Solved Issues with handling and performance after re-enabling iGPU

NSX · Monday at 2:32 PM

When I set up my laptop, I chose to disable the iGPU (integrated graphics card). Now that I have re-enabled it, several things have been functioning extremely poorly

Rendering processes run extremely slowly
It is difficult to load images
Dedicated GPU is almost never used

For example, I was playing a graphically intensive game that I could previously run at >100 frames per second at 1440p, but after re-enabling the iGPU, I can barely get 5 fps. I have changed the UEFI bios, Nvidia control panel, "Predator Sense", and windows display settings.

Here are my specs:

Interestingly, the iGPU, which should be listed as GPU 0 in Task Manager, is nowhere to be seen:

Device Manager doesn't show it either:

I am led to believe that the dedicated GPU isn't being used, or is used rarely at all.

OAT · Monday at 2:35 PM

-You shouldn't have disabled the onboard GPU.
-You have to specify to use the GPU if not detected:

NSX · Monday at 2:38 PM

OAT said:
You have to specify to use the GPU if not detected:

View attachment 131279

I made sure to due this beforehand. The iGPU doesn't show up (suppossed to be listed as IntelHDGraphics or something similar), only the Microsoft driver and dedicated GPU.

OAT · Monday at 2:40 PM

You need to install the driver from the manufacturer site, NOT from Intel.
OEM drivers are built specifically to work with your model of laptop.

https://www.acer.com/us-en/support/drivers-and-manuals

Keep them both running as they complement each other.

spapakons · Tuesday at 3:07 PM

OAT said:
You need to install the driver from the manufacturer site, NOT from Intel.
OEM drivers are built specifically to work with your model of laptop.

https://www.acer.com/us-en/support/drivers-and-manuals

Keep them both running as they complement each other.

I always install directly from Intel. In the RARE case that the hardware is customized by the manufacturer and the stock Intel driver doesn't work, it won't install at all. It will display a warning that you must download the custom driver from manufacturer. So try the official Intel driver first and then visit the manufacturer's site, if necessary. This is because most manufacturers simply provide the official Intel driver at their website, but often an older version, not the latest.

OAT · Tuesday at 3:54 PM

spapakons said:
I always install directly from Intel. In the RARE case that the hardware is customized by the manufacturer and the stock Intel driver doesn't work, it won't install at all. It will display a warning that you must download the custom driver from manufacturer. So try the official Intel driver first and then visit the manufacturer's site, if necessary. This is because most manufacturers simply provide the official Intel driver at their website, but often an older version, not the latest.

False. Please do not do that on a laptop for your onboard-GPU.
It is not a question of newer or older drivers.
The driver is a bespoke version for the laptop and the inboard card does more than display the Windows GUI.
A desktop is a different animal but for laptop, stick with the manufacturer's.

Discussion from this very forum:

Manufacturer vs OEM vs Windows 11 drivers?

I always use Windows Update unless I receive a notification, then I use the program that gave the notification or their website. Many updates are for different machines or programs to mine, especially Nvidia drivers. Exactly, if Nvidia, AMD, intel tell me I need an update, then I’ll update, the...

www.elevenforum.com

spapakons · Tuesday at 5:27 PM

It's rather late and I should already be in bed, so no time to read the other thread right now. However from my own experience as a Computer Technician I have not seen too many laptops that the official Intel/nVidia/AMD driver won't install or that they miss any features with this driver. Only a few exceptions. And as I already said, the manufacturer simply offers an older version of the official driver, not a customized version. It is exactly the same, so why not download the latest one directly from Intel/nVidia/AMD? I have seen cases that the manufacturer doesn't bother to upload a newer version simply because the model is EOL and doesn't care to support it anymore. Why install the outdated version he provides?

Helmut · Tuesday at 6:42 PM

You have mucked up your Laptop by following instructions for Desktop PCs, big mistake.

Your Laptop has Advanced Optimus and MUX switches, the article refers to Desktop PCs.

Not necessary for your Laptop. All you have to do is use Windows updates and the manufacturers updating App.

P 66 of your manual, you have a choice of Automatic, Optimus, Nvidia only.
That is in the PredatorSense App supplied by Acer.

You have the Microsoft Basic iGPU driver which is wrong, it should be showing Intel UHD graphics.

Download that driver for your specific model from Acer and install it. Then it should appear as GPU 0.

Do not download UHD driver from Intel.

"Why install the outdated version he provides?"
That does not matter at all, it will work as advertised for that Acer Laptop. Windows updates will then update it occasionally.

What matters is the Laptop being restored to a decent working condition.

Scannerman · Tuesday at 7:09 PM

User preference always prevails BUT my personal experience regarding drivers has always been to get them from the manufacturer of the system board first whenever possible. This especially holds true with proprietary prebuilds such as Dell, HP, and Acer to name a few. Intel will warn the user on their own page that they are advised to seek out the proprietary driver first if it can be had. This also seems to be a sensitive category for laptops as different architecture is often employed that is germane to this class of PCs. The only Acer laptop still being used in my family was one that I built out of 5 different Acers. It cost me 50 bux in parts to make that Frankenstein but the 15 year old loves it and won't give it up. Even with that laptop I had to hunt down the drivers from Acer because it didn't do well with the ones I got directly from Intel. Admittedly, that was long ago but it's still humming along just fine now after running factory reset and installing the Acer drivers.

spapakons · 2025-04-16T00:31:59-0400

As I already explained, only a few high end or gaming models will have proprietary (customized) graphics cards by HP or Dell and need their own custom drivers. All the rest have the stock unmodified graphics chipset and will work with the official Intel/nVidia/AMD mobile graphics drivers. So I would first try the OFFICIAL drivers and IF there is a warning or other reason I would download the manufacturer drivers. Why is that so hard to believe? You may have seen a few models, I have seen hundreds. Is my job.

Scannerman · 2025-04-16T05:39:40-0400

Yes, this may well be the case today, but I would not gamble on it. Clearly OP has a high end laptop and likely uses it to game. I'm a PC builder/repair guy and I've been doing it for 22 years. Admittedly I don't repair laptops anymore due to my age and I'm retired now. Admittedly I'm not a licensed IT and my weakness is software. I've certainly seen a lot more than a few models in my day. I've seen hundreds also. Apart from all this I still visit this forum to draw upon the expertise of others because nobody, no matter how knowledgeable they may be, knows it all. I can only speak from personal experience here and when I have no such experience to speak of I turn to the experience of others. This is a stellar forum and I am grateful that it exists nonetheless it is not uncommon for people in technical trades to have different approaches to the same issue.

Helmut · 2025-04-16T07:35:12-0400

It is not a question of "customisation" or not. The design of these Laptops is slightly different from a Desktop PC with a separate Nvidia Graphics Card.
The obvious points of difference are the MOBO contains the Nvidia dedicated graphics with MUX switches which allow for just using the Nvidia graphics.

The "official" driver is the one from the Manufacturer, Acer.
Thus the one best suited to getting the Laptop in to a proper working condition again.

"Clearly OP has a high end laptop and likely uses it to game"
These are not high end they are what I would call "mid range Optimus type". Good value and performance for the price.

The hardware in mine is very similar to the OPs, it has the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti Laptop version, has had a VBIOS update and initial drivers from the manufacturer. Subsequently both the drivers updated by Windows updates.
It runs well, which is of course what the OP would like to get back to.

Scannerman · 2025-04-16T08:48:48-0400

Helmut said:
"Clearly OP has a high end laptop and likely uses it to game"
These are not high end they are what I would call "mid range Optimus type". Good value and performance for the price.

I sit corrected. I thought about that after typing it and decided to leave it in as it is still higher end than many other standard laptops. It is certainly not your average check your email and social media laptop. An RTX 4060 is designed for a measure of performance well beyond what one might expect from typical integrated graphics. I believe the standard jargon would be "entry level". I just purchased a 3070 recently for a desktop I'm building. It was advertised as "open box" and at first I doubted that but after removing the shroud and seeing how absolutely pristine it was I must say that I consider myself quite fortunate. Not exactly "high end" by some people's standards but definitely quite a jump from my old GTX 1070. I'm not a hard core gamer but I wanted something to plug my Thunderbolt card into as I tend to move a fair amount of files on a regular basis.

NSX · 2025-04-16T09:25:09-0400

I installed the drivers directly from Intel here, as per @OAT 's advice. After installing and restarting it now works without issue. Thank you very much for helping me.

Scannerman · 2025-04-16T09:38:43-0400

OAT said:
False. Please do not do that on a laptop for you onboard-GPU.
It is not a question of newer or older drivers.
The driver is a bespoke version for the laptop and the inboard card does more than display the Windows GUI.
A desktop is a different animal but for laptop, stick with the manufacturer's.

Discussion from this very forum:

Manufacturer vs OEM vs Windows 11 drivers?

I always use Windows Update unless I receive a notification, then I use the program that gave the notification or their website. Many updates are for different machines or programs to mine, especially Nvidia drivers. Exactly, if Nvidia, AMD, intel tell me I need an update, then I’ll update, the...

www.elevenforum.com

Yes, indeed.

spapakons · 2025-04-16T10:30:08-0400

NSX said:
I installed the drivers directly from Intel here, as per @OAT 's advice. After installing and restarting it now works without issue. Thank you very much for helping me.

I told you so guys! The Intel drivers were all it was needed. Been there done that.

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