Does your PC have a decent graphic circuit? Activate the planning of graphics with hardware acceleration, a special Windows 10 and 11 function which improves performance, and not only in games.
With the 2004 version of Windows 10, published in the spring of 2020, Microsoft introduced a very discreet function in its operating system: graphical processor planning with hardware acceleration (Hardware Accelerated GPU SCHEDULING in English). Behind this barbaric designation – and extended! – Hides an option to improve the graphic performance of PCs with a GPU (Graphic Process unit), in other words a real dedicated graphic circuit, as found on the NVIDIA and AMD graphics “cards”, but also in some IGP (Integrated Graphic Processor), the graphic processing units integrated into certain AMD and Intel processors.
As its name does not indicate, this function lets the graphical circuit directly manage video memory – the RAM dedicated to the display -, without intermediary. In practice, this hardware acceleration makes it possible to reduce latency and increase the number of images generated per second – the famous FPS, or Frames per second -, which results in higher performance and in particular better fluidity in 3D games. But not only, because this option more generally benefits all applications using the graphic processing unit (image and video retouching in particular). The gains are certainly not extraordinary, but they are not imaginary – almost 10 % in the best of cases, or some FPS in gourmet games in very high definition. And it is possible that they improve as the graphic circuits manufacturers refine their pilots to take full advantage of them. No reason to deprive yourself, therefore, especially since this function is very simple to activate!
To take advantage of graphical processor planning with hardware acceleration, your PC must meet two conditions. First, it must work with an adapted version of Windows 10 – 2004 or more recent. If you are not sure, see our practical sheet Identify the Windows 10 version used on a PC. Then, it must be equipped with a compatible graphical circuit and the suitable pilot – GeForce 451.48 or subsequent version for NVIDIA GPUs, version 20.5.1 or subsequent driver Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition for AMD, version 27.20.100.8190 or subsequent for Intel – WDDM 2.7 (WDDM 2.7 (WDDM 2.7 Model). So remember to update your drivers if it has not already been done. Rest assured, if not, you just won’t see the option in Windows!
- To activate graphics processor planning with hardware acceleration, open Windows 10 settings with the keyboard shortcut Windows + I or by clicking on The start menu then on Parameters.
- In the window Parametersclick on System.
- Once in the section Systemclick on Display in the left column.
Then scroll the right part of the window down to reach the section Several displaysand click on the link Graphics.
- The content of the window changes. Just click on the switch in the section Planning of graphics with hardware acceleration To activate the function. That’s it! All you have to do is restart your PC to take advantage of it.
