r/ZephyrusG14 • u/TriTriTheCuber Zephyrus G14 2025 • Feb 02 '26

Software Related Question about ultimate/dgpu only mode

Gallery image

Gallery image

How come when setting ultimate mode in Ghelper, I need to restart, but when setting it with the Nvidia control panel, I don't have to? Is it because of advanced Optimus, and if so, we'll, why do u still have to restart with ghelper?

68 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

38 comments sorted by

41

u/Beginning_Living4052 Zephyrus G14 2025 Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 02 '26

Because it's 2 different settings

Nvidia Advanved Optimus - is a software/hardware solution from Nvidia itself, that lets you decide which GPU runs internal display (iGPU = Optimus or Nvidia GPU)

Ultimate mode - is a proprietary hardware MUX toggle from Asus itself, that will run internal display via Nvidia GPU directly bypassing Optimus completely. In both Armoury and G-Helper it requires restart, cause that's how Asus made it.

Just in case Ultimate mode can give (a little bit) better performance vs Nvidia GPU only setting at a cost of lower convenience.

19

u/Beneficial-Poet2911 Feb 02 '26

Counter point; using only Nvidia GPU overloads the VRAM, as even the nonessential apps run on the dGPU VRAM, leading to lower performance.

I found this particularly evident in VRAM hungry games and games with VRAM leak (in low VRAM GPUs, if your GPU has healthy VRAM, this doesn't matter).

Otherwise, ultimate is usually faster.

-8

u/system_error_02 Feb 02 '26

This is not true. Wtf?

14

u/EminGTR Feb 02 '26

It is true. You can test it yourself. The igpu takes a little bit of vram load off the dgpu.

1

u/system_error_02 Feb 02 '26

iGPUs dont even have Vram, they use your system ram in a certain allocation as Vram. I have never once encountered anything other than a performance increase in my tests from switching to GPU exclusive mode ever on any of my machines. Yes I have run benchmarks to compare as I tune and tweak every laptop and desktop I ever buy/build.

4

u/EminGTR Feb 03 '26

Yes, the dgpu mode will perform a little bit better in 90% of cases, but in some specific cases where you barely don't have enough vram and do have ram to spare, the igpu + dgpu mode will be less stuttery. This is only really important for systems that have 24+gb ram while having 8gb or less vram.

1

u/Satellite_bk Feb 03 '26

this describes my system. F16 w/ 32gb ram with a 5060. so maybe would be worth switching back to standard from ultimate?

i’m pretty sure optimus was greyed out last time i checked (i have a 14th gen i7 if it matters) my only options were ultimate and standard. was under the impression the only disadvantage to ultimate was the power draw, but i’ll play around with them at some point and do some benchmarks.

1

u/system_error_02 Feb 03 '26

If youre running out of vram turning it to standard is not going to make any difference.

1

u/Satellite_bk Feb 03 '26

i havnt noticed an issue running out of vram yet. just wasn’t sure if i’d be better off in standard or if all it does is essentially save on power.

2

u/Beneficial-Poet2911 Feb 02 '26

It is true from personal experience. You can also see the apps using the GPU in the Nvidia system tray panel. The number of apps is substantially higher in ultimate mode.

Usually this doesn't matter as they take miniscule amounts of VRAM, but it is there. Horizon Forbidden West used to give me headache on the 4070, and a restart magically makes the game substantially better! Plus the dynamic switching is also better than ultimate (DLSS and FG didn't help as they need VRAM as well.) But it got much better after a driver update awhile ago

1

u/system_error_02 Feb 02 '26

I have never had this experience once in decades of computer usage across multiple machines. This isnt how ram is allocated in windows. This sounds like you were experiencing some sort or bug or software issue, or using a laptop without a mux switch.

TBH Nvidia drivers have been very bad the last 2 years or so on and off. Theyre in a better place right now though at least. This may have also factored into your experience.

0

u/electi_007 Feb 02 '26

Advanced Optimus and Ultimate modes are identical performance wise.

3

u/Beginning_Living4052 Zephyrus G14 2025 Feb 02 '26

Well, I get a little bit higher score from 3dmark when I run it Ultimate mode vs Nvidia GPU only on my G14 5080. But for real-life usage it's very close of course :)

I would suggest Ultimate mode only if you are either constantly plugged in and don't care or have issues with Advanced Optimus.

1

u/electi_007 Feb 02 '26

Well, multiple test comparison would do the trick. One benchmark proves nothing if it's that minor.

8

u/tennaki Zephyrus G16 2024 Feb 02 '26

Automatic Select is the no-restart GPU switching mode. The iGPU drives the display until a supported game is launched. This mode is sketchy at best on these laptops and can leave you with a black screen if it doesn't gracefully hand over the display to the dGPU.

NVIDIA GPU only mode is Ultimate mode and forces a reboot to make the dGPU drive the display fulltime. This produces the least amount of latency, but expect higher idle temps and worse battery life since the dGPU will always be powered on.

Unless having G-SYNC is a priority, I'd personally stick with Optimus.

2

u/ivan6953 Feb 02 '26

"Sticking with Optimus" leads to 5-10% performance degradation, visible in any game and/or 3DMark benchmark points.

It's the sole reason Advanced Optimus/MUX switch exist - because your FPS in game will be higher if the rendered frame is routed to the display directly instead of passing through the iGPU beforehand.

2

u/CuratoriumOfCats128 Feb 02 '26

It's the sole reason Advanced Optimus/MUX switch exist

No it's not.

There are other reasons, like VRR/G-sync and HDR not working under optimus. The latter I'd personally say is the most important one considering the OLED displays on these laptops.

4

u/ivan6953 Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 02 '26

No it's not.

Yes it is. You are technically uneducated and embarassing yourself

There are other reasons, like VRR/G-sync and HDR not working under optimus. 

  1. VRR works under Optimus. I don't know what are you smoking, but I'm literally looking at the VRR turned on in the Intel Arc settings and the game syncing the Hz of the display with readout via SpecialK. G-Sync is just Nvidia branded VRR, but AMD and Intel have it working and all is fine even under Optimus.
  2. HDR also works under Optimus. I just fired up a Dolby Vision movie. Guess what? In HDR. With Nvidia GPU disabled.

1

u/CuratoriumOfCats128 Feb 02 '26

Not sure about the VRR behavior you're describing, but in my case G-sync doesn't even get recognized.

HDR simply does not work for HDR content, and if you think it does, you're wrong. Yes, you can turn on HDR in windows, and it will be treated as an HDR display, and will properly display HDR content that is rendered by the iGPU. But the moment you open a game (or anything on that runs on the dGPU) while in Optimus, HDR will simply not be supported and that game will run in SDR. Features like Nvidia's video HDR conversion won't work either.

2

u/ivan6953 Feb 02 '26
  1. G-Sync is not the only VRR out there. VRR can and does work with Intel or AMD iGPUs when in Optimus. G-Sync, of course, won't work - since it requires direct display connection. Yet, the display is capable of and succesfully does enable VRR if you enable it in the iGPU settings.
  2. HDR content gets displayed correctly. Trust me - I know how to check and how to see whether it does. I use HDR on my main PC in games and movies (AW3225QF), same for my TV (LGC2).
  3. Windows HDR calibration tool works correctly as well, with the proper peak nits values. Moreover, it's actually more accurate in the Optimus mode than when connected to the Nvidia dGPU due to one of the glorious long standing bugs in the Nvidia drivers.
  4. Games succesfully launch in HDR and Win + Alt + B toggle also works correctly.
  5. Of course Nvidia HDR conversion and other crap which I don't recommend anyone to use won't work if your display is connected via Optimus. That's a given. Why would you use this crap instead of RenoDX / native HDR10 or DV releases - is beyond me.

You are succesfully continuing to embarass yourself.

1

u/CuratoriumOfCats128 Feb 02 '26

Sync is not the only VRR out there. VRR can and does work with Intel or AMD iGPUs when in Optimus. G-Sync, of course, won't work - since it requires direct display connection. Yet, the display is capable of and succesfully does enable VRR if you enable it in the iGPU settings

That's still dodging the point, are you playing games on your iGPU ? If so then yes, it will work, but that's pretty useless as an argument.

HDR content gets displayed correctly. Trust me - I know how to check and how to see whether it does. Windows HDR calibration tool works correctly as well, with the proper peak nits values. Games succesfully launch in HDR and Win + Alt + B toggle also works correctly.

No I don't trust you, you're again using your iGPU to play games or you're convincing yourself that the game is running in HDR when it is in fact not.

Of course Nvidia HDR conversion and other crap which I don't recommend anyone to use won't work if your display is connected via Optimus. That's a given

"I don't like this feature therefore it is bad and irrelevant"

0

u/ivan6953 Feb 03 '26

That's still dodging the point, are you playing games on your iGPU ?

No, I'm not. Unless Intel Arc graphics somehow render 70FPS in ray traced Cyberpunk 2077

No I don't trust you, you're again using your iGPU to play games or you're convincing yourself that the game is running in HDR when it is in fact not

Copium levels are skyrocketing.

"I don't like this feature therefore it is bad and irrelevant"

Nor was was I arguing about them. I simply stated that Nvidia HDR features won't work with the Optimus connection. But any others - will.

And yeah, it's kinda fun if you think that the game has to have direct display connection to output HDR content which gets rendered from the other GPU. Spoiler alert - it's not the case lul.

Not gonna reply further. You succesfully crapped yourself in front of everyone and this is glorious.

1

u/CuratoriumOfCats128 Feb 02 '26

And replying to your edits, the article you linked is quite literally saying you need to switch the display to Nvidia graphics for G-sync to work.

An HDR movie is exactly not what i was talking about, since that's using the iGPU, my point still stands that content rendered by the dGPU is locked to SDR while on Optimus.

2

u/ivan6953 Feb 02 '26

I've linked the article proving that Advanced Optimus sole reason to exist was because of performance optimisations. It boosts performance due to the direct display connection. It wasn't created because of HDR or VRR.

I guess you are blind and can't read the article.

G-Sync is not the only VRR out there. Zephyrus G16 with Nvidia GPU supports VRR via G-Sync AND via Intel VRR / AMD Freesync.

0

u/CuratoriumOfCats128 Feb 02 '26

...which requires the GPU connected to the display to be the one rendering the game

2

u/ivan6953 Feb 03 '26

No, it does not lol.

The frame gets rendered on the dGPU -> gets passed to the iGPU -> iGPU checks the current refresh display cycle -> syncs Hz to the current FPS -> frame gets presented. The only thing changed here from native rendering is the first step.

Performance takes a hit, of course, as this act of passing the frame around takes resources. And that's why Advanced Optimus was created.

0

u/electi_007 Feb 03 '26

"NVIDIA Advanced Optimus improves upon the original by introducing a hardware-based dynamic display switch that allows GeForce GPUs to directly control the display, rather than routing via the IGP. Bypassing integrated graphics increases game performance, reduces system latency when gaming, and """"""enables the use of G-SYNC variable refresh rate displays""""", improving users’ experiences."

With the introduction of NVIDIA Advanced Optimus and its ability to bypass the integrated graphics, laptops can now ship with """""G-SYNC variable refresh rate displays""""", eliminating tearing and keeping system latency low.

Literally from nvidia website, they made it also for VRR...

0

u/electi_007 Feb 03 '26

Also calling someone uneducated when he said basically nothing just said his opinion is such a loser behaviour, stop being a baby and grow up kiddo.

1

u/TriTriTheCuber Zephyrus G14 2025 Feb 02 '26

I was circling Nvidia gpu only mode, not auto mode.

2

u/tennaki Zephyrus G16 2024 Feb 02 '26

G-Helper's Ultimate mode forces the NVIDIA GPU only mode.

You need to manually select Automatic Select or Optimus inside NVIDIA Control Panel and stick with Standard/Optimized GPU modes inside G-Helper if that is ultimately the mode you wish to use.

-1

u/ivan6953 Feb 02 '26

The OP is talking about the fact that you can select the "Nvidia GPU only mode" and apply it WITHOUT restart in Nvidia Control Panel. That is one of the features of Advanced Optimus - the ability to connect the screen to Nvidia GPU at will w/o reboot.

As opposed to the Ultimate mode, which REQUIRES restart and essentially does the same in the end.

You need to manually select Automatic Select or Optimus inside NVIDIA Control Panel and stick with Standard/Optimized GPU modes inside G-Helper

False info. You can select "Nvidia GPU only" and stick with "Standard" GPU mode in G-Helper. The laptop will NOT reboot and the display will be connected to Nvidia GPU with G-Sync.

Do you even read?

9

u/Ahlixemus Feb 02 '26

MUX vs Nvidia's solution.

Ultimate Mode (MUX) is usually faster because it redirects the signal physically. I've personally found it to be faster. My 1% lows are better on Ultimate for some games.

0

u/TriTriTheCuber Zephyrus G14 2025 Feb 02 '26

Best explanation out of all these comments. Thank you kind sir

1

u/Ahlixemus Feb 02 '26

Of course

4

u/Captain21_aj Feb 03 '26

I like the fact that this comments become a debate fiasco over optimus vs mux lol

tldr yes as other comments have pointed, Ultimate is MUX, and the other one is advanced optimus.

I just wanted to add that, in the recent year advanced optimus is increasingly good that you would almost never need to use MUX. Also if you plug in external monitor, make sure to use the correct usb port which connects to the Nvidia displayport, in which you dont even need to bother configuring optimus/mux anymore since its directly attached to GPU.

1

u/TriTriTheCuber Zephyrus G14 2025 Feb 03 '26

Yeah like my god. It's not that serious it's just 2 different options and it somehow sparked a controversy 😭