How to setup Nvidia Optimus Laptop on Linux

This tutorial was made for Gentoo, Arch and Fedora/RHEL base distros, this can be adapt for any distro open a pull request or a issue indicating the package name (or just use the manually way of install.

Note: The tool use in this guide were developer for Asus laptop if you are using a Asus laptop please refer to this link for other brands try this method

Note: Don't use on PopOS they have there own way of managing Optimus Laptop built in the distro!!!*

My Setup:

Lenovo Legion 5 15ACH6H running Vanila Arch and Gentoo on two sepreate btrfs subvolume;
The laptop need to stay in hybrid mode and iGPU set at minium to use 1Gbit of memory in the bios (call UMA in the bios);
I also use the Nvidia dGPU as passthouth for a Windows 11 VM for this you need a HDMI (or Mini-DP/DP) dummy plug when you don’t have a external display (optional);

Prerequisite: have both igpu (Intel or AMD) and NVIDIA drivers install this guide dosent cover that.

Install Package

Gentoo:

Frist you need to add and sync zGentoo overlay

sudo eselect repository enable zGentoo 
sudo emerge --sync -r zGentoo

Then you need to install supergfxctl:

sudo emerge --ask sys-power/supergfxctl
#To install gnome extension:
sudo emerge --ask gnome-extra/gnome-shell-extension-supergfxctl-gex

Arch:

You have to opcion install AUR package manually or using a aur helper:

Using and Aur Helper to install the package:

#Using yay
sudo yay -Sy supergfxctl
#To install plasma tray icon:
sudo yay -Sy plasma6-applets-supergfxctl

#Using paru
sudo paru -Sy supergfxctl
#To install plasma tray icon:
sudo paru -Sy plasma6-applets-supergfxctl

Installing the package manually

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/supergfxctl.git
cd supergfxctl
makepkg -Si

Fedora/RHEL base distros:

#Ading Fedora copr repo
sudo dnf copr enable eyecantcu/supergfxctl 
sudo dnf install supergfxctl
#To install gnome extension:
sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-supergfxctl-gex
#To install plasma tray icon:
sudo dnf install supergfxctl-plasmoid

From source or other distros:

Find the name of the package on your distro or go to this link with instruction how to compile from source

Configuring supergfxctl (From here equal to any distro)

You need to create this file /etc/supergfxd.conf:

/etc/supergfxd.conf
----------------------
{
"mode": "Integrated", # choose between hybrid, integrated or vfio
"vfio_enable": true, # binds the dGPU to vfio for VM pass-through (optional is set to false by default)
"vfio_save": false, # save the vfio state
"compute_save": false, # only asus laptop
"always_reboot": false, # not necessary to reboot (changing from hybrid -> integrated -> vfio can required a reboot on some machines [pls test on yours if you use vfio])
"no_logind": true, # set to true if you have a login manager like sddm or lightdm
"logout_timeout_s": 180 #not need to change
}%

After this you only need to enable supergfxd.service and reboot

sudo systemctl enable supergfxd.service

NOTE: DONT FORGET TO CHANGE GRAPHIC MODE TO HYBRID IN THE BIOS

Set Integrated or Hybrid mode at boot time (optional)

This is made using a kernel parameter:

Grub:

/etc/default/grub
----------------------
# For the IGPU
...
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="... supergfxd.mode=integrated"
#For Hybrid
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="... supergfxd.mode=hybrid"
...

Then you just need to update Grub:

sudo update-grub

Dracut:

/etc/dracut.conf.d/cmdline.conf or /etc/dracut.conf
----------------------
# For the IGPU
...
kernel_cmdline="... supergfxd.mode=integrated"
#For Hybrid
kernel_cmdline="... supergfxd.mode=hybrid"
...

Then you just need to update dracut:

#Gentoo
sudo emerge --config sys-kernel/gentoo-kernel-bin
#Arch
doas dracut --regenerate-all --force --uefi

Using dGPU

~~In the supergfxctl repo we have this statement:~~

"ASUS G-Sync + ASUS GPU-MUX note: Some ASUS laptops are capable of using the dGPU as the sole GPU in the system which is generally to enable g-sync on the laptop display panel. This is controlled by asusctl at this time, and may be added to supergfxd later. If mux/g-sync is enabled then supergfxd will halt itself until it is disabled again."

Last time I try now it possible to use supergfxctl for dgpu mode on non Asus laptop [Tested on Lenovo Legion 5 gen 6]:

Set superglfx mode to Hybrid:

supergfxctl -m Hybrid

Note: if you add Integrated to the cmdline you need to change it and probably rebuild the initramfs

Reboot

Troubleshoot dgpu mode

If you get a black screen go back to hybrid and try to disable supergfxd.service and reboot to dGPU:

sudo systemctl disable supergfxd.service

If still getting a black screen you will need to unistall supergfxctl before changing to hybrid on your machine

Obligatory don't take me to court

no warranty, use this tutorial at you own risk

MrDuartePT/nvidia-optimus.md