Lenovo IdeaPad U550 - Manual (Page 39)

Chapter 2. Learning the basics
25
Using Switchable Graphics (specific models
only)
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Some IdeaPad models support Switchable Graphics. With this technology,
you have the flexibility to switch between a dedicated AMD
® GPU* (high-
performance GPU) and an integrated Intel GPU (power-saving GPU)
without restarting the Windows operating system.
*GPU is short for graphics processing unit.
To change the GPU, do the following:
1
Start your computer to the Windows operating system. If the computer
is in sleep or hibernation mode, press the power button to wake it up.
2
Activate the Switchable Graphics dialog box. To activate the dialog
box, you can:
• right-click on the desktop and select Configure Switchable Graphics
from the pop-up menu.
• slide and release the GPU switch on the front side of your computer.
Note: The dedicated AMD GPU provides you with superior graphics performance
while the energy-efficient integrated graphics provides longer operation with
the battery. You can to switch to the high-performance GPU to gain the best
graphics performance. However, when the computer is using battery power
you are advised to switch to the power-saving GPU if you are not running
graphics-intensive applications.
Note: Do not try to change the GPU when the computer is in sleep or hibernation
mode.