I'm on Windows 10 and use (older) Nvidia GeForce 950M (26.21.14.4587) - 2GB (as correctly detected by LR). The performance preferences in LR are set to custom for the graphics processor and the "Use GPU for image processing" is tagged. The GPU is recognised and "Full graphics acceleration is enabled" is shown. I have installed the latest NVIDIA driver (from mid april). Windows 10 Graphics settings are for LR to be at "High Performance" and in the NVIDIA control panel LR is set to be used the "High-performance NVIDIA processor". The other GPU in the system is an intel and it is used for display purposes of my external screen.
The issue:
During LR usage (editing or photomerging for instance) the GPU is almost never used. It only happens that at some rare occations it peaks to 1 or 2% while the CPU is at around 75% all the time. I'm checking this with the Windows task manager. No need to mention that LR is lagging a lot, I also get sometimes a black screen. Photoshop is doing a better job using the NVIDIA GPU (I never get a black screen there with the same files and it runs smoother).
GPU is most helpful with 4K or larger monitors. It might be that although Lightroom recognizes your GPU, it doesn't find much for the GPU to do with smaller than 4K monitors. Maybe you should turn it off and see if the lag issues go away.
I say that with GPU off option I don't see that the NVIDIA GPU is used for calculations which I would expect when running operations like merging HDR. Only the CPU is used. I haven't tried to retouch an entire photo, yet, to check the lagging.
Again, Photoshop uses the NVIDIA GPU and it is much faster than without. I don't get it why Lightroom won't do the same way.
Photoshop does different things than Lightroom, and is programmed differently under the hood. Since your monitor is less than 4K, I expect its normal that the GPU is not used extensively, or even not at all, by Lightroom.
During editing you should only see the GPU spike when you are heavily thrashing the sliders about. Otherwise it only spikes. Try running an enhance details on a big MP raw file. You should see the GPU pegged at 100% for a short while. I don't think HDR or panorama merging is GPU enhanced but I might be wrong (not behinf my editing computer at the moment so can't check). Enhance details certainly is.
You are correct! Enhance detail uses GPU at 100%. 🙂
No hurry but I would appreciate if you would let me know if HDR and panorama is GPU enhanced and, if not, if this will be implemented. What about local adjusments? Are they GPU enhanced?
Just tested and panorama stitching is all done on the CPU and not the GPU. HDR is likely the same. No clue when that would be implemented on the GPU and not immediately clear it would be a speed advantage. I am sure Adobe is working on doing this but not clear it is a major priority for them. If you want to add your voice to doing this, the way to getfeedback to actual adobe engineers (we are just other users helping each other out here) go to https://feedback.photoshop.com where actual engineers look for bug reports and suggestions.
Local adjustments are now GPU enhanced indeed. They weren't a few years ago.
Nowhere in the above do I see an inquiry into your GPU driver version.
Anyhow,
1. As you have an NVIDIA GPU, use the NVIDIA Utility called GeForce Experience to check for and install the latest GPU driver. WHen you install a new driver, select the Custom option, that will cause a clean install.
2. See the following article for a tip on improving GPU performance in Lightroom Classic. Warning, this will ramp up power consumption, might not be so nice to Laptops, All-In-Ones, and any low voltage CPU rigs:
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