I have a 512/i7 Surface Book with the NVIDIA GPU using multiple displays on a Plugable USB 3.0 docking station . After the Windows Creator Update, I can no longer force programs to use the NVIDIA GPU when the external monitor is set as the “main display”. It only works when the Surface Book is the main display. If I boot the program on the Surface Book using the NVIDIA and drag it to a different screen, the program is choppy to the point it is unusable. All drivers (Pluggable and GPU) are up to date. I cannot determine whether the issue is caused by either the GPU or the docking station. The main program I am concerned about is AutoCAD LT 2018 although no programs seem to work. Is anyone else having this issue? Any Suggestions?
Hi Douglas,
Thanks for posting! Based on your description of the behavior, it sounds like you are running into a known bug with Windows that I speak to here -> http://support.plugable.com/plugable/…
To expand further, the core element inside the dock that drives the attached displays is a DisplayLink chip. This chip is a virtual graphics adapter that relies on your internal ‘real’ graphics adapter (GPU) in order to work. In your case, Windows is incorrectly directing tasks meant for your Nvidia GPU to the DisplayLink chip resulting in the poor performance.
Until Microsoft fixes the bug at the OS level, the workaround is (as you have already discovered) making your internal Surface Book display the ‘Main’ display. Since this display can only be driven by the system’s internal GPU, it forces Windows to direct things properly.
Please let me know if that information helps!
Bob
Plugable Technologies
www.plugable.com/support