There are plenty of laptops that have both integrated and dedicated GPUs. In most cases, they usually work fine together and the system will switch to either one when there is a need for it. However, if left unoptimized, you won’t be getting the full performance from it. Here are some methods I used to optimize my dual GPU laptop for peak performance.
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- Get the Latest Drivers For Both GPUs
- Give Priority to Dedicated GPU in Power Plan Settings
- Manually Select Which GPU is Used For an App
- Manage Fan Speed Based on GPU Temperature
- Disable Throttling to Avoid Bottlenecks
Get the Latest Drivers For Both GPUs
Most of the issues of a dual GPU laptop can be resolved by updating the GPU drivers. The latest drivers are more important for dual GPUs as they work together and need to be in sync to take full advantage of the latest optimizations.
I highly recommend using the GPU manufacturer’s software to update drivers. Not only do they automatically install the correct driver, they also offer more granular control over GPU features. Here are some of the popular manufacturer software:
- NVIDIA GeForce Experience
- NVIDIA Control Panel (for old laptops)
- AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
- AMD Catalyst Control Center (for old laptops)
- Intel Graphics Command Center
- Intel Driver & Support Assistant (works on old laptops too)
These apps will automatically install the latest drivers. Alternatively, you can use a driver updater tool if you prefer not to install the manufacturer’s software. For more help, check out our detailed guides on updating Nvidia graphics and AMD graphics.
Give Priority to Dedicated GPU in Power Plan Settings
Whether Windows uses the integrated or dedicated GPU for a particular task depends on the power plan settings. For example, it will try to use integrated GPU whenever possible to save power. Since we are looking for better performance, I recommend configuring the system to use the dedicated GPU for most tasks as it’s the most powerful. Here’s how:
In Windows Search, type “power plan” and open Edit power plan. Click on Change advanced power settings.
Open Switchable Dynamic Graphics (or Nvidia Optimus) -> Global Settings and set it to Maximize performance. I have tried the Optimize performance option as well, and it works well if you are concerned about battery life or the laptop heating up while still having performance to run heavy programs.
Manually Select Which GPU is Used For an App
By default, Windows decides which GPU to use for an app. However, many times I’ve had issues where a program (usually a game) didn’t switch to the dedicated GPU and resulted in a drop in performance. To overcome this, you can manually choosing the correct GPU for an app.
In Windows Settings, go to System -> Display -> Graphics. Here, you can select the graphics preferences for any app. You should select High performance if you want it to use the dedicated GPU.
You can also use this feature to select Power Saving mode for apps that you don’t want to share dedicated GPU resources with.
Manage Fan Speed Based on GPU Temperature
Since you’ll be taking full advantage of the dedicated GPU, you’ll probably face overheating issues. Unfortunately, most laptops use CPU temperature as the main factor to adjust fan speed. However, in your case, the GPU is probably going to heat up faster. To deal with this, I prefer using aggressive fan controls using GPU temperature.
I recommend the SpeedFan tool for this as it works for most laptops and offers granular control. Launch the app and click on Configure once the fans are detected.
Move to the Fan Control tab and click Add to create a new controller profile. Afterward, open the new profile, click on Add under the Temperatures section, and select your dedicated GPU.
You can now adjust the graph on the right to make the fans run at a faster speed at a lower GPU temperature. I prefer using maximum fan speed starting at 50°C, you can choose lower or higher as per your need.
Disable Throttling to Avoid Bottlenecks
Thermal throttling is a big issue on laptops with dedicated GPUs as they have limited cooling options. Although it’s impossible to completely avoid thermal throttling, you can increase the threshold. By default, most laptops will take signals from the GPU to throttle the CPU even when the CPU temperature is fine. When the CPU throttles, it bottlenecks the GPU as well, and overall system performance drops.
You can disable this behavior using the ThrottleStop app. Launch the app and uncheck the BD PROCHOT option to disable it. Just make sure you click on Save afterward to apply changes.
Do note that this only prevents one type of throttling. There are many other things can throttle GPU performance. You can check our guide on how to disable all types of laptop throttling.
You can explore Nvidia settings or AMD software settings to find more ways to manage the dedicated GPU, such as enabling Radeon Chill to keep the GPU cool.
Image credit: Freepik. All screenshots by Karrar Haider.
Karrar Haider –
Staff Writer
Karrar is drenched in technology and always fiddles with new tech opportunities. He has a bad habit of calling technology “Killer”, and doesn’t feel bad about spending too much time in front of the PC. If he is not writing about technology, you will find him spending quality time with his little family.
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