# How to switch off Nvidia in 2020?

**URL:** <https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-to-switch-off-nvidia-in-2020/4041>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [August 14, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-to-switch-off-nvidia-in-2020/4041 "2020-08-14T18:44:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RafalSkolasinski](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/rafalskolasinski/32/2659_2.png) [@RafalSkolasinski](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/RafalSkolasinski)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-to-switch-off-nvidia-in-2020/4041/1 "2020-08-14T18:44:11Z")

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Hi,

I wonder what is the Ubuntu Budgie (20.04) recommended way to switch off Nvidia discrete card to save power? I have proprietary drivers that came with full installation.

After installing on laptop I see that I have `Mate Optimus` applet that helps to do it. Unfortunately both choosing Intel from applet and Nvidia drivers seems to not switch off power from Nvidia card.

Laptop still seems to have quite high power usage reporeted in Powertop and keeps quite hot.

The only way I managed to achieve that so far required installing bumblebee to have bbswitch and two reboots:

- one to get Intel mode from the nvidia driver
- second to have “sudo tee /proc/acpi/bbswitch \<\<\<OFF” applied

I believe there should be a better way to do it in 2020? I think PopOS only required to log out and log in again.

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**Author:** ![fossfreedom](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/fossfreedom/32/1405_2.png) [@fossfreedom](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/fossfreedom)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:53pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-to-switch-off-nvidia-in-2020/4041/2 "2020-08-14T19:53:05Z")

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Have a look through this thread to see if anything here works

> **[Bug #1765363 “prime-select intel is not powering off the nvidia ...” : Bugs :...](https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nvidia-prime/+bug/1765363)**
>
> Right now, it seems that prime-select intel makes sure the nvidia driver is not loaded, as nvidia-settings reports.
> But my power consumption is \> 20W.
> cat /proc/acpi/bbswitch reports the card is still on. 
> 
> 
> If bbswitch and powertop are reliable,...

Worth trying the nouveau tricks probably