Precision 5530: Discrete GPU does not function as main video controller

Table of Contents:

1. You can not set your discrete GPU as your primary video controller on your Precision 5530?
2. Why you can not use a discrete GPU as your primary video controller

You can not set your discrete GPU as your primary video controller on your Precision 5530?

Are you looking to set the discrete GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)as the main video controller on your Precision 5530 notebook, as you have on other notebook systems? However, you can not see any way to accomplish this on the Precision as the usual options are not visible in the operating system? Please read the section below for an explanation of why this is happening.

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Why you can not use a discrete GPU as your primary video controller

The Precision 5530 is sold with discrete graphics options. (Such as the Nvidia P2000 GC.) The Precision 55XX family of mobile workstations has never had switchable graphics as an option in the BIOS.

All video is routed through the integrated Intel GPU and you can still configure the Nvidia control panel so that specific applications can be set to use either the integrated or discrete GPUs. However, that output must still travel through the integrated graphics GPU.

What is Switchable Graphics? - The switchable graphics concept is where the computer has two different graphics cards, one an integrated GPU (usually Intel) and one a much more powerful but less energy efficient discrete GPU. The system switches between the two chips, depending on what you need at that time. Since most of the time you use the integrated card, which saves you power/battery life, but you can still use the more powerful GPU to run more graphics-intensive applications. Nvidia and other companies have their own hardware and software to accomplish this.

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If this is an option that you feel is required for your business needs, then you should look at the Precision 7XXX family of mobile workstations, as they come with this option.

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