How to set up hybrid graphics without Optimus Manager

I have a nvidia GPU and Intel CPU, with the Intel CPU attached to 2 bad monitors. Whenever I have Optimus Manager installed, my login menu look absolutely disgusting, barely readable, and also barely works for me; Integrated and GPU both use my CPU, and Hybrid is very choppy. Is there a way I can possibly set my system up in a different way? Xorg conf files, perhaps? I’d like to primarily use my Nvidia graphics while also having my 2 bad monitors for extra info. On Manjaro, I had a /etc/mhwd.d/nvidia.conf that seemed to work, can I use that?
OS: EndeavourOS Linux x86_64
Kernel: 5.17.5-arch1-1
DE: Plasma 5.24.4
CPU: Intel i7-4790K (8) @ 4.400GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti
GPU: Intel HD Graphics

This isn’t really a hybrid system, it’s a system with two separate graphics cards, so you likely want to configure it with that in mind.

That makes a ton of sense. I just kinda assumed I guess, because nvidia laptop people say nvidia/intel a lot. I suppose I should change the question to be “how to use two graphics cards” then.

Start from providing more system info, as every system has different best choices.

inxi -Faz
pacman -Qs nvidia
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log  #  to a pastebin service

Alright, I ran inxi -Faz and here are my Grpahics:

Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics
    vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: i915 v: kernel ports: active: HDMI-A-1,VGA-1
    empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-2,HDMI-A-3 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0412
    class-ID: 0380
  Device-2: NVIDIA GP104 [GeForce GTX 1070 Ti] vendor: Micro-Star MSI
    driver: nvidia v: 510.68.02 alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm pcie: gen: 3
    speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: none off: DP-4
    empty: DP-2, DP-3, DVI-D-1, HDMI-A-4 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:1b82
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.3 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
    loaded: intel,nvidia unloaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,nouveau,nv,vesa
    gpu: i915,nvidia,nvidia-nvswitch display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3968x1080 s-dpi: 91 s-size: 1105x301mm (43.50x11.85")
    s-diag: 1145mm (45.09")
  Monitor-1: DP-4 note: disabled pos: primary,top-left model: BenQ GW2480
    serial: <filter> built: 2019 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 93 gamma: 1.2
    size: 527x296mm (20.75x11.65") diag: 604mm (23.8") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 640x480
  Monitor-2: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI1 pos: bottom-r model: Acer AL1511
    serial: <filter> built: 2004 res: 1024x768 dpi: 87 gamma: 1.2
    size: 300x230mm (11.81x9.06") diag: 380mm (15") ratio: 4:3 modes:
    max: 640x350 min: 720x400
  Monitor-3: VGA-1 mapped: VGA1 pos: bottom-c model: Acer AL1511
    serial: <filter> built: 2004 res: 1024x768 dpi: 87 gamma: 1.2
    size: 300x230mm (11.81x9.06") diag: 380mm (15") ratio: 4:3 modes:
    max: 640x350 min: 720x400
  OpenGL: renderer: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti/PCIe/SSE2
    v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 510.68.02 direct render: Yes

Very odd that it says DP-4 isn’t active, as all 3 of my monitors are being used. (DP-4, VGA-1, HMDI-A-1)

local/egl-wayland 2:1.1.9+r3+g582b2d3-1
    EGLStream-based Wayland external platform
local/libvdpau 1.5-1
    Nvidia VDPAU library
local/nvidia-dkms 510.68.02-1
    NVIDIA drivers - module sources
local/nvidia-installer-common 1.0-1
    Common scripts for nvidia-installer-dkms and nvidia-inst
local/nvidia-installer-db 2.5.8-1
    Database for the script to setup nvidia drivers in EndeavourOS
local/nvidia-installer-dkms 3.4-1
    Script to setup nvidia drivers (dkms version) in EndeavourOS
local/nvidia-utils 510.68.02-1
    NVIDIA drivers utilities

I don’t know what you need from the log. Xrandr shows my 3 monitors connected, which makes sense cause they are being used

That’s expected, since you ask for assistance.
Since you know which logs/info is enough, I suppose you also know how to set your graphics up. :wink:
I trust you will make it! :vulcan_salute:

I know very little about linux, I suddenly decided to swap about 3 weeks ago? I’ve learned a little bit after messing up my inital Manjaro partition learning about X11 Xorg conf files, but I only just learned now that I’m dual-GPU’ing this. My only idea to solve this is messing with more conf files, and I don’t know too well what they do, really. I’ll attempt to post a new help post about it later, with this info you’ve helped me gather.

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As it is a desktop PC optimus is not needed as long as hdmi/vga/dvi/dp is plugged in your nvidia gpu and correct drivers are installed.
If u want u can experiment by switching your monitors to integrated intel gpu and then mirroring your frame buffer from dgpu to igpu, but there is no need for that in your use case.

I was initially hooking up my trashy monitors to the on-board graphics due to difficulties with Windows, one of my trashy monitor’s difficulties displaying when I accidently up the resolution too high (It’s on an VGA-to-HDMI and it’s old), and I also had issues finding a VGA-to-DVI that was the correct DVI. It’s unfortunate that Linux can’t allow for GPU and onboard at the same time like windows can, but I’ve given up on my on-board graphics so this shouldn’t be an issue anymore.

That’s a mistaken belief. Linux can do this. I work on such a setup right now :wink:

These are very often problematic in Linux, scrambling EDID monitor info in the road to system/Xorg, creating mess and often difficult to solve issues.