Part of CachyOS Wiki Notes. From the official CachyOS wiki (last updated 2026-07-26).

Dual GPU Setup (hybrid graphics)

Hybrid graphics = iGPU (CPU) + dGPU working in tandem, mainly on laptops. The dGPU can sleep when idle to save power and wake on demand.

PRIME is the unifying Linux hybrid-graphics tech (NVIDIA Optimus / AMD Dynamic Switchable Graphics); PRIME Offload moves rendering between GPUs.

The closed NVIDIA driver supports PRIME from 435.17; 390xx/340xx will not work.
Avoid outdated methods: nvidia-xrun, Bumblebee (unsupported), optimus-manager.

NVIDIA: nothing to configure

In CachyOS, PRIME Offload needs no configuration — nvidia-utils + cachyos-settings suffice.

Launch a program on the NVIDIA dGPU:

__NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __VK_LAYER_NV_optimus=NVIDIA_only __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia <program>

Shorthand via nvidia-prime:

sudo pacman -S nvidia-prime

prime-run <program>

Some DX12 games need this before prime-run:

VK_DRIVER_FILES=/usr/share/vulkan/icd.d/nvidia_icd.json

Set DRI_PRIME=1 before the app. Nothing else to configure.

Steam → Properties → Launch options, e.g.:

prime-run %command%

Force the iGPU (Radeon example):

VK_DRIVER_FILES=/usr/share/vulkan/icd.d/radeon_icd.x86_64.json:/usr/share/vulkan/icd.d/radeon_icd.i686.json %command%

KDE Plasma — needs switcheroo-control (enabled by default on CachyOS fresh installs via chwd):
```
sudo pacman -S switcheroo-control
sudo systemctl enable --now switcheroo-control
```
Then right-click the desktop entry → Properties → Application → Advanced Options → check “Run using dedicated graphics card”. Works for non-NVIDIA PRIME configs too (AMD APU + AMD dedicated).
GNOME — install switcheroo-control, right-click the icon → “Run using discrete graphics”. GNOME does not remember the choice.
Cinnamon — right-click the desktop entry → Properties → enable the relevant option; needs switcheroo-control + the service.