How to switch the video card to another on a laptop

Many laptop models are not inferior to desktop computers in processor power, but the video adapters in portable devices are often not so productive. This applies to embedded graphics systems.

The desire of manufacturers to increase the graphic power of the laptop leads to the installation of an additional discrete video card. In the event that the manufacturer did not take care of installing a high-performance graphics adapter, users have to independently add the required component into the system.

Today we will talk about the methods of switching video cards on laptops that have two GPUs in its composition.

Switching video cards

The operation of two video cards in a pair is regulated by software that determines the degree of load on the graphics system and, if required, disables the built-in video outline and uses a discrete adapter. Sometimes this software works incorrectly due to possible conflicts with devices or incompatibility drivers.

Most often, such problems are observed when the video card in the laptop is independently installed. Connected GPU simply remains unused, which leads to noticeable "brakes" in games, while watching video or during image processing. Errors and failures can occur due to "wrong" drivers or their absence, disable the necessary functions in the BIOS or device malfunction.

Read more:

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The recommendations below will work only if there are no program errors, that is, the laptop is completely "healthy". Because automatic switching does not work, all actions will have to be performed manually.

Method 1: Brand Software

When installing drivers for NVIDIA and AMD video cards, branded software is installed in the system, which allows you to configure the adapter parameters. In Green, this is a GeForce Experience application containing the NVIDIA control panel, and the "red" is AMD Catalyst Control Center.

To call the program from NVIDIA, it is enough to go to the "Control Panel" and find the corresponding item there.

The link to AMD CSS is located there, in addition, you can access the settings by clicking the right mouse button on the desktop.

As we know, in the Iron market there are processors and graphics from AMD (both built-in and discrete), processors and integrated Intel graphics, as well as NVIDIA discrete accelerators. Based on this, you can present four layout options system.

1. CPU AMD - GPU AMD RADEON.
2. CPU AMD - GPU NVIDIA.
3. CPU Intel - GPU AMD Radeon.
4. CPU Intel - GPU NVIDIA.

Since we will customize the outercorder, it remains only two ways.

1. Laptop with Radeon video card and any integrated graphics core. In this case, the switching between adapters occurs in the software that we spoke slightly above (Catalyst Control Center).

   Here you need to go to the section "Switchable graphics adapters" and click on one of the buttons listed on the screenshot.

   

2. Laptop with discrete graphics from NVIDIA and built-in from any manufacturer. With this configuration, the adapters switches in the NVIDIA control panel. After opening, you need to refer to the "3D parameters" section and select "Manage 3D Parameters".

   

   Next, you must go to the "Global Parameters" tab and select one of the options in the drop-down list.

   

Method 2: NVIDIA Optimus

This technology provides automatic switching between video adapters in a laptop. By idea of ​​developers, NVIDIA Optimus should increase the battery life by turning on the discrete accelerator only when it has a need.

In fact, some demanding applications are not always considered as such - Optimus often simply does not "consider it necessary" to include a powerful video card. Let's try to dissuade him. Above, we have already talked about how to apply the 3D global parameters in the NVIDIA control panel. The technology we are discussing allows you to configure the use of video adapters personally for each application (game).

1. In the same section, "Manage 3D parameters", go to the "Software Settings" tab;
2. We are looking for the desired program in the drop-down list. If you do not find, you press the Add button and select the folder with the installed game, in this case it is Skyrim, executable file (tesv.exe);
3. In the list below, select a video card that will manage graphics.

   

There is a simpler way to launch a program with a discrete (or built-in) card. NVIDIA Optimus is able to embed himself to the context menu "Explorer", which gives us the ability by right-clicking on a shortcut or executable program file, select a working adapter.

This item is added after enabling this function in the NVIDIA control panel. In the top menu, you need to select "Desktop" and put the tanks, as in the screenshot.

After that, you can run programs with any video adapter.

Method 3: Screen System Settings

In the event that the above recommendations did not work, you can apply another method that implies the use of the system settings of the monitor and the video card.

1. Calling the parameter window is carried out by pressing the PCM on the desktop and the selection of the screen "screen resolution".

   

2. Next, you must click on the "Find" button.

   

3. The system will determine a couple of monitors, which, from its point of view, "not detected."

   

4. Here we need to choose the monitor that corresponds to the discrete video card.

   

5. The next step - we appeal to the drop-down list with the name "Multiple screens", in which we select the item indicated on the screenshot.

   

6. After connecting the monitor, select the "Expand Screens" item in the same list.

   

Correct that everything is configured correctly by opening the Skyrima graphics parameters:

Now we can choose a discrete video card for use in the game.

If for some reason you need to "roll back" settings to the initial state, perform the following actions:

1. We go again in the settings of the screen settings and select the "Display desktop only to 1" item and click "Apply".

   

2. Then select the optional screen and select the "Delete monitor" item, then apply the parameters.

   

These were three ways to switch the video card in a laptop. Remember that all these recommendations apply only if the system is fully working.