[Alienware Graphics Amplifier] Unable to detect/use "external" GPU - AMD GTX 980M

[soulpaladin]

To Whom Can Help,

I have an Alineware 17R3 with 3 video cards:

- Intel and nVidia - Onboard GPU
-- Intel HP Graphic 530
-- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M

- AMD - alienware graphics amplifier
-- AMD Radeon R9 390


When the alienware graphics amplifier is not plugged, the nVidia kicks in and the game works but when I plug the alienware graphics amplifier, the game defaults to Intel. I've tried several times to launch the game from the AMD Radeon Settings but without success.

Is there a way to manually change some settings to force the game to recognize the AMD video card?

Any serious help would be much appreciated.
Thank you and good day!


Regards,
soulpaladin

[JT]

Have you tried poking Alienware support? They'd probably be the best equipped on dealing with the device's functionality.

I only say this 'cause you're literally the first person I've seen use an external GPU solution like that and try to play games on it so I've no idea where to start :p

Google does lead me to believe that you should try turning off the laptop, plugging the thing in, and then turning it back on and seeing if it catches

[pedantic_roc]

Deleted - now that I've read about it some more.

According to the review at pcworld you plug the thing in, boot up your lappy, and it should auto switch from onboard GPU to the amplifier. It didn't - there was a driver issue. Drivers were obtained directly from alienware to resolve that issue. Switching to another card, again, drivers direct from nvidia resolved the self same issue. Alienware claimed, eight months ago, that drivers will soon come direct from AMD and nvidia which will take precedence over the alienware internal public drivers.

Have you tried installing new whql AMD drivers or any unified AMD drivers on the device?

[soulpaladin]

Hello TehGuy & padantic_roc,

The external GPU [AMD] does work properly on many other games including VR's. Games like:
Fallout 3
No Man's Sky
Fallout 4
Rise of the Tomb Raider
DOOM
Metro: Last Light
Call of Duty: Black Ops
and more... etc.

They work by utilizing the amplifier perfectly but Skyrim... nope. The amplifier is an amazing way to have high end GPU's on laptops and you can plug it while your laptop is on or off but in any level it will prompt you to reboot the system and swich GPU from the onboard to the amplifer. It is really a great idea that Dell/Alienware created but unfortunately they are games that just doesn't "detect" the Amplifier while many others do.

Thank you both for your help and time on this.
Really appreaciate it.

[pedantic_roc]

Bah - trust it not to work on Skyrim SE. What a disappointment for you. Post back if you ever mange to resolve this issue, soulpaladin. Best wishes :-)

[TeTitanAtoll]

I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd post my recent findings just in case someone else runs into this issue.

I just encountered this issue with my Alienware 17 R5 and a new 2080TI connected via an Alienware Graphics Amp. I have not yet figured out how to get the laptop to "switch" from the internal GTX1070 to the RTX2080TI for it's built-in display, but the Graphics Amplifier will drive an external display with the RTX2080.

When I attempt to run Skyrim SE on the external display running through the AGA, it fails to detect the RTX card and defaults to low settings, as others have observed. However, if I set the external display resolution to 1440p or 4K, and configure Skyrim to run in Borderless Window mode, it will run at the configured resolution on the external display. You do lose a few FPS running in window mode, but in my case the RTX2080 can still manage a consistent 60FPS at 1440p without breaking a sweat. Perhaps that option will work for others as well.

If I do manage to get this working in fullscreen mode, I will report back.