Set discrete graphics card as default (2024)

FAQs

Set discrete graphics card as default? ›

Right-click the display icon that corresponds to the display that you want to make the main (primary) display, click Make Primary and then click Apply. To identify which display is represented by an icon, right-click the icon and then click Identify to see which display shows the same number as the icon.

Right-click the display icon that corresponds to the display that you want to make the main (primary) display, click Make Primary and then click Apply. To identify which display is represented by an icon, right-click the icon and then click Identify to see which display shows the same number as the icon.

Also known as a discrete GPU, dedicated GPUs almost always have their own memory and cooling solution. This helps to free up resources for your CPU to process information, which helps to avoid frame rate issues when playing AAA games, editing video, and rendering 3D models.

Once you've opened up Device Manager, locate the dropdown for Display adapters and open it up. You should see two entries: one for your iGPU, and one for your discrete GPU. Right-click the entry for your iGPU and click “Disable device” in order to turn it off within Windows!

Since discrete graphics is separate from the processor chip, it consumes more power and generates a significant amount of heat. However, since a discrete graphics has its own memory source and power source, it provides higher performance than integrated graphics.

When you're facing the issue of your laptop not using a dedicated GPU, updating the graphics driver should be your go-to option since a faulty or outdated graphics driver can cause many problems. So always make sure you have the latest correct graphics driver for your operating system at all times.

Right click on the desktop and select [NVIDIA Control Panel]. Select [View] or [Desktop] (the option varies by driver version) in the tool bar then check [Display GPU Activity Icon in Notification Area]. In Windows taskbar, mouse over the "GPU Activity" icon to check the list.

How do I change the default GPU in Windows 10? ›

In Settings -> System -> Display -> Graphics settings you can set if each program uses the power saving integrated GPU, or the high performance discrete GPU.

Go to NVIDIA Control Panel -> 3D Settings -> Manage 3D Settings, and make sure that the “Multi- display/mixed-GPU acceleration” is set to “Single Display performance mode.” This should fix this glitch.

A discrete graphics card is a GPU that's separate from the central processing unit, or CPU—hence the “discrete.” Essentially, it takes care of rendering all visuals and has its own dedicated memory and cooling.

The discrete GPU is a standalone component that only provides graphics processing functions. The discrete GPU is typically located on an MXM card or on the system motherboard.

So, a dedicated graphics card—depending on how powerful of a GPU it has on it—will not only provide more GPU power, but it will also reduce the workload on your main processor as well. And, both of those things will help your computer perform better.

Is it safe to disable integrated graphics? The answer is yes. If you have installed a dedicated graphic card on your computer, you need to disable the integrated card to avoid conflicts between the two graphics cards.

Does disabling integrated graphics improve a laptop's performance? If your laptop doesn't have a dedicated video graphics card, disabling integrated graphics will make your display not work. Good luck using your computer without a functioning display.

From the Startup Menu, press the F10 key to enter the BIOS setup utility. Click Advanced. Select Built-In Device Options. Select Graphics, and then select Discrete Graphics.

Can I use both discrete and integrated graphics? ›

Live can use both the discrete and integrated graphics cards if you have two GPUs on your computer. By default Live will use whatever Windows specifies, which is usually the discrete GPU, as this should offer better performance.

Requires and Consumes More Power

A key disadvantage of a discrete graphics processing unit, especially when compared either to a standalone CPU or an SoC with an integrated GPU, is that it requires more power. Remember that it has its own power source that is separated from the central processor.

It is not recommended to disable the integrated graphics. This isn't much of an issue on desktops, as the iGPU automatically gets disabled when the dedicated GPU is plugged in. However, disabling the integrated graphics on laptops will result in software-based video processing using Microsoft Basic Display Driver.

Your games are using your CPU instead of your GPU because of settings, software bugs, or hardware problems. The biggest culprits are settings that prioritize computing on the CPU or iGPU rather than the GPU itself.

To check this, open Windows Control Panel> Device Manager> Display adaptors. See screenshot below and if it says only Intel then you have an integrated card.

With new hardware popping up frequently, the computer's BIOS or UEFI has to be up to date with the support of all the latest and greatest hardware. If you have an older version of BIOS or UEFI, then there will be an incompatibility and the system will not (or might not) detect the GPU.

This graphics card not detected problem may occur if you are using the wrong graphics driver or it's out of date. So you should update your graphics driver to see if it fixes your problem. If you don't have the time, patience or skills to update the driver manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.

Press CTRL + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click the Performance tab. This tab displays your system's RAM, CPU, GPU, and disk usage, along with network info.

Separate memory and cooling

Also known as a discrete GPU, dedicated GPUs almost always have their own memory and cooling solution. This helps to free up resources for your CPU to process information, which helps to avoid frame rate issues when playing AAA games, editing video, and rendering 3D models.

How do I know if my GPU is bricked? ›

A dedicated graphics card has its own memory source and so doesn't rely on your system's RAM.

If you want to use the higher-performance discrete graphics processor at all times, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, click Battery, click the Battery tab, then deselect the automatic graphics switching checkbox. In macOS Catalina 10.15 and earlier, this setting is in Energy Saver preferences.

Discrete graphics is a GPU that is a separate from the processor. Discrete graphics has its own dedicated memory that is not shared with the CPU. Since discrete graphics is separate from the processor chip, it consumes more power and generates a significant amount of heat.

From the Startup Menu, press the F10 key to enter the BIOS setup utility. Click Advanced. Select Built-In Device Options. Select Graphics, and then select Discrete Graphics.