Nvidia scaling issues

Hello all,

Apologies if this has been asked before, but I haven't been able to find the answer anywhere. I recently purchased a new notebook (Inspiron 15 7000 series, with a GT 750M), with a 1080 resolution. It runs pretty swell, but in some games, like AC IV, I want to scale back the resolution a bit to bump up the FPS. By dropping to anything less than 1080, however, the screen simply shrinks, leaving me with a black border around the edge. I've done some research, and this seems to be a common symptom of scaling issues. Search as I might, however, I can't find any option for scaling in the Nvidia control panel of Windows 8, nor anywhere else. As well, my DXDiag comes up telling me that it's running its Intel chip, and not the GeForce. Any ideas or suggestions? What am I doing wrong? Thanks very much for your time!

 

Change the scaling in the Intel graphics control panel. If it's not available there, reduce the desktop resolution (preferably to something of a different aspect ratio as well) and the option should be unlocked in the Intel HD graphics control panel.

 

Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, the only option I see in the Intel control panel, when I reduce desktop resolution, is to opt from 'Maintain Display Scaling' (which is the only option at 1080, and evidently does nothing for games), and 'Center Image', which simply makes the desktop have a black border as well, and also doesn't help with games. Thanks again, and are there any other suggestions? Has anyone else had this problem?

 

If you can find it in your control panel (I know optimus laptops have different nvidia CPs) then you should set THIS option as shown

 

Hmm, I can access that control panel, but the only tab available on the left is '3D settings'. Nothing else. I believe my dedicated and integrated cards are 'switchable', but I thought that was an automatic thing. How might I access the rest of the Nvidia display settings, like in your image? Thanks.

 

If you Optimus (switchable graphics), you can only do it through the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel.

 

When I have run into this before, I had to drop the resolution on the desktop from native to something lower - the resolution you are trying to run your game at for example. Then the scaling option was available. Once it was then set to scale, I would switch back to native. Going forward, the scaling worked properly.

 

Thanks for the advice! I've actually lowered the resolution and scaled already (in the Intel graphics options). But once I revert back to the native 1080, the scaling configuration goes back to default, and nothing is fixed. Arg. This is getting quite frustrating. Thanks again, though.

 

Reduce the resolution, change the scaling and close the Intel HD control panel. After that, raise the resolution in Windows elsewhere (e.g Right-click the desktop, click Screen resolution) and the scaling setting should stick.

 

Alas. Thanks once again, but that's exactly what I tried before. In the Intel control panel at a lower resolution, I select 'scale full screen'. Upon closing, and bringing the resolution back to 1080, the Intel panel just automatically reverts back to 'maintain display scaling', which seems to do no favours whilst running applications. No luck Am I completely missing something, or are my video settings just messed up?

 

Look for "maintain aspect ratio" in your intel scaling. That's the option you want; it's probably set to "default" or something. There should be default, stretch and maintain aspect ratio.

 

Yep. I selected that, clicked 'apply', then reverted back to 1080. I load up AC IV, and there's still a confusticated black border when I lower resolution. Other games are fine; it's just AC that's trouble. Maybe it's just buggy...

 

Oh. you didn't mention that only #Crapbisoft games were broken.

 

If it helps, on my Samsung, display scaling resets to centred if I go to 640x480, but higher resolutions will still stretch.

 

Well, I might just have to resign myself to playing at certain resolutions. I contacted Ubisoft as well, and didn't get a whole lot of help in return. I really appreciate the advice in any case, guys!