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    how do i tell if i am running integrated graphics or using my GPU

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by amitvig22, Aug 2, 2013.

  1. amitvig22

    amitvig22 Notebook Consultant

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    Is there any tool or utility that will tell me what gpu i am using ?

    I think if you have an Nvidia gpu , one does not really need to press FN + F7 to switch since that should be taken care of by optimus.

    Recently i started to get really low battery power times so i decided to mess around and see what was up.

    I pressed FN + F7 rebooted and suddenly my battery times now seem to indicate and work for about 4 hours, before this i was getting around 2 hours only.

    PS i am running nvidia 314 drivers.
     
  2. minhajmsd

    minhajmsd Notebook Guru

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    Right click on desktop. If you see Intel graphics options along side nVidia's then the iGPU would be enabled. If you were only using the dGPU Intel options would not appear.

    Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
     
  3. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

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    You can enable an icon in the bottom right in the nvidia control panel from one of the tabs at the top.
     
  4. amitvig22

    amitvig22 Notebook Consultant

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    This is simple ! i switched modes. And figured out which one is GPU only !

    thank you !
     
  5. amitvig22

    amitvig22 Notebook Consultant

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    i have the icon enabled now ! thanks thats a neat trick , dint know about that!
     
  6. MogRules

    MogRules Notebook Deity

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    There is also a nice little gadget called GPU observer if you run any gadgets on Windows 7. It won't show the integrated card and only shows temp data and loads when the discrete card is enabled.