Advice for getting simultaneously onboard, discrete a must!

[Tisan]

I've been googling, and can't seem to find an answer regarding the simultaneous use of onboard graphics and a discrete video card....for the same monitor.

I've been checking the benchmarks for the new series of video cards, and I consistently find high idle power usage for every gaming card I look at.

As I find my pc usage to be at either extremity (on the web or gaming) I thought the ideal option would be:

Windows default = onboard.
3D application default = video card.

Thus, ideally minimising power bills and maximising efficiency.

But I cannot for the life of me find out if this is possible. I remember hazily an option in some windows drivers for default video output re: applications, hence the questions:

Firstly (the point of this):
When not actually outputting anything would a video card use much power at all?

So is such a thing even possible with regards to drivers?
I keep finding the same old "turn off onboard" argument, and never any mention of, um, synergy*.

Of course if it is a situation of onboard simply not being suitable, would I be able to do the same with an extremely cut down, secondary videocard?


Thanks for any thoughts you have on the matter


*I am very sorry

 

[Blazkowicz]

Windows default = onboard.
3D application default = video card.

that exists, it's nvidia's Hybrid SLI, or more specifically Hybrid Power. you need an MCP78 motherboard on the AMD side (available, don't remember the commercial name) or a MCP7A on the intel side (about to come this summer).
Supported video cards are the 9800GT, GTX, GX2 and geforce GTX 260 and 280.

though I'd like industry vendors to collaborate so that such a scheme can be generalised. especially with future AMD and Intel processors integrating a GPU.
some laptops can switch between an Intel integrated GPU and a dedicated GPU I think.

 

[Tisan]

Thanks for the info

Now that I know what it is I'm looking for it's a good starting point. Good to know it's not a case of no Windows drivers.