Laptop Doesn't Stay on NVIDIA GPU

[QuentinX5]

Running into a wildly odd issue here. So I boot up Dolphin to go play LoZ:TP, and boot into the game. Once I load my save file, I'm getting horrible framerates (10 FPS and lower), so I go and check my GPU, and sure enough, the Intel HD 4600 is selected as the default GPU. So I close my game, and since D3D won't let me select my dedicated NVIDIA GPU, I close down Dolphin and restart it. I checked my graphics settings, and my NVIDIA GTX 750M is selected. So I go and boot up TP again, and sure enough, same lag. I check the GPU, and it's switched back to the Intel HD 4600. Scratching my head, I go check the NVIDIA control panel. Default GPU is set to the NVIDIA GPU (I even have a custom profile set up for Dolphin). So I tried downloading the latest version of Dolphin, didn't fix it. Ran updates for my graphics card, found updates, and tried again, still no luck.

Any reason why when I boot up the game, Dolphin will all of a sudden magically decide to switch GPUs? Or is it probably more something related with my laptop? I have an Alienware m14x R4 (I5-4210M, NVIDIA GTX 750M, Samsung mSATA SSD, 8 GB DDR3L-1600 RAM, Win 7 Pro x64).

*EDIT* I should note that this happening for every single game, not just Twilight Princess.

Thanks for any and all help.

[KHg8m3r]

Since you say you created a profile, I'm assuming you're following this guide (or something similar/have already known about this): https://forums.dolphin-emu.org/Thread-unofficial-laptop-performance-guide

When you launch a game, look at the yellow messages on the screen (it might be in OGL or D3D, I don't remember off the top of my head), but one of the bottom lines should say if you're using Nvidia or Intel

[QuentinX5]

(11-08-2014, 04:32 PM)KHg8m3r Wrote: Since you say you created a profile, I'm assuming you're following this guide (or something similar/have already known about this): https://forums.dolphin-emu.org/Thread-unofficial-laptop-performance-guide

When you launch a game, look at the yellow messages on the screen (it might be in OGL or D3D, I don't remember off the top of my head), but one of the bottom lines should say if you're using Nvidia or Intel

In the NVIDIA Control Panel, under the 3D Settings Panel, you can set up a profile for different applications on how to run. In D3D, when I start it, it shows the GTX 750M in the Graphics Settings, but then changes after I boot a game to the Intel HD 4600. However, booting it with the OGL will display on the screen that the Backend is the NVIDIA GTX 750M, but then when you change over to D3D (since it should still have the same GPU selection as OGL), it shows the Intel HD 4600 again.

[KHg8m3r]

Showing the Intel HD in the dropdown box in the graphics settings? Ignore that, its just a quirk or Dolphin, pay it no mind.

[QuentinX5]

(11-08-2014, 04:50 PM)KHg8m3r Wrote: Showing the Intel HD in the dropdown box in the graphics settings? Ignore that, its just a quirk or Dolphin, pay it no mind.

I would ignore it, if I wasn't getting only 10 FPS and my GPU was showing 0% usage when that is selected.

[Zee530]

Can't remember which company exactly does this, but if you right click the dolphin shortcut don't you see an option that says something like 'run this program with dedicated graphics' or something?

[admin89]

create a dolphin's shortcut on your desktop and then right click that thing

[QuentinX5]

(11-08-2014, 08:10 PM)Zee530 Wrote: Can't remember which company exactly does this, but if you right click the dolphin shortcut don't you see an option that says something like 'run this program with dedicated graphics' or something?

I do have that option. I tried that and it still switches back over to the Integrated Intel Graphics.

(11-08-2014, 11:13 PM)admin89 Wrote: create a dolphin's shortcut on your desktop and then right click that thing

Been using the shortcut as well. :X

[ThePokeman92]

To be honest it shouldn't matter, I can play on 2 OR 3X IR on my Intel 4600 at playable framerates, it's not a problem to use the integrated graphics unless you really want to crank up the IR and turn on AA. I noticed you are using a mobile cpu, do you happen to have power saver or balanced mode on by chance? If the cpu is being limited by the power options it might explain your slowdown. Otherwise did you adjust any settings or are they stock?

[KHg8m3r]

How are you determining which card is being used (aside from looking at what the emulator is at)?