笔记本电脑(Laptops)的工作很艰巨。他们必须在节俭电池使用的同时为用户提供良好的性能。这就是为什么游戏笔记本电脑(gaming laptops)或具有高性能专用显卡的笔记本电脑还具有低功耗集成图形芯片来处理日常任务，例如观看YouTube或浏览Facebook。
虽然大多数软件程序为工作选择合适的GPU(GPU)没有问题，但有时他们会弄错。这就是为什么学习如何在专用GPU和集成显卡之间切换是个好主意的原因。
专用与集成GPU(GPUs)解释
快速说明这两个术语的含义。专用GPU有自己独立的处理器包、RAM、冷却和电路板。集成GPU与您的(GPU)CPU位于同一个微芯片封装内，并且还共享同一个RAM池。
一般来说，专用GPU(GPUs)速度要快得多，并且由于依赖共享冷却和内存资源，因此不会限制其他组件的性能。如果您喜欢的视频游戏意外地在集成GPU上运行，您可能会遇到无法播放的幻灯片。
关于图形输出的说明
当您的系统中有两个GPU(GPUs)时，一些图形输出可能直接连接到一个GPU或另一个。例如，在我们用于本教程的笔记本电脑系统中，HDMI输出直接连接到Nvidia专用GPU。但是，笔记本电脑上的 mini-DisplayPort 连接器连接到集成GPU。
这是一个问题，因为如果您想在外接显示器上使用某些功能（例如HDR），它只能通过HDMI连接器工作。同样(Likewise)，由于 Nvidia 的Gsync可变刷新率技术只能在Displayport上工作，因此无法在外部显示器上使用此功能。由于有问题的笔记本电脑的Displayport连接直接连接到笔记本电脑的内部LCD面板。
在没有可切换显卡的台式电脑上，一个常见的错误是将屏幕连接到集成GPU的HDMI端口。由于大多数桌面系统未设置为允许在两个GPU(GPUs)之间进行动态共享和切换，因此您根本无法将专用GPU与连接到集成GPU的屏幕一起使用。
最重要的是确保您已将显示器连接到正确的 GPU 端口！
检查两个 GPU 是否正常工作
在您尝试在专用 GPU 和集成GPU(GPUs)之间切换之前，有必要确保两者都已实际安装并正常工作。
- 打开开始菜单(Start Menu)并输入设备管理器(Device Manager)。
- 从结果中选择设备管理器。( Device Manager)
- 在Display Adapters下，展开列表。
- 检查是否列出了两个GPU(GPUs)。
如果您看到两个GPU(GPUs)，那么您就可以开始了。假设您在系统中只有两个GPU(GPUs)，并且您想要在它们之间切换的两个是列出的那些。
家政小贴士
在手动切换GPU之前，您应该做的最后一点内务是确保一切都是最新的：
- 您(Are)运行的是最新版本的Windows吗？
- 您是否正在为(Are)两个(both )GPU运行最新的驱动程序？
- 您是否安装了最新版本的GPU配套软件？
最后一点可能特别重要，因为现代GPU(GPUs)有两个软件组件。第一个是GPU驱动程序，它使Windows可以实际与硬件对话。第二个是这些天GPU(GPUs)附带的实用程序套件。此实用程序通常是确定应用程序将使用哪个GPU的关键。(GPU)
如何在专用(Between Dedicated)GPU和集成 GPU之间切换(Integrated GPUs)
我们在此示例中使用的计算机具有Geforce 1660 Ti 专用GPU和Intel UHD 630集成GPU。它使用Nvidia Optimus系统在两者之间动态切换，根据哪个最合适。
如何切换 GPU(How to Switch GPU)
以下是您可以覆盖该设置的方法：
- 右键单击(Right-click)桌面并选择Nvidia Control Panel。
- 切换到左侧窗格中的管理 3D 设置。(Manage 3D settings)
- 在首选图形处理器( graphics processor)下，选择您喜欢的三个设置中的哪一个。
如何分配特定的 GPU(How to Assign a Specific GPU)
为每个应用规定特定的GPU：
- 右键单击(Right-click)桌面并选择Nvidia Control Panel。
- 切换到左侧窗格中的管理 3D 设置。(Manage 3D settings)
- 切换到程序设置(Program Settings)选项卡。
- 在选择要自定义的程序下(Select a program to customize)，选择相关的应用程序(relevant app)。
- 在为此程序选择首选图形处理器下(Select the preferred graphics processor for this program)，选择您喜欢的GPU 。
虽然我们手头没有AMD GPU，但过程非常相似。只需(Simply)打开AMD Catalyst控制应用程序并查找“可切换图形”或类似名称的部分。
无论(Regardless)您的GPU品牌是什么，在最新版本的Windows 10中，您都可以在(Windows 10)“显示设置”(Display Settings ) > “图形设置”( Graphics Settings)下设置每个应用的GPU首选项。您可以通过右键单击桌面(Desktop)打开显示设置(Display Settings)。
不要忘记应用内设置
许多专业应用程序甚至视频游戏都可以让您在自己的图形设置中指定要使用的GPU 。在大多数情况下，这应该覆盖系统上的任何其他设置。如果您似乎无法坚持更改GPU，请检查相关应用程序是否有自己的设置。
检查哪个 GPU(Which GPU)正在工作
这包括如何指定应该由哪个GPU来完成这项工作，但是您如何确定您的设置确实有效？如果您拥有最新版本的Windows 10，您只需打开任务管理器(Task Manager)并切换到性能(Performance)选项卡即可。
正如您在此处看到的，列出了两个GPU(GPUs)：GPU 0 和GPU 1。在大多数情况下， GPU 0 应该是集成的，但您也可以看到它们的名称，只是为了确定。如果您的专用GPU是运行应用程序的专用 GPU，您会看到它的使用百分比猛增。没有做太多事情的GPU应该接近空闲百分比。
How to Switch Between Dedicated GPU and Integrated Graphics
Laptops have a tough job. They have to provide users with good performance while being frugal with their battery use. This is why gaming laptops or those with high-performance dedicated graphics cards also have a low-power integrated graphics chip to tackle every-day tasks such as watching YouTube or browsing Facebook.
While most software programs have no problem picking the right GPU for the job, sometimes they get it wrong. This is why it’s a good idea to learn how to switch between your dedicated GPU and integrated graphics.
Dedicated vs. Integrated GPUs Explained
A quick note about what these two terms mean. A dedicated GPU has its own separate processor package, RAM, cooling and circuit board. An integrated GPU sits inside the same microchip package as your CPU and also shares the same pool of RAM.
In general, dedicated GPUs are much faster and don’t limit the performance of other components thanks to a reliance on shared cooling and memory resources. If your fancy video game accidentally runs on the integrated GPU, you’re likely in for an unplayable slideshow.
A Note on Graphics Outputs
When you have two GPUs in your system, some graphics outputs may be directly connected to one GPU or the other. For instance, in the laptop system we used for this tutorial the HDMI output is directly connected to the Nvidia dedicated GPU. However, the mini-DisplayPort connector on the laptop is wired to the integrated GPU.
This is an issue, because if you want certain features (such as HDR) on an external monitor, it will only work over the HDMI connector. Likewise, since Nvidia’s Gsync variable refresh rate technology will only work over Displayport, it’s impossible to use this feature here on an external display. Since the Displayport connection of the laptop in question is directly connected to the laptop’s internal LCD panel.
On desktop computers which don’t have switchable graphics, a common mistake is to connect the screen to the integrated GPU’s HDMI port. Since most desktop systems are not set up to allow dynamic sharing and switching between the two GPUs, this won’t let you use your dedicated GPU with the screen connected to the integrated GPU at all.
The bottom line is to make sure that you’ve connected your display to the right GPU’s port!
Checking that Both GPUs Are Working
Before you try to switch between the dedicated and integrated GPUs, it’s worth making sure both are actually installed and working.
- Open the Start Menu and type Device Manager.
- Select Device Manager from the results.
- Under Display Adapters, expand the list.
- Check that there are two GPUs listed.
If you see two GPUs, you’re good to go. Assuming that you only have two GPUs in the system and that the two you want to switch between are those listed.
Housekeeping Tips
The last bit of housekeeping you should do before messing around with manual GPU switching is to ensure that everything is up to date:
- Are you running the latest version of Windows?
- Are you running the latest drivers for both GPUs?
- Have you installed the latest version of the GPU companion software?
The last point may be especially important, since modern GPUs have two software components. The first is the GPU driver, which makes it possible for Windows to actually talk to the hardware. The second is the suite of utilities that GPUs come with these days. This utility is usually the key to determining which GPU an application will use.
How to Switch Between Dedicated and Integrated GPUs
The computer we’re using in this example has a Geforce 1660 Ti dedicated GPU and an Intel UHD 630 integrated GPU. It uses the Nvidia Optimus system to dynamically switch between the two based on which is most suitable.
How to Switch GPU
Here is how you can override that setting:
- Right-click on the desktop and select Nvidia Control Panel.
- Switch to Manage 3D settings in the left-hand pane.
- Under the preferred graphics processor, choose which of the three settings you prefer.
How to Assign a Specific GPU
To stipulate a specific GPU on a per-app basis:
- Right-click on the desktop and select Nvidia Control Panel.
- Switch to Manage 3D settings in the left-hand pane.
- Switch to the Program Settings tab.
- Under Select a program to customize, choose the relevant app.
- Under Select the preferred graphics processor for this program, choose the GPU you prefer.
While we don’t have an AMD GPU at hand, the process is very similar. Simply open the AMD Catalyst control application and look for a “switchable graphics” or similarly-named section.
Regardless of your GPU brand, in the latest version of Windows 10 you can set per-app GPU preferences under Display Settings > Graphics Settings. You can open Display Settings by right-clicking on the Desktop.
Don’t Forget About In-App Settings
Many professional applications and even video games will let you specify which GPU to use in their own graphics settings. This should override whatever other settings on the system are in place in most cases. If you can’t seem to get a GPU change to stick, check if the app in question has its own setting.
Checking Which GPU Is Doing the Work
That covers how to specify which GPU should be doing the work, but how can you be sure that your settings have actually worked? If you have the latest version of Windows 10, you can simply open up Task Manager and switch to the Performance tab.
As you can see here, there are two GPUs listed: GPU 0 and GPU 1. In most cases GPU 0 should be the integrated one, but you can see their names as well, just to be sure. If your dedicated GPU is the one running an application, you’ll see it’s usage percentage shoot up. The GPU that’s not doing much should be close to idle percentages.
