Rocking a system with more than one GPU? You may find that Windows sometimes uses one of those GPUs to drive your apps and games when it should prioritize the other. Luckily, you can tell the operating system which GPU should be the default with a simple settings change. Here’s how.
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How to use integrated graphics instead of GPU
It is best to use a GPU when playing a game or doing video editing. However, integrated graphics on your CPU will still work in a pinch.
Setting a primary GPU in Windows
Windows itself now decides which GPU it should call on for various applications. Forget whatever preference you made in Nvidia Control Panel or AMD Adrenaline; Windows now ignores it in most cases.
There are some advantages and disadvantages to this. The advantage of this method is that it’s now easier to specify which GPU should be used for each game individually, which is great if you don’t want the same setting for everything. The downside is that it may take you a while to specify which GPU each title should use.
Whatever the case may be, here’s how to choose which GPU your Windows apps should employ:
- Right-click the Windows icon in the taskbar, then select Settings.
- Click System> Display> Graphics.
- You’ll see a list of apps and games. If the one you’re looking for doesn’t appear, click Browsethen locate and Add the executable.
- Select your app, then click Options.
- Choose the Graphics setting you prefer.
- Power saving uses your integrated GPU, which is perfect for lightweight apps.
- High performance uses your discrete GPU, which is great for games, video editing, and other intensive tasks.
- Click Save.
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Should you change your GPU settings?
It’s important to note that, in most cases, Windows does an effective job of deciding which GPU should power each of your applications. So, it’s not a bad idea for most users to let Windows do its thing, especially if you’re not sure if your discrete GPU is necessary for certain processes.
However, there may be times when Windows doesn’t get it right, in which case you may experience poor performance when playing games or working with intensive applications, even though you have a perfectly capable GPU installed in your system. When this happens, manually assigning a GPU to the app is usually the fix.
It’s also worth noting that if you’re using a high-end laptop, Windows may prioritize your integrated GPU over the discrete GPU when you’re not plugged into power, or while you’re low on battery. Power saving mode becomes the default to conserve energy, but you can override it by following these steps:
- Click the battery icon on the right side of the taskbar.
- Click the battery icon again in the Quick Settings panel.
- Under Power modeselect Best performance.
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How to match your CPU and GPU
A badly matched CPU and GPU can severely affect your PC’s performance, which needs to be avoided at all costs.
Take control of your GPU
If you have a dedicated GPU in your system, you obviously want to take advantage of it for the best possible graphics performance. Most of the time, Windows will ensure that your dedicated GPU is called into action when it’s needed, but if that fails, you have the power to take control from within the Settings app.