Why is my laptop using the integrated gpu instead of the dedicated gpu during games?

[H1ktile]

Hello everyone, I’ve recently run into a problem where, whenever I launch a game, after about 1–2 minutes of playing, my laptop suddenly switches from the dedicated GPU to the integrated one for some reason. This causes huge FPS drops, but then it randomly switches back to the dedicated GPU again, and this cycle keeps repeating. Also my laptop heats up so hard for no clear reason, although I'm just scrolling in browser.

Lastly not sure if it’s related, but for the past few months I’ve also been getting a CMOS 502 error.

My model:

HP Envy 16-h1000

My specs: 

Windows 11 64-bit

RTX 4060Intel core i7-13700H

16gb Ram

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

1. Set the GPU to High Performance in the Nvidia control panel (didn’t work)

2. Forced each game to use the dedicated GPU in display settings (didn’t work)

3. Plugged in the charger and set the power mode to high performance while gaming (didn’t work)

4. Updated the bios (didn’t work)

5. Reinstalled both Nvidia and Intel arc drivers using DDU (didn’t work)

6. Installed all available updates for my laptop (didn’t work)

7. Disabled both Nvidia and Intel arc display drivers in device manager (didn’t work)

[Max3Aj]

@H1ktile, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

I understand how frustrating it must be to experience performance drops during gaming, especially with a high-performance laptop like your HP Envy 16-h1000.

From your detailed description and the steps you’ve already taken (which were excellent, by the way), there are a couple of potential causes we should look into further especially since you're also seeing a CMOS Checksum Error (502) and abnormal heating during simple tasks like browsing.

Let’s walk through the core issues:

Laptop switches between RTX 4060 (dGPU) and Intel iGPU during gameplay, causing FPS drops.

Irregular switching even when settings are forced to use the dGPU.

Overheating even during light usage.

CMOS 502 error repeatedly.

Action Plan to Fix the Issue

Address the CMOS 502 Error First

The CMOS 502 error indicates a CMOS battery failure or BIOS power/setting corruption, which may be contributing to instability in power management and GPU switching.

What to do:

Perform a full CMOS reset by:

• Shut down the laptop.
• Unplug the power adapter.
• Press and hold the Power button for 15–30 seconds.
• Restart the laptop.
• If issue persists, the internal CMOS battery might need replacement. For HP Envy 16-h1000, this should be done at an HP Authorized Service Center.

Lock Games to the RTX 4060 via NVIDIA Control Panel

Although you've tried forcing the GPU, here's a detailed recheck:

• Open NVIDIA Control Panel > Manage 3D Settings > Program Settings
• Select the game from the list or manually add the .exe

Set:

• CUDA - GPUs to RTX 4060
• Preferred Graphics Processor to High-performance NVIDIA processor
• Power management mode to Prefer maximum performance
• Click Apply.

Disable iGPU via BIOS (if available)

Some HP BIOS versions allow disabling the integrated GPU entirely:

• Reboot and press F10 to enter BIOS.
• Check under Advanced or Configuration for options like:
• "Hybrid Graphics Mode" → Set to Discrete Only
• Or disable Intel GPU
• Save changes and restart.

Ensure Thermal Management is Working

• Overheating can cause dynamic GPU throttling or switching to preserve hardware.
• Make sure HP Command Center is set to Performance Mode:
• Download or open: HP Command Center from Microsoft Store
• Set Thermal Profile to Performance and not Balanced or Cool.
• Clean the air vents and ensure laptop is on a cool, hard surface.

Update the System Thermal Framework driver and BIOS from: support.hp.com
 

Use Windows Graphics Settings for Final GPU Override

• Go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics
• Find your game under “Desktop App”
• Click Options, select High Performance (RTX 4060), and Save.
• This creates a GPU preference override per app, even if NVIDIA settings are ignored.

Check for Hardware Conflict or Power Issue

• Open Device Manager → View → Resources by connection
• Look for resource conflicts under Display adapters.
• Also, ensure your power adapter is genuine HP and supplying sufficient wattage (should be 230W or more for this model).

Last Resort: Run HP Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI)

• Shut down the laptop.
• Press Esc repeatedly during boot, then press F2 to enter HP Hardware Diagnostics UEFI.
• Run System Tests > Graphics Test, Battery Test, and Thermal Test.
• This will confirm if your GPU or thermal sensor is misbehaving.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[H1ktile]

Sorry for the late reply.
Unfortunately, the methods you suggested didn’t work for me, so I ended up resetting my laptop to factory settings and that actually helped fix the overheating and irregular switching issues. However, the CMOS problem still remains, so I’m planning to send the laptop to repair service while it’s still under warranty.
Still, thank you for your advice.
And by the way, do I need to do anything before sending the laptop to repair service?

[Max3Aj]

@H1ktile, Thank you for your response,  

I'm sending a private message to assist you with the next action. 

  

Please check your Private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile Next, to your profile Name, you should see a little blue envelope, please click on it or simply click on this link. 

  

I hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

  

Max3Aj

HP Support