Assign graphics card to a game - how it works

If several graphics cards are installed in your PC or notebook, you must assign one to each of the games. In this article, we will show you how this works with ATI and Nvidia devices.

Nvidia: Run games with a dedicated graphics card

If you have an Nvidia model next to your onboard graphics card, you need the latest graphics driver for your hardware. You can then assign the card to individual games and programs:

1. Download the latest drivers and install them on your PC.
2. Then start the "Nvidia Control Panel".
3. In the left column select "Manage 3D settings" and switch to the "Program settings" tab.
4. Select the game you want from the list. If it is not listed, you can manually select the exe file using the "Add" button.
5. Then select the entry "Nvidia High Performance Processor" in the second dropdown menu and close the Control Panel.
6. Alternatively, you can activate the Nvidia graphics card for all programs and games in the same way in the "Global Settings" tab.

ATI: Assign graphics card to individual games

You can also assign ATI graphics cards to individual programs and games:

1. Install the latest driver version for your ATI graphics card.
2. Start the "Catalyst Control Center" and select the "Switchable Graphics" option from the "Energy Management" menu.
3. Then click on "Browse" and look for the exe file of the desired game.
4. Click here either on "Power Saving" or "High Performance" to use the ATI card for the game. While the latter provides more power, the first option protects your laptop battery while gaming.

This article refers to the Nvidia control panel 8.1.740.0 with a GeForce GT 750M, and the ATI Catalyst Control Center 14.12.