Asus A14 with RTX4050 query

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kiwifidget

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#317480 20-Oct-2024 07:44

The laptop I got from JustLaptops is an Asus A14 with discrete RTX4050 GPU.

I didnt choose this unit for the GPU, I was after a backlit keyboard, dual NVMe, decent wifi and smaller than 15.6".

I would also have liked an ethernet port but with Wifi6 in the house maybe I wont miss it.

It is otherwise well appointed with ports.

The GPU is not important to me but I am curious whether it's normal to not have it connected to the display.

It seems like it is connected to the HDMI port only.

Device Manager:

Win11 System Settings

Display2 being my TV connected via HDMI.

My experience, such as it is, with desktop pcs is that the installation of a discrete graphics card disables the onboard graphics.

Not so here obviously.

Is this a normal installation of a GPU for a laptop?

If not, best to get it rectified sooner than later.

Even though it's a situation I can live with, the next owner of this device might not.

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cddt

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#3299127 20-Oct-2024 08:02

I am not an expert, but I believe laptops do some funky switching between integrated and dedicated graphics in order to reduce power usage when only 2D (desktop) is being used. If you start a 3D application then the display switches to the dedicated GPU.

It may be that using an external monitor via HDMI requires the dedicated GPU to be used, or it could be Windows reporting it incorrectly.

Also seems to be only of those situations where they have paired the absolute best iGPU available with the cheapest and slowest GPU... leading to a smaller delta in performance than one might expect! https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/compare/5113vs4763/Radeon-890M-vs-GeForce-RTX-4050-Laptop-GPU

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kiwifidget

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#3299132 20-Oct-2024 08:13

cddt:

I am not an expert, but I believe laptops do some funky switching between integrated and dedicated graphics in order to reduce power usage when only 2D (desktop) is being used. If you start a 3D application then the display switches to the dedicated GPU.

Funky indeed!

Pretty sure I dont have any software that I could test that out with.

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Jase2985

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#3299134 20-Oct-2024 08:28

My Asus G16 does the same, runs on the integrated GPU unless its running intensive tasks.

Have a read of this, it explains how it works:

https://rog.asus.com/articles/rog-gaming-laptops/maximize-your-rog-laptops-performance-with-a-mux-switch/

kiwifidget

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#3299136 20-Oct-2024 08:46

@jase2985 thanks, that does indeed explain everything. That is quite clever.

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SpartanVXL

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#3299163 20-Oct-2024 11:44

It has been like this for a while, used to be called nvidia optimus (might still be). Was a bit of a headache as they used to always pass through the igpu to the display which limited a bunch of display tech. Modern ones (like yours) have a mux switch which connect directly to the dgpu.

The nvidia gpu lets you use their features like cuda, nvenc, dlss rtx etc. so pick and choose what you need what to do.