Many users， upon acquiring a gaming laptop， tend to overlook the full potential of the pre-installed software. However， for those whose gaming laptops are equipped with NVIDIA discrete graphics， there’s a straightforward way to enhance performance without relying on third-party applications. The system’s bundled software offers features that can practically boost your NVIDIA GPU’s capabilities， and the process is remarkably simple.
This isn’t about enabling discrete GPU direct connection， nor is it simply switching to performance modes. Rather， it’s a method that can further elevate your graphics card’s performance *on top of* performance mode and direct GPU connection.
It’s important to preface this by stating that while these methods utilize pre-installed system software， there remains a very small possibility of system instability， such as crashes or blue screens. Users who are sensitive to such risks should proceed with caution or simply be aware of the information. For those unfazed， you can follow the steps below. This guide is primarily aimed at novice users; experienced gamers may find it basic knowledge.
The first method is applicable to certain gaming laptops featuring RTX 50 series graphics cards， including models from brands like HP， Lenovo， ASUS， and MSI. These laptops often come with performance control software that includes functionalities for adjusting core and memory clock speeds of the graphics card. For instance， HP’s OMEN laptops， utilizing the OMEN Gaming Hub， provide options within “Performance Control” -> “Advanced Performance Tuning” -> “GPU” to modify these parameters. Specifically， core clock speeds can be boosted by up to 200MHz， and memory clock speeds by up to 400MHz.
Users can adjust these settings according to their needs. In practical testing， this allows for a minor but noticeable improvement in graphics card performance. Even when pushing the limits， the system remained stable without any reported crashes. Such capabilities are largely absent in RTX 40 and 30 series gaming laptops because the RTX 50 series offers greater overclocking headroom. Even with power limits in place， these cards can still achieve modest clock speed increases， leading to enhanced performance.
It is crucial to note that not all gaming laptop brands offer this specific feature. If you cannot locate these options， it’s highly probable that your system does not support them. This feature is uncommon on RTX 40 and 30 series gaming laptops， primarily because the RTX 50 series exhibits better overclocking potential. Despite power limitations， these GPUs can still achieve slight increases in core frequencies， thereby boosting performance.
The second method offers broader compatibility. Previously， GeForce Experience was the utility for updating NVIDIA discrete graphics drivers， but it has since been updated to NVIDIA APP. Most gaming laptops with NVIDIA discrete GPUs are pre-installed with this software or have updated to it. NVIDIA APP features an “Auto-Optimization” function， which intelligently fine-tunes frequencies based on the specific laptop’s configuration. Essentially， this feature automatically overclocks the GPU’s core clock speed.
This functionality is located within the NVIDIA APP under the “System” -> “Performance” options， to the right of the statistics. Upon enabling “Auto-Optimization，” the software will undertake an automatic adjustment process that takes a considerable amount of time， typically around 30 minutes. It is advisable to avoid running any other software or allowing the system to enter sleep mode during this period. After the optimization， the software will report the resulting increase in core clock frequency， which is generally modest. For instance， an RTX 5060 gaming laptop experienced an 87MHz increase， and an RTX 5070 model also saw an 87MHz boost， indicating a rather conservative optimization.
The significant advantage of this feature is its non-exclusivity to the RTX 50 series. Users with RTX 40 series， 30 series， and even desktop NVIDIA GPUs can also activate this function. While the automatic optimization may result in a small frequency increase， it can still contribute to a marginal performance uplift.
The methods described above offer a way to enhance the performance of NVIDIA discrete GPU gaming laptops without needing any third-party software. Their primary advantages lie in their low barrier to entry， requiring no specialized knowledge， offering high safety， and eliminating the need for additional installations. This makes them highly accessible for novice users.
