under utilized discrete 2GB gpu

Using a Dell Vostro 14 3445 model which came with AMD APU A8 6410, R5 512MB VRam and Radeon 2 GB HD8500M discrete GPU. OS is Windows 10.

Few months into using the laptop, had come to know that Virtualization was disabled at the BIOS level and other users of the same make raised support tickets with technical support. BIOS update was released with virtualization option to switch on and off.

Playing games wasn't our thing, so never really got to test the discrete GPU performance. Now after noticing the considerable lag, poor rendering, low FPS, the Windows task manager shows the R5 512 MB is the only one that Windows can see. The 2 GB discrete GPU is just a device listed the Device manager.

Steps taken:

1. Uninstalled AMD video drivers, uninstalled Windows drivers

2. Installed dell's video drivers - both display devices are seen under device manager

3. Using AMD Catalyst control panel - Changed power setting to high performance for gaming

4. Assigned the game app for high performance under Switchable graphics for applications

5. Task manager and the game performance shows that the only GPU that Windows can see and use is the R5 512MB

6. Under Windows settings>Display>Graphics settings> Classic apps> for the game choice, the only graphics card it can see is the R5 for both system and high performance options.

7. Updated to AMD Adrenaline Edition and shows the same settings, where AMD shows the system info of discrete graphics of 2GB HD8500M while Windows sees only R5 to use.

8. Setting power setting to high performance and assigning the game to high performance makes no improvement as Windows sees and uses only the R5 of 512 MB.

Just like the issue with virtualization, Dell techincal support should release a BIOS/Motherboard/Chipset update for the switchable graphics so that Windows can use the discrete graphics.