Can I Use Integrated Graphics + my GPU?

[Demran221]

Is it possible to use my integrated on-board graphics and GPU at the same time? I currently have and i3-2100 and EVGA GTX 750 TI FTW. I'm running a 64 bit version of Windows 10. I want to try and check out if using both could somehow improve the performance of my games.

 

[Dunlop0078]

No.

Some AMD APU's could have their iGPU run in crossfire with AMD dedicated GPU's. But it is not possible to use the iGPU in an i3 to work in SLI with any dedicated GPU.

 

[SkyNetRising]

It may be possible to use iGPU and discrete GPU. It depends on available options in BIOS.

But enabling iGPU will not help gaming performance. On intel CPUs enabling iGPU allows use of QuickSync feature (for video encoding/decoding) and additional video outputs of motherboard (to connect additional monitors).

 

[raisonjohn]

As above, YES (for the question, "Is it possible to use my integrated on-board graphics and GPU at the same time?") . But it depends on your motherboard's available options in BIOS.

I am using an i7-4790 on a Gigabyte H97 Gaming 3 motherboard and an Asus GTX 970 Strix. I have 3 monitors plugged into the dedicated GPU (1x 23" 1080p via DVI-I + 1x 29" Ultrawide 1080p via DP + 1x 23" 1080p via DVI-D). I have another monitor on top of those 3 plugged into the motherboard's/CPU's intergrated graphics (1x 27" 1080p via HDMI).

My specific motherboard does have a "Multi-Monitor" option in BIOS, wherein, you can use BOTH dedicated GPU and integrated GPU at the SAME TIME. The whole desktop expands fine into those 4 monitors. I only use the one connected via iGPU for those monitoring software and/or watching movies; the ones connected to the GTX 970 is for gaming and work-related software.

As to your other question, "using both could somehow improve the performance of my games", the answer is NO. The graphics output when plugged into an integrated GPU will stress out the CPU Memory (RAM) and will only have limited graphics power to what the iGPU can handle. The graphics output when plugged into a dedicated GPU will use the CPU PCIe/VRAM and will, usually, have more graphics power (depending on the GPU you are using). The CPU works in the graphics output in both cases.

 

[bailojustin]

Yes you can use them together, You cannot try and use both together in the sense of combining them. You can actually use them separate though.

For instance, I build computers everyday that use a card with 4 mini DP output. All the outputs are always used for external monitors, typically we ALWAYS pull extra monitors off the onboard graphics aswell. This is done by getting the onboard graphics driver, changing the bios to ENABLE onboard graphics. Now you should be able to use them both.

 

[Calvin7]

The i3-2100 is a year 2011 processor. Most motherboards from that era require a multi-monitor setting in BIOS to be [Enabled] as by default it is [Disabled].