Switchable graphics, that's what Intel calls a notebook PC that has a discrete mobile GPU and an IGP core in the same system, with the option to switch between them as the name suggests.

The concept is really simple. If you plug your notebook computer into the power outlet you switch on the discrete GPU and if you are on battery you will switch back to the IGP. The other day we reported that Intel is working with ATI to make an Intel CPU+ chipset that meets ATI’s discrete mobile GPU environment and now we've learned that Nvidia can do the same.

There will be a Centrino platform notebook powered by Nvidia graphics that will support switchable graphics and all this is scheduled for the second part of 2008. It can be done so its now up to Intel and Nvidia to convince the OEMs and ODMs to do it.