XPS Graphics Card

Hi,
I’ve an XPS15 (old one can’t remember the full model number) and I’m aware since I bought it that I was stung as they won’t use the separate graphics card inside the laptop. Been a long time since I looked at it but I wouldn’t mind trying a few PC games, so has there been any workarounds developed in the last few years to force it not to use the crappy integrated graphics?

if it's an old one then the graphics card (especially old laptops) is probably not up to much for running games tbh

the_syco

Is there USB3 on the laptop?

the_syco

the_syco wrote: »

Is there USB3 on the laptop?

How would I find that out? I don’t see anything in specs (can’t even see the variant number). It does have a USB C port and two A ports.

Found it on the Dell Update app - it’s a 9560. The cards are Intel HD Graphics 630 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050.
Device Manager mentions a USB Root Hub (USB 3.0).

Homelander

It's very hard to understand your post. Your laptop should switch automatically to the dedicated card when games are launched. Every laptop with a dedicated card also has integrated graphics for power saving reasons.

Unless you are saying that there is a physical fault with the laptop and the dedicated card isn't working, but that would be just a fault, not any sort of sting or scam or something requiring any workaround!

Or, either, that that model laptop had an optional GTX1050 but you didn't get it and just have the model which only has integrated graphics. Is your GTX1050 listed in device manager under display adapters?

The GTX1050 isn't a very good card now and some newer games won't run very well, but stuff from a few years ago and some lighter newer games should run well enough.

I’m not looking to run high end games but the Intel graphics can’t handle anything at all. The 1050 is definitely installed but if I run any system tests I get results back for the Intel 630. The 1050 is never used by the system for anything and I believe it’s a long standing issue with XPS machines.

Sorry if these are massive.

mordeith

What does the FAQ link to switch to discrete graphics suggest?

cherryghost

Open Nvidia Control Panel, there should be a setting somewhere to display activity icon in taskbar. Enable it, when you're doing something intensive check the icon, it'll tell you what is running on the GTX 1050 (or not)

cherryghost

cherryghost wrote: »

Open Nvidia Control Panel, there should be a setting somewhere to display activity icon in taskbar. Enable it, when you're doing something intensive check the icon, it'll tell you what is running on the GTX 1050 (or not)

When I try to open the Nvidia control panel it tells me it can’t as it’s not connected to a display adapter.

Hardware fault then?

cherryghost

Maybe, 2 things you could try
1. Hook up to an external monitor, maybe the display output is still working on the gtx 1050
2. Uninstall the device in device manager, reboot, scan for new hardware in device manager again, then install latest drivers

The 1050 is not that old. If you get it working correctly you should be able to run most games but may need to drop in game graphics settings down to get them to run at better fps rates

Eg resolution to maybe lower than 1080p
Turn off vsync
Medium or low textures

I thought that you were talking about a really old xps

I'm not sure what thermal problems may have been present in that laptop which may effect the card.

Nvidia Optimus is supposed to set when the 1050 card can run and when the integrated graphics can run in laptops

Be sure to set windows power settings to max perf setting and likewise in Nvidia control panel the corresponding setting

cherryghost

glasso wrote: »

The 1050 is not that old. If you get it working correctly you should be able to run most games but may need to drop in game graphics settings down to get them to run at better fps rates

Eg resolution to maybe lower than 1080p
Turn off vsync
Medium or low textures

I thought that you were talking about a really old xps

I'm not sure what thermal problems may have been present in that laptop which may effect the card.

Nvidia Optimus is supposed to set when the 1050 card can run and when the integrated graphics can run in laptops

Be sure to set windows power settings to max perf setting and likewise in Nvidia control panel the corresponding setting

Problem is the system isnt utilizing it all, needs to be checked more

I’m in the middle of a full reset of the laptop and then I’ll uninstall all the updates and reinstall them. It’s an odd one.

cherryghost

Did you try external monitor at least?

cherryghost

cherryghost wrote: »

Did you try external monitor at least?

I haven’t got one (well I have but I brought it into work to use with my work unit). If I end up in the same situation after this I’ll bring the laptop with me tomorrow, or bring my monitor home, and give it a try.

looks like this was an issue alright.

have you tried going to the dell website and finding / detecting your model and getting the latest bios?

also try the latest nvidia driver

this is not the exact same xps 15 model number 9570 but very similar and possibly using the same bios

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Some-Dell-XPS-15-9570-laptops-may-have-a-BIOS-related-GPU-bug.355026.0.html

one option there was to actually downgrade the bios

you could try this that worked for somone...

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/9rjbco/dell_xps_9560_cant_use_nvidia_gpu/


DDU = display driver uninstaller program

download link


launch windows 10 in safe mode

https://www.google.com/search?q=windows+10+safe+mode&oq=windows+10+safe&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l6.5405j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Uninstall Nvidia GPU and Intel Driver with DDU in Windows Safe mode (Safe mode = important)

Restart

Install Intel Graphics Driver (Not Dells but official driver) then restart. get from intel graphics website for whatever model you have e.g. intel 520 etc

Install Nvidia GPU driver (Not Dells but official driver and not from geforce experience download) then restart. .get from nvdia website

Done

Since I did that I’ve been able to open the Nvidia Control panel and set 3D to use that as opposed to the integrated. I’m not sure if that will mean it uses it for games now but when I run that benchmark thing I posted earlier it does give results as having used the graphics card.

Homelander

That would be correct if 100% is a RTX2060 Super. A lot of new games would only run at 720P low-medium settings.

Notebookcheck is a good resource for this, benchmarks from other people with the same card.

For example Red Dead 2 only runs at 720P low settings at 30-35fps, Modern Warfare 720P low settings 60fps, whereas Fifa 20 will run at 1080p high settings at 60fps.

It's really an ideal card for most esports games, some less intensive newer games (like FIFA) or some recent single player games you can lock at 30fps like they are on a console and run reasonably OK at 720P lowish settings.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-1050-Notebook.178614.0.html

All I want to run is PES, The Golf Club, maybe Madden, and VP4. The integrated was never able to do it (bar the latter). None online multi either.

ReginaldSmythV

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Since I did that I’ve been able to open the Nvidia Control panel and set 3D to use that as opposed to the integrated. I’m not sure if that will mean it uses it for games now but when I run that benchmark thing I posted earlier it does give results as having used the graphics card.

so it was just a setting in nvidia control panel

seems mad that you were suffering this all along for a just a basic setting like that.....

glasso

glasso wrote: »

so it was just a setting in nvidia control panel

seems mad that you were suffering this all along for a just a basic setting like that.....

No. As I mentioned above, I’ve never been able to access the Nvidia Control Panel. Always told it that it could be opened as it wasn’t connected to a display adapter.

Homelander

Just obviously wonky drivers. The drivers supplied through OEM's are always ancient as well, so you are always best wiping old drivers and installing new ones straight from the source.

All those games you've mentioned will run very well on the GTX1050.

I’d reset the laptop before a few times but never uninstalled all the drivers after that before. Maybe done the trick anyway. Cheers all.

Would this mean some video software might run better too?

ReginaldSmythV

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

No. As I mentioned above, I’ve never been able to access the Nvidia Control Panel. Always told it that it could be opened as it wasn’t connected to a display adapter.

so you used the ddu in safe mode like the thing that I got from reddit?

cherryghost

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

I’d reset the laptop before a few times but never uninstalled all the drivers after that before. Maybe done the trick anyway. Cheers all.

Would this mean some video software might run better too?

Video decoding/encoding/rendering should run miles better.

Reset the same machine again to remove some software that wouldn’t uninstall and since then I have this. Any ideas? Nothing through Windows fixes it and there are no updates available through Dell support either. I can’t see anything not working but it couldn’t be right.

Also, since the reset I can’t use the 1050 for anything any more again, not even an external monitor When I plug in the Samsung display I get two instances of Generic PnP Monitor in device manager for some reason.

I don’t care about that any more though, sick of this thing. It’ll just be for Youtube, Excel, etc so the intel one will do grand.

_Kaiser_

I have a Precision 5510 which is basically the XPS 15 with a "pro" graphics card instead of the GeForce. It works fine with light gaming (actually it runs Battlefield 4 very well! )

Try this:

- Get the latest BIOS from the DELL site for your machine
- I see you have the GeForce Experience drivers so that should cover you there
- Go to the Intel Support site and download their all-in-one updater. Install whatever it recommends

The GeForce card will NOT be used in everyday tasks - including benchmark tests (unless you specify it in NVidia Control Panel). This is normal and saves battery life too, but it will/should automatically switch when a game launches full screen.

Also note that these laptops are prone to loud fans and performance throttling when gaming due to heat and the slim design. Look up "Intel XTU undervolting" (but do your research first as it can crash your machine or worse if not used correctly!) Essentially it allows the full power of the CPU to be used for longer under stress.

The card in mine is weaker than yours but I can happily play BF4 and other (older or non-FPS) games on it.

Also.. yours, like mine, should have a USB-C Thunderbolt port which would allow an external Graphics card in theory. It's not something I've looked deeply into as I have a full gaming PC at home anyway