# Can I choose which GPU to use?

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/can-i-choose-which-gpu-to-use/3149>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** volume-rendering\
**Created:** [June 12, 2018, 10:52am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/can-i-choose-which-gpu-to-use/3149 "2018-06-12T10:52:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Fernando](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/fernando/32/5640_2.png) [@Fernando](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Fernando)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 10:52am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/can-i-choose-which-gpu-to-use/3149/1 "2018-06-12T10:52:36Z")

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Hi all,

I’m using a gaming laptop (Dell Alienware 13 R3) which comes with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU. Is there a way to configure Slicer to use it instead of the default GPU?

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**Author:** ![wpgao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8e8cbc/32.png) [@wpgao](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/wpgao)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 11:11am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/can-i-choose-which-gpu-to-use/3149/2 "2018-06-12T11:11:50Z")

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Maybe the integrated GPU should be disabled, then 1060 will be automatically selected as the default GPU! This is done not in the Slicer But in the system configuration or nvidia application!

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**Author:** ![Fernando](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/fernando/32/5640_2.png) [@Fernando](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Fernando)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 11:25am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/can-i-choose-which-gpu-to-use/3149/3 "2018-06-12T11:25:49Z")

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But I don’t want the integrated GPU to be disabled all the time. I need it when I’m, for example, using the other one for deep learning while I keep working on other stuff.

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**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 12:33pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/can-i-choose-which-gpu-to-use/3149/4 "2018-06-12T12:33:52Z")

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You can select which application should use which GPU in Nvidia control panel. The Slicer main application is SlicerApp-real.exe, you need to select that executable (Slicer.exe is only the application launcher).

Slicer’s GPU load is probably negligible, unless you use volume rendering, display extremely large models, or view the scene in a virtual reality headset.

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**Author:** ![Fernando](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/fernando/32/5640_2.png) [@Fernando](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Fernando)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 12:58pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/can-i-choose-which-gpu-to-use/3149/5 "2018-06-12T12:58:55Z")

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> [@lassoan](#):
>
> You can select which application should use which GPU in Nvidia control panel. The Slicer main application is SlicerApp-real.exe, you need to select that executable (Slicer.exe is only the application launcher).

Thanks, Andras.

I’m using approx. `300x400x330` images, Volume Rendering and large meshes.

As a reference, here’s what I did:

1. Go to Desktop
2. Right click and select NVIDIA Control Panel
3. On the left panel, 3D Settings → Manage 3D settings
4. Open Program Settings tab
5. Click on Add and Browse for the app (in my case, `C:\Program Files\Slicer 4.9.0-2018-06-02\bin\SlicerApp-real.exe`
6. Select the preferred graphics processor: “High-performance NVIDIA processor”