Switchable Graphics on Desktop?

[Joeggernaut]

Is it possible to use switchable graphics on a desktop eg. on-board graphics and discrete GPU?

Desktop: HTPC (pvr, wmc, low power, gaming)
CPU: G3258 OC
GPU: MSI 2GB 750 Ti OC
MB: Asrock Z97 ITX-E
Motherboard has: (Display port, hdmi out, hdmi in, ALC1150 7.1 Audio)
GPU has: Dvi, Hdmi, and VGA outzs
Monitor: 1 55" 1080P TV via HDMI

Goal:
One hdmi cable connected to TV for video and audio via the motherboard hdmi out, ability to turn on 750 GPU only when gaming and use on-board graphics for everything else (web, streaming, pvr, wmc)

Background:

I have a 4th generation haswell cpu with on-board graphics and a 750 TI GPU. This is for a htpc build so I would like to be able to use the haswell graphics for everything except gaming and would prefer if the 750 would stay off or very low powered to reduce wattage, noise, and heat build up.

I know the 750TI is 60w tdp but the haswell is much more efficient in terms of power/noise and for basic pvr/wmc the 750 is not needed.

If it is possible do I connect the tv/monitor to the GPU or the on-board motherboard video out?

I would prefer not to have to switch sources on my monitor/tv. Also my motherboard on-board audio is much better than the audio from the GPU, so it is possible to connect a hdmi cable from the motherboard to tv and have the GPU output video via the motherboard hdmi? I prefer the ports for the motherboard because there is display port for possibly G-Sync and an extra hdmi port for pass-through.

Thank you in advance.

 

[i7Baby]

Have a look in your bios to see whether you can enable/disable pcie graphics.

 

[Jlax]

??????

 

[getochkn]

Most motherboards disable the onboard when a video card is in. If your allows both, still not an easy way to allow you to do it without switching cables, or using an hdmi switch box.

Not sure how the audio is different, it's digital HDMI. it just passes the audio from the source to the device and lets the tv/receiver decode it. shouldn't be different at all really unless settings are different.

Most web browsing, video watching, doesn't really touch the GPU anyways so it will downclock itself to the lowest power state anyways, which on a 750ti should be extremely low.

 

[Joeggernaut]

So I just connect a hdmi cable from the GPU to the monitor and just not worry too much about the added idle wattage of the GPU? I am most concerned with the GPU not passing the audio as cleanly as the motherboard would. I want to make sure I am using the realtek acl1150 instead what GPUs might have. This is my first discrete GPU, so sorry for the noob questions

Also the motherboard has display port so could you use that for G-sync if I bought a g-sync monitor, not a big deal just curious about G-sync? I know it is funny that a lot of the 750 TI don't have display port out which means you can't use G-sync.

 

[i7Baby]

GPU does audio too. Just move the monitor cable from mobo to gpu or back to switch.

 

[k1114]

There is no way to disable the pcie slot besides if there is an option in bios so it's not really a smooth process. Modern gpus are very low power usage at idle/2d clocks and the amount is so small that it has no affect on your power bill. It's only worthwhile on mobile devices and is why switchable is not on desktops. There should be no difference in audio quality from the gpu vs mobo. You can't use gsync from the mobo.