Windows 10: How can I force Windows 10 to ONLY use my dedicated GPU

Hi everyone,


First, some context:

Edition: Windows 10 Home

Version: 20H2

OS build: 19042.867

Experience: Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.551.0

Hardware: Dell XPS 2018ish model?. GTX 1050 and Intel Core i7-7700HQ


My Issue:

I'm experiencing very poor performance heavy stuttering, freezing, effectively unusable at times when using certain combinations of applications. Namely Zoom. Watching the performance tab, I can see the stuttering seems to coincide with my integrated graphics maxing out utilization. My RAM and CPU usage doesn't seem to peak or bare any affect on this.



I've tried specifying "Zoom.exe" and other apps I use commonly in the Graphics Performance Preference tab as "High Performance" to attempt to force use of my dedicated GPU, however utilization remains at 0% even after restarting my PC and the applications. My suspicion is that Windows is only selecting this hardware for 3D applications as it gets utilized just fine when running games, however on occasion my dedicated GPU will temporarily start getting used and the stuttering will subside, only for Windows to switch back to integrated graphics and for the stuttering to continue. Zoom in particular is the worst offender, when I'm in a meeting and the host is sharing their screen AND I'm transcoding various webcam streams simultaneously. It seemed like potentially focusing on different applications was causing windows to toggle usage of the dedicated GPU, but I couldn't find a clear pattern here. I should note that I have my power plan set to "High Performance" "Gaming" in Power Options and my device is constantly connected to AC power.



What I'm Hoping:

Since my laptop is constantly connected to AC power and power draw is not a concern, I would like to entirely disable my integrated graphics so that my dedicated GPU GTX 1050 is used for everything. After searching exhaustively, I can't seem to find a way to achieve this.



Surely Windows is capable of running solely on non-integrated graphics considering my home desktop has an AMD CPU with no integrated graphics and does all graphics processing on my RTX 3070. I tried setting my preferred graphics processor in NVIDIA control panel to my GTX 1050, however it seems this setting no longer works ever since Windows took control of these settings in a past Windows update: "Windows now manages selection of the graphics processor. Open Windows graphics settings". I also am unable to disable integrated graphics in my device's BIOS. Is there any way I can force windows to ONLY use my GTX 1050?



Thanks,

Patrick

:)

 

About GPU dedicating.

Hello
웅황,

The feature that you're looking for in Windows 10 is not available. I suggest that you check with your graphics manufacturer if forcing an app/game to use a dedicated GPU to each task is available with their software.

Let us know if you have any other concerns.

 

Cant use dedicated gpu

Hello I'm trying to use my dedicated GPU in place of my integrated but after I saw this




I had no clue what to do so I went into my BIOS to change it and there was integrated and switchable listed I picked switchable and still nothing now I'm here hoping somebody can help me.

I'm running windows 10 home version 1903, integrated gpu=intel graphics 3000, dedicated=AMD radeon graphics HD 7670M

 

Windows 10 - Software is not using dedicated GPU

This is a trial and error step.

It may or may not work.

Typically Windows will install default Microsoft drivers if the Intel GPU drivers are uninstalled.

The performance is better with computer manufacturer drivers if it were the only device.

If you can disable the Intel GPU then maybe only the Nvidia GPU would be in use.

There was no BIOS setting.

Open device manager > click view > click show hidden devices > expand display adapters > look for the Intel GPU > right click disable device

See if this then forces the use of Nvidia GPU for the software.