After the mining boom finally came to an end and the price of graphic boards finally came down, I decided to replace the graphics card (and CPU) of my current PC.
I will explain the reason later, but for the CPU, I chose a Ryzen APU (AMD Ryzen5 5700G) with a built-in GPU this time.
Thus, in this article, I would like to explain how you can use the built-in GPU of the Ryzen APU and the graphic board’s GPU together and how.
In short, you could use APU and GPU simultaneously to improve both computation and graphics processing tasks. You should only know that GPU requires a separate dedicated card, and an APU combines a CPU and GPU on the same die.
In this case, you’re adding a separate card to enhance the system’s graphics performance.
Can You Use APU and GPU at the Same Time?
You can have an AMD APU in a PC system; if this graphics is insufficient, you can also use a separate graphics card on the PCIe slot.
Using both GK models together is only possible with specific models, e.g., with AMD Socket FM2+, and only with particular AMD graphics cards.
Intel used to do this in cooperation with Nvidia but was dropped because there were too many incompatibilities with each other.
At AMD, this has only been retained on a few APU models and graphics cards. Typically, the plugged-in GK switches off the APU GK because a specific bridge is opened on the hardware side that interrupts the transmission of the signals from the APU.
The models that do NOT interrupt this bridge despite the plugged-in GK are now rare and hard to come by.
Both APU and GPU can actually work together. As a result, they accelerate the visual performance of your computer when used together.
However, a few things must be considered before combining the APU with GPU. First, your APU must support the GPU, and the motherboard must be compatible to support both.
APUs are also known as microprocessors because, in addition to providing integrated graphics, they support general processing.
When AMD first released APUs, they were dubbed Fusion. They are 64-bit microprocessors that help the CPU run well in general, resulting in great computer performance.
What is APU? Further Explanation
APUs are the illustrious AMD processors that come with iGPUs. So yes, it’s essentially a marketing buzzword.
Further, this may be a little confusing since most Intel processors also have integrated graphics, so what makes AMD APUs unique?
Is this just marketing jargon, or are there any fundamental differences here?
The first difference is how they appeared.
AMD has launched a whole line of APU products, while Intel has bundled them with their existing processor lines.
However, unlike Intel, AMD only offers integrated graphics with its APUs, not its processors.
Even though APUs and most Intel processors have the same functionality and both come with integrated graphics, the most critical difference between AMD’s offerings and Intel’s is that AMD’s integrated graphics are far more potent than anything Intel had to offer.
For example, a Ryzen 3 3200G APU with Vega 8 graphics can be 2 to 3 times faster than an Intel Core i7-9700K and UHD Graphics 630.
In fact, AMD’s Ryzen-series APUs can even outperform some entry-level discrete GPUs.
And it makes sense. AMD manufactures GPUs along with CPUs. So they obviously have an advantage when it comes to combining two things.
Transitioning From APU to GPU
To transition from APU to GPU, you must first turn off the APU. It is possible to disable it using AMD catalyst or BIOS settings.
You can also turn off the APU using the Device Manager. To begin, launch the device manager and then navigate to the “Display adapters” section.
Select “Disable” from the context menu when you right-click the integrated APU.
Before disabling the APU, connect and install the graphics card. Otherwise, you may experience display problems after disabling it.
You do not need to use an external GPU with an AMD CPU with APU that has integrated graphics.
However, if you are a gamer and want better graphics, it is best to combine both an APU and a GPU with greater RAM.
How Do I Connect an APU to a GPU?
APU and GPU require a careful selection of motherboards to run both chips concurrently. APU onboard motherboards are the name given to such integrated motherboards.
Before connecting, check the motherboard handbook to see if the combination is supported. If you’re ready to proceed, here’s how to accomplish it:
First, connect the dedicated GPU to your motherboard. You must insert the graphics card into the motherboard’s graphic card socket.
Then we move on to configuration and preferences:
- Turn on your computer and connect your video cords.
- Install your graphics card drivers from the manufacturer’s website.
- After installing the graphics card, navigate to the AMD Catalyst settings and click on the “Performance” tab.
- Now, select the “AMD CrossFire” option; if it is deactivated, enable it. After you enable your PC’s restart, your APU will be integrated with your GPU and both will begin to operate.
If you can’t find the Crossfire or it doesn’t appear in the side menu, use the second way:
BIOS Configuration:
- Restart your computer and press the BIOS key to access the BIOS settings (Del or F2).
- Once in the BIOS, look for “Advanced Options.”
- Navigate to “NBConfiguration” in the Advanced options. This option is available on all motherboards that enable APU.
- If it’s not already enabled, “Enable” the IGFX Multi-monitor option. The IGPU is not enabled and must be activated.
- The following configuration option is “Integrated Graphics.” Open the file and choose “Force” from the menu. It will forcefully enable your APU. It is safe to do so.
It’s time to configure your APU’s share graphic memory. Select the “UMA frame buffer size” option to accomplish so. Select the required memory from the list, i.e., 1GB or 2GB, based on your RAMs.
After configuring the APU, use the “Save & Exit” option to exit the setup.
Return to the AMD Catalyst and select the Gaming tab. The “Enabled” ADM Dual Graphic option can be found here. Your APU is ready for GPU use.
Reasons to Keep Choosing AMD
Most people probably choose NVIDIA’s GeForce series as their first choice when purchasing a new graphics card, but I have been choosing AMD’s Radeon series for the past few years.
That’s because Radeon has a Fluid Motion feature that GeForce doesn’t have.
Fluid Motion is a video playback support function installed in (part of) AMD’s GPU.
Performing frame interpolation with Fluid Motion on a 24-frame or 30-frame video can be played back as a 60-frame video.
In short, it is a function that plays jerky videos smoothly, and the effect is particularly noticeable in animation videos.
However, this Fluid Motion function has unfortunately been abolished since the Navi architecture (Radeon RX 5000 series).