Laptop Video Chips

I have a Dell XPS laptop that in device manager it shows it has Nvidia Graphics and also Intel HD Graphics. Being a laptop this seems odd that it would have two graphics processors. Would disabling the Intel HD ensure the laptop is using the Nvidia graphics which i assume are better? Is there a logical reason a laptop would have 2 graphics devices like this?

Thanks!

 

Hi my friend , Happy New Year :wave
This depends from the use of your laptop , if you are playing games the laptop is using Nvidia Graphics card automatically or if your use is normal the laptop is using the native card , you can look at this topic

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3519/p/19444018/20085987.aspx

 

The Intel chipset is there for VGA graphics so you can use the laptop even if you don't have the nVidia card installed or working.

I've got a Dell Precision M70 that the nVidia graphics card had failed on and I was still able to use the computer in VGA mode until the replacement nVidia card came in — boy, was I ever glad when it finally got here!

 

Actually the reason is for battery life, it will use the lower powered one unless an app has more demanding needs, then switch to the higher power one.

 

Right. It has nothing to do with VGA, but battery power vs graphics processing demands.

Following the Dell link above takes you to this Dell post where is notes the two graphics solutions are part of the "Optimus" option where it notes,

 

Thanks for all the replies. Appreciate the info. Happy New Year to all!