Difference between Integrated Graphics and Switchable graphics?

[crazysteve240]

In my device manager, I see two display adapters:

-Intel HD Graphics 3000 (onboard graphics)

-AMD Radeon 6600M and 6700M Series (switchable graphics as far as I know)

 

To my knowledge, my games on Steam use my onboard graphics. Is there any way to let my games use the switchable graphics? And, will it have a performance improvement over the onboard graphics?

Also, what is the difference between onboard graphics and switchable graphics?

[Light-Yagami]

It's called descrete GPU. Usually a few times stronger than integrated one. Go to GPU control panel and assign which programs to run with it if it doesn't swich automatically.

[RileyTheFox]

3 minutes ago, crazysteve240 said:

In my device manager, I see two display adapters:

-Intel HD Graphics 3000 (onboard graphics)

-AMD Radeon 6600M and 6700M Series (switchable graphics as far as I know)

 

To my knowledge, my games on Steam use my onboard graphics. Is there any way to let my games use the switchable graphics? And, will it have a performance improvement over the onboard graphics?

Also, what is the difference between onboard graphics and switchable graphics?

Plug your display cable into the GPU, not the motherboard 

[crazysteve240]

3 minutes ago, EvilCat70 said:

Plug your display cable into the GPU, not the motherboard 

Which display cable?

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, EvilCat70 said:

Plug your display cable into the GPU, not the motherboard 

M stands for mobile 

[AlwaysFSX]

7 minutes ago, crazysteve240 said:

Which display cable?

For your monitor.... At least if you had a desktop that's what you do.

[maartendc]

54 minutes ago, Light-Yagami said:

It's called descrete GPU. Usually a few times stronger than integrated one. Go to GPU control panel and assign which programs to run with it if it doesn't swich automatically.

This.

 

If you have correctly installed all drivers for your laptop, it should switch automatically though.

[Zodiark1593]

8 minutes ago, maartendc said:

This.

 

If you have correctly installed all drivers for your laptop, it should switch automatically though.

Considering this is a laptop, OP may be stuck on old drivers that require manually switching the GPUs as well (going into the drivers, switch the the dGPU, then launch the game. 

 

OP, right click in the middle of your background (anywhere really) and see if an option for switchable graphics comes up.