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Gaming

Get a Laptop Game to Use the Dedicated GPU

Laptops with two GPUs sometimes render games on the integrated chip. Windows, the driver and the launcher each have their own switch - here is the order that works.

by@guidox updated:10/30/26 time:15 min level:Beginner tested on:Windows 11 24H2, laptop with RTX 4060 works on:Windows 10, Windows 11
TL;DR

Set the game to **High performance** under **Settings > System > Display > Graphics**, do the same in the **NVIDIA Control Panel** or **AMD Software**, and plug the laptop in. On battery the dGPU is often disabled by design.

Before you start

Requirements

  • A laptop with integrated and dedicated graphics
  • The vendor GPU driver installed
  • The game installed and launched once
Step by step

Instructions

01

Confirm which GPU is working

Open **Task Manager > Performance** and run the game in a window. The GPU with the load in the **3D** graph is the one rendering; if it is the integrated chip, continue.

02

Set the Windows preference

Under **Settings > System > Display > Graphics**, add the game's .exe and set it to **High performance**. This tells Windows which adapter to hand to the process.

Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Add app > High performance
tipAdd the actual game executable, not the launcher. The launcher often starts its own process and the setting then does nothing.
03

Set the driver preference

In NVIDIA Control Panel open **Manage 3D settings > Program Settings**, pick the game and set **Preferred graphics processor** to the high-performance card. AMD Software has the same switch under Graphics.

NVIDIA Control Panel > Manage 3D settings > Program Settings
04

Check the power plan

Set the Windows power mode to **Best performance** and keep the laptop on the charger. Many gaming laptops drop the dGPU entirely on battery, which looks like a broken setting.

Settings > System > Power & battery > Power mode: Best performance
⚠ warningA 45 W charger on a 130 W laptop throttles under load. Use the original brick.
05

Set the MUX switch if the laptop has one

Laptops with a MUX switch can route the display directly to the dGPU. That is a vendor setting in the control centre or the BIOS, and it removes the copy through the integrated chip.

06

Verify with the overlay

Run the game again and watch the 3D graph. The dedicated GPU should now carry the load, and the frame rate should be several times higher in a GPU-bound scene.

Troubleshooting

Common issues

The setting does not stick

The launcher starts the game, so the rule applies to the launcher process. Add both executables.

Still slow after the switch

Check the power plan and the charger. On battery the dGPU may be limited to 30 W.

The screen flickers when the game starts

Normal when the display switches adapters. If it stays black, the driver needs a clean reinstall.

The game crashes on the dGPU only

A driver or VRAM problem. Test with the previous driver version before blaming the game.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Does this help battery life?

No, it costs battery. Use the integrated chip when you are not gaming.

Why does the desktop use the integrated chip?

That is optimus behaviour: the integrated chip drives the desktop to save power.

How to undo this

Remove the app entries from **Graphics settings** and set the driver profile back to **Auto-select**. The power mode returns to your previous setting.

Changelog · 1 entry
  1. 2026-10-30
    First version
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