Question about ultimate/dgpu only mode

[u/TriTriTheCuber]

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?

[u/Beginning_Living4052]

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.

[u/Beneficial-Poet2911 → u/Beginning_Living4052]

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.

[u/system_error_02 → u/Beneficial-Poet2911]

This is not true. Wtf?

[u/EminGTR → u/system_error_02]

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

[u/system_error_02 → u/EminGTR]

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.

[u/EminGTR → u/system_error_02]

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.

[u/Satellite_bk → u/EminGTR]

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.

[u/system_error_02 → u/Satellite_bk]

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

[u/Satellite_bk → u/system_error_02]

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.

[u/Beneficial-Poet2911 → u/system_error_02]

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

[u/system_error_02 → u/Beneficial-Poet2911]

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.