Most Windows laptops that include dedicated graphics cards will also have integrated Intel graphics chips included on the Intel CPU. Both nVidia and AMD graphics cards include energy saving features that utilize the Intel graphics as a means to extend battery life. This energy savings is achieved, at least in part, by switching applications to use the Intel graphics when performance requirements are determined to be low.

Isadora uses a video pipeline that does not work with graphics card switching.

Running Isadora in the default mode on a machine with both a dedicated and onboard graphics card will not work correctly. A couple simple steps are required to configure your system correctly. 

Once configured Isadora will utilize your dedicated, high-performance graphics card.


UPDATE: Windows 10 now includes a setting in Graphics Settings to allow you to accomplish this setup outside of the Video Cards control panel. Instructions are available which will walk you through the setup.


Configure Isadora to use the dedicated nVidia graphics.

To configure Isadora to use the dedicated nVidia graphics, you will need to open the nVidia control panel.

  1. Right-click the desktop and choose "NVIDIA Control Panel".
  2. The nVidia control panel has a menu on the left side. In this menu you will find ‘3D settings / Manage 3D settings’ as shown above.
  3. Click "Manage 3D settings" and then click the "Program Settings" tab.
  4. Under "Select a program to customize:", click the drop-down menu and select "Isadora". If "Isadora" is not in the menu, click the "Add" button, if you have recently run Isadora it will be listed there, otherwise, click "Browse" and navigate to to find "Isadora.exe". The default path is "C:\Program Files\Isadora 3".
    Once Isadora is selected click "Add Selected Program".
    Isadora should now be selected in the drop-down menu located under "Select a program to customize:".
  5. Select "High-performance NVIDIA processor" in the drop-down menu under "Select the preferred graphics processor for this program".
  6. Click "Apply" and close the nVidia control panel.

AMD graphics

AMD graphics control panels have a similar option to set the graphics mode of specific applications. Depending on the Radeon settings control panel you have these settings may be found under Power/Switchable Graphics or Switchable Graphics.

AMD offers a detailed support article outlining the setup of this feature.