Cannot utilize the dedicated AMD GPU

Question

Cannot utilize the dedicated AMD GPU

Anonymous

I'm trying to use my Meta Quest 3 with SteamVR games. The issue is none of the applications utilize the AMD 6700 XT GPU. Instead the integrated GPU (AMD Radeon (TM) Graphics) is used.

From Display settings>Graphics I set the individual .exe's to use the dedicated GPU, but they are still not utilized.
3 proofs for this:

When a game is run, only the iGPU's resources are used (Task Manager)
SteamVR gives a warning: "Wrong video card: plug-in your headset to your GPU"
Virtual Desktop app's debug overlay indicates the app is using the iGPU

Following people's suggestion, I disabled the iGPU from Device Manager. But the desktop environment became distorted, low-res and overall not very usable. Apparently, instead of the dedicated GPU, something called "Basic Display Driver" was being used. So I enabled the iGPU again.

AMD's Adrenaline app (for controlling and monitoring hardware) indicates I should be using the 6700 XT.
But when the games are launched from here, the GPU is still not utilized.

I realized something strange. When I try to force steam.exe to use the dedicated GPU (from Display settings>Graphics), the dropdown menu suggests 4 modes:

Power Saving: AMD Radeon(TM) Graphics (integrated GPU)
2. High Performance: AMD Radeon(TM) Graphics (integrated GPU) - SHOULD SUGGEST DEDICATED GPU
Specific GPU 1: AMD Radeon(TM) Graphics
Specific GPU 2: AMD Radeon 6700 XT
For the 2nd option, it should have suggested the 6700 XT instead of the iGPU.

All drivers and system software are updated.

Essentially, I cannot force games to use the GPU. And the system offers the iGPU as the high performing one.

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Answer 1

Dear MaliT18,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community

Thank you for sharing the details of the issue you're encountering with your AMD 6700 XT graphics card and its compatibility with SteamVR and Meta Quest 3. It sounds like you’ve already made significant efforts to troubleshoot the problem, and I appreciate your persistence.

From your description, it seems the high-performance option in the Windows settings is not showing your discrete graphics card. This suggests that your system is not fully recognizing or utilizing the GPU, which could explain some of the other issues you've observed during use.

Let’s walk through a series of troubleshooting steps to address this systematically:

Verify BIOS Settings:

A few BIOS settings could be affecting how your system is interacting with the graphics card. Please follow these steps:

Restart your computer and access the BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing F2, DEL, or ESC during boot).

Review the following settings:

Primary Display Adapter: Set to PCIe.

Multi-Monitor Support: Set to Disabled.

Integrated Graphics: Set to Disabled (if the system remains stable after making this change).

Above 4G Decoding: Enabled.

Re-Size BAR Support: Enabled.

Disclaimer: If you are going to modify BIOS Settings, please back up all your personal files first to ensure you do not lose data.

Update the BIOS: Visit your motherboard manufacturer's website and download the latest BIOS version available for your system. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer to update your BIOS.

Reinstall Graphics Drivers

Download DDU from a trusted source (such as their official website).

Boot into Safe Mode by pressing Shift + Restart and selecting Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

Once in Safe Mode, run DDU to remove the current graphics driver completely.

Once uninstalled, restart your system and install the latest dedicated GPU drivers directly from AMD’s website.

For more information on how to use DDU, you can refer to the guidance notes provided by Intel's official website, which is based on an example of an Intel graphics card, and is equally applicable to NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards.

How to Use the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU)

Disclaimer: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party linked sites, or any support related to technology.

After reinstalling the drivers, check if the system is still showing "High Performance: AMD Radeon(TM) Graphics" under Settings > System > Display > Graphics > GPU Preferences.

Create a New User Profile

If this happens, try switching to a different user account and see if the issue persists. To create a new user account, follow these steps:

Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users > Add account.

Select I don't have this person's sign-in information > Add a user without a Microsoft account.

Create a new user profile with the required details.

Log out of your current account and log in with the new user account.

Test with Another GPU: If possible, test with another discrete GPU (from another system or a friend) to determine whether the issue lies with your current GPU. If the problem persists with a different card, this may point to an issue with your system configuration rather than the GPU itself. Note that when trying to test with another graphics card, please install the corresponding graphics card driver before testing.

Update the System:

Although it’s unlikely that an update is directly related to the issue, it's still worth ensuring that your system is up to date. Check for any pending Windows updates and install them.

If none of the above suggestions resolve the issue, it may be necessary to conduct more in-depth diagnostics. This could involve checking for potential hardware faults, or it may be beneficial to seek direct support from AMD or your system manufacturer for further assistance.

Best Regards,

Martin | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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Cannot utilize the dedicated AMD GPU

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