Intel HD Graphics Family & nVidia Issue

Solved
kineas Posted messages 49 Status Member -  
 ascrassin -
Hello,

I recently acquired a Dell XPS equipped with an nVidia GeForce GT 555M,
which will be used for 3D graphics.

Unfortunately, a detail I hadn't paid attention to when purchasing is that the PC is also equipped with an "Intel HD Graphics Family," which is very low-powered.

That wouldn't have been a problem if it just stayed quietly in the background while I used the real GPU, namely the nVidia.

The only catch is that by default, the Intel is activated.
I did try to disable it in the device manager, but the result was having to reboot in Safe Mode to reactivate it, otherwise I was left with an unusable black screen.

Therefore, I had to manually modify all resource-intensive programs one by one from the nVidia control panel to set the nVidia as the default.

This worked very well in most cases (increased FPS for games and 3D software, etc...), but nonetheless, some programs resist and only detect the Intel HD Graphic Family.

So, my questions are:

- How can I get rid of it and simply use my nVidia?
- What exactly is the Intel Graphic Family? Is it a utility or an integrated chipset? In the control panel, it is listed as a standalone GPU.

Thank you very much for your future responses :)

37 answers

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  1. LaCucarachaaa
     
    So, I've been using both cards for a while now: Auto-select in general (which selects the chipset) and I assign the Nvidia for games.

    Assigning the NVidia card for each game:
    Control Panel/Nvidia Control Panel/3D Settings (in the left tree)/Manage 3D settings/Program Settings tab.

    1) Add => Select your program
    2) Select High-performance Nvidia processor
    3) Program Settings: no need to modify.
    Apply

    And that's it.
    If you also go to the Nvidia control panel/Desktop/Display the icon in the notification area taskbar. You'll have a little icon in the bottom right of your desktop, allowing you to see which programs are currently running on your Nvidia card in real-time.

    That's how I operate. And everything is fine. The games run on high settings. The chipset helps save a bit of battery and reduces heating.
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    1. kineas Posted messages 49 Status Member 5
       
      The problem is that it's a method I already use, and it's not enough; when I work on 3Dsmax, for example, I suddenly find myself with a significant drop in framerate; then, when I check the PC specifications in the software, it tells me that the chipset is being used. However, at startup, it indeed shows the GPU.
      Running at full quality is not an issue, but regularly, I experience violent freezes, and according to Dell support, it's indeed due to attempts to switch between GPU/chipset by that damn Optimus :/
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    2. LaCucarachaaa
       
      Mmmh, I've never had this issue. It might be due to particular programs. And doesn't Dell provide you with solutions?
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