I don't I don't.  During the times where I don't, I'd like to unplug at times and would like improved the battery life in that use.  In some of the other posts I've read, it seemed like folks kind of ganged up on the OP for these type questions, while I thought they were perfectly appropriate questions.  I realize when strictly for gaming, its intended design, folks may prefer not having the bugginess of Optimus.  And I do get it that it's better to think of this more as a transportable desktop than a battery operated notebook.   But it's frustrating to think that a relatively minor tweak could really enhance the flexibility for the rest of us.

I was really glad to find a good deal on this version with the GTX 1660 ti max q, instead of GTX 1650.  But now that I know of the iGPU  restriction, I'm kind of torn if I should have instead gone with the  GTX 1650 version in order to get Optimus.

In the downloaded user manual page 6, it mentions that the GTX 1050 was the last that supported Optimus.  But the manual is outdated and needs to be updated.  Since the GTX 1650 is a successor to the GTX 1050, it stands to reason that Optimus might be supported in that version of Omen, and according to the above article it is.

By the way, even though this is brand new, it is still the 2018 version. The local retailer didn't have the newer version, and in fact they weren't even aware of it (but I was). Even though the 2019 version has a better cooling solution, I was heavily influenced by the reduced $ of this one. Over time I might regret it, but so far I like it, and I like having separate headphone / mic jacks on the 2018 version.

Back to the GPU, one thing I was trying to understand (to make me feel better) is how much the dissipation of the i7-9750H is reduced when UHD 630 is disabled, but I haven't been able to find that information anywhere.  Also I've been trying to find the dissipation of the GTX 1660 ti max q during idle or during light-duty use, and I can't find that either.

Further off topic, right now I have 16GB of RAM. After observing how quickly the RAM gets utilized, I worry that the max limitation of 32GB for Omen 15 will be regrettable in the near future.  Thanks very much for reading through this.  

[Photoray002]

Hello @huey_placard 

Good question.

Technically those graphics are capable of Optimus, but it has to be enabled so by the laptop mfg also. HP does have a habit of disabling it.

Here's the thing.  In the HP manual for the DC1000 series, there is no longer any mention of Optimus mentioned at all. This would lead you to believe that series no longer supports switchable graphics.

There is no actual documentation in the HP database that's available to me that says any different either.

The stupid part is that any of the HP specs or PDF pages for any of the models all make a blanket statement of having both integrated and discrete graphics, even though they may not actually have switchable capabilities.

The reviewer in that Notebook check claimed there is Optimus for the dc1020ng (sold in Germany). BUT I don't know if he is just going by the generalized HP specs on the web, or if he actually went into the Device Manager or NVIDIA Control Panel and looked. He did not post any images of it.

So I cannot honestly answer until I have proof. Otherwise I go by the HP manual... page 1 http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06219881. I do not have access to those models to test with, I am a volunteer.

Sorry, I realize that's not what you wanted to hear.

[huey_placard]

@Photoray002, Thanks for the reply!   Hopefully someone with an Omen 15t equipped with the GTX 1650 can check their device manager to see. 

One reason I tend to believe the article's claim that it does have Optimus in the GTX 1650 version is because later in that same article (in the Battery Life section), it mentions how the iGPU is disabled completely in its more powerful sibling (a version of Omen 15t that has a more powerful GPU).  For him to note the distinction, to me it suggests he actually checked it out on his GTX 1650 model.   Also, this distinction seems to show up in the actual battery life results.  In the article there are also some charts.  So maybe I'm answering my own question, but there doesn't seem to be any place else besides this one article that acknowledges Optimus being available with the GTX 1650 version and I'd like to confirm.  Here's what the article mentions:

...."All things considered the HP Omen 15 offered decent battery life for a gaming notebook, and it ran longer than its more powerful sibling despite a smaller battery (52.5 vs. 70 Wh) mainly for two reasons: its sibling featured more powerful and thus more demanding hardware, and its internal GPU was disabled completely." ....

As an alternative to iGPU, I wish the GTX 1660 ti max q had a more aggressive power saving mode available for when the user is doing casual stuff like browsing or using word processor.  I'm still not clear on the GTX 1660 ti max q power consumption during idle  (I suppose the battery life helps tell part of that story).   

By the way, that same article seems confusing about whether or not Thunderbolt 3 is supported.   When I looked things up before buying, I thought for sure it is supported.   Is there a way I can easily verify this on the unit that I have?  

[Photoray002]

I looked up the specs pages and the HP content database and yes, yours and the other model mentioned both have Thunderbolt.

There will be a USB-C port that has only a large lightning bolt on the side of it.

If it were only USB capable, the USB-C port will have the sideways pitchfork and lightning bolt next to it.

Specs page..

Page 15 in the manual I gave earlier shows the two possible ports.

"Usually" only the models with the lower end graphics have Thunderbolt so you can connect an external gpu. The higher end graphics like an RTX 2060-2080 wont have it. Been this way on all previous Omen versions also.

[huey_placard]

Thank you very much!  And yes, I do have the lower end graphics. 

I'm not showing this overall post as solved yet, just because I'm hoping someone that has the GTX 1650 in their Omen 15t Gen 2 can confirm that the internal GPU can indeed be enabled.   I believe the following helps justify the value of having ability to enable iGPU during prolonged periods of light duty use.  

Regarding power consumption, after re-reading the earlier report (for which I gave a link), it looks like it has some info in that report that I can refer to.  It had a comparison of the i5-9300H /  GTX 1650 equipped version with a i7-8750H / RTX 2070 max q version, while they are idle.   So although I can't see the GPU power alone, I can see the delta between these two laptops.   The power was 4W for the GTX 1650 version, and 14.7 W for the RTX 2070 max q version.  So....roughly 10W delta between them for an idle state, which I suspect  is mostly GPU.  Of course at higher GPU load the delta between iGPU and the GTX 2070 will be much much greater and that's fine / why we have the GTX.   So at idle this seems to create a big difference in the battery run time for light duty use.  I have the GTX 1660 ti max q, not the RTX 2070 max q, but I think at idle their draw is pretty similar.  (at full load about 10W to 20W difference).

[huey_placard]

I was really hoping to have an answer by now on this, as now I have some slight urgency to it. 

There is a local retailer that has one left of the i7-9750H + GTX 1650 version, but they don't allow returns once opened.  Thus it is going to be a costly experiment if I go for it and guessed wrong. 

I am becoming more and more convinced that the GTX 1650 version does indeed provide a way to enable the UHD 630 (through Optimus).   For one thing, based on the report I mentioned earlier.  Secondly, because the GTX 1650 was the successor to the GTX 1050, and Optimus was supported in the GTX 1050 versions.   Third, in the specs for the i7-9750H + GTX 1650 versions of Omen 15t, it calls up to 13 hours of battery life (of course I don't expect to actually achieve that).    And in the specs for the i7-9750H + GTX 1660 ti max q versions where we know we can't enable iGPU, the battery life is spec's up to 6 hours (whereas maybe something like 4.5 hours without gaming might be more realistic).    

One difficult aspect is that it's almost the same price as the one I already have (which I can return), and I'll be going from GTX 1660 ti and 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD + 1TB hdd   to    GTX 1650, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.      For 99.9% of the audience here, it's a no brainer keep the GTX 1660 ti of course.      For me, it is actually not so clear, because I want this as both a graphics capable laptop and a general use laptop at the same time.   Operation from battery for me is kind of important but not real important.  So....I'll likely stay with the GTX 1660 ti.  If I could save some more $ going to the GTX 1650 it would sway me in that direction. bit as it is now I'd be giving up a LOT just to gain some battery life....   

[Photoray002]

 @huey_placard 

I just found a store near by that claims to have a couple DC1xxx with the 1650 in stock.

If they have one on display, I can run over and check when I get a chance tomorrow.

Wont be till later in the evening. Stores closed now, will have to wait till tomorrow.

Best I can do.

PS: Me asking Support, I might not get replied to for a week if not ever if they dont know. Frustrating.

[huey_placard]

Well that would be going way above and beyond what I would expect someone to do, and I'd really appreciate it.  If things come up for you and you're not able to make it this evening, please don't feel bad about it at all or feel obligated.  I wonder if you might run into the same issue I ran into yesterday.

Yesterday I found there is one at a retailer that's not too too far, and I called them.  I was able to talk to one of the employees on the floor and asked if they had a unit on display, and they did.  He seemed like he knew what he was doing, and he really tried hard to get into the device manager, but he said it was blocked by special administrative rights, and that their floor model is setup for some special demo mode and is not setup like a typical unit.  They don't want to open the one in stock, unless I'm going to buy to keep.  Do you think you'll be able to get access to the device manager?  If I get a chance today I might go look at the display model myself, but the worker there really did seem like he knew what he was doing on the phone, thus I have no reason to think I can do more than he can.   If I go and can't get into the floor model, I might ask if THEY can open up the unit in stock and check.  If I do that I'll be sure to let you know immediately on this thread.     

Yesterday I called HP again to try and get a definitive answer. and wasn't able to.  They were only able to see what they see in documentation (and we all know that's not very clear for this particular issue).  

[Photoray002]

Yes, there is a password setup for that store that the floor managers would have. They usually don't pass them out to the sales people. But the salesman obviously didn't know about it or he would have asked. I only know because I worked PC sales in a certain brick and mortar at one time.

Ill see what I can find out later today.

[huey_placard]

Thanks a lot!   I did go to the store and  just got back.  I saw the display unit, and the guy I spoke to yesterday was there, and still the same situation.  Doesn't know the password nor how to get it.   So yes, if you figure it out that would be great.   

Small kind of interesting thing.  If you see this message before you go, could you take a look at the bottom of the unit and see what the grill / air inlet vents look like?   The one I saw today was slightly different than the one with the GTX 1660 ti, but yet I believe they are both of the Gen 2 / 2018-ish design.    I had also noticed that when I was looking at some of the teardown videos on youtube (the two types) and was wondering if they were of the same vintage or not.  Who knows and not very important / just curious.