How to choose a central processor, and why is it needed? Best processors with integrated graphics In-processor graphics
For office, home or gaming computer It's not that difficult to choose the right processor. You just need to decide on your needs, navigate a little about the characteristics and price ranges. There is no point in thoroughly studying the smallest nuances if you are not a “geek,” but you need to understand what to pay attention to.
For example, you can look for a processor with a higher frequency and cache memory, but without paying attention to the core of the chip, you can get into trouble. The core, in fact, is the main performance factor, and the rest of the characteristics are plus or minus. In general terms, I can say that the more expensive the product in the line of one manufacturer, the better, more powerful, and faster it is. But AMD processors are cheaper than those from Intel.
- The processor should be chosen depending on the tasks at hand. If in normal mode you have about two resource-intensive programs running, then it is better to buy a dual-core “stone” with high frequency. If more threads are used, it is better to opt for a multi-core processor of the same architecture, even with a lower frequency.
- Hybrid processors (with a built-in video card) will allow you to save on the purchase of a video card, provided that you do not need to play fancy games. That's almost all modern processors Intel and AMD series A4-A12, but AMD has a stronger graphics core.
- All processors marked “BOX” must be supplied with a cooler (of course, a simple model, which will not be enough for high loads, but for work in nominal mode- that's what you need). If you need a cool cooler, then .
- Processors marked “OEM” are covered by a one-year warranty, while processors marked “OEM” are covered by a three-year warranty. If the warranty period provided by the store is shorter, it is better to think about looking for another distributor.
- In some cases, it makes sense to buy a percentage from hand, this way you can save about 30% of the amount. True, this method of purchase is associated with a certain risk, so you need to pay attention to the availability of a guarantee and the reputation of the seller.
Main technical characteristics of processors
Now about some characteristics that are still worth mentioning. It is not necessary to go into it, but it will be useful to understand my recommendations for specific models.
Each processor has its own socket (platform), i.e. the name of the connector on the motherboard for which it is intended. Whatever processor you choose, be sure to look at socket matching. On this moment There are several platforms.
- LGA1150 – not for top processors, used for office computers, gaming and home media center. Integrated Graphics entry level, except Intel Iris/Iris Pro. Already going out of circulation.
- LGA1151 is a modern platform, recommended for future upgrade to newer hardware. The processors themselves are not much faster than the previous platform, i.e., there is little point in upgrading to it. But there is a more powerful integrated graphics core of the Intel Graphics series, DDR4 memory is supported, but it does not provide a significant performance gain.
- LGA2011-v3 is a top-end platform designed for building high-performance desktop systems based on Intel X299 system logic, expensive, outdated.
- LGA 2066 (Socket R4) - socket for HEDT (Hi-End) Intel processors Skylake-X architecture and Kaby Lake-X, replaced 2011-3.
- AM1 for weak, energy-efficient processors
- AM3+ is a common socket, suitable for most AMD processors, incl. for high-performance processors without an integrated video core
- AM4 is designed for microprocessors with Zen microarchitecture (Ryzen brand) with and without integrated graphics, and all subsequent ones. Added support for DDR4 memory.
- FM2/FM2+ for budget options Athlon X2/X4 without integrated graphics.
- sTR4 is a connector type for the HEDT family of Ryzen Threadripper microprocessors. Similar to server sockets, the most massive for desktop computers.
There are outdated platforms that you can buy in order to save money, but you need to take into account that new processors will no longer be made for them: LGA1155, AM3, LGA2011, AM2/+, LGA775 and others that are not on the lists.
Kernel name. Each line of processors has its own kernel name. For example, Intel currently has Sky Lake, Kaby Lake and the newest Coffee Lake eighth generation. AMD has Richland, Bulldozer, Zen. The higher the generation, the more high-performance the chip, with lower energy consumption, and the more technologies are introduced.
Number of Cores: from 2 to 18 pieces. The bigger, the better. But there is such a point: programs that do not know how to distribute the load across the cores will work faster on a dual-core with a higher clock frequency than on a 4-core, but with a lower frequency. In short, if there is no clear terms of reference, then the rule works: more is better, and the further you go, the more correct it will be.
Technical process, measured in nanometers, for example – 14nm. Does not affect performance, but does affect processor heating. Each new generation of processors is manufactured using a new technical process with a smaller nm. This means that if you take a previous generation processor and a new one that is approximately the same, the latter will heat up less. But, since new products are made faster, they heat up about the same. That is, improving the technical process allows manufacturers to make faster processors.
Clock frequency, measured in gigahertz, for example - 3.5 GHz. Always the more the better, but only within one series. If you take an old Pentium with a frequency of 3.5 GHz and some new one, then the old one will be many times slower. This is explained by the fact that they have completely different kernels.
Almost all “stones” are capable of accelerating, i.e. operate at a higher frequency than that specified in the specifications. But this is a topic for those knowledgeable, because... You can burn the processor or get a non-working system!
Level 1, 2 and 3 cache size, one of the key characteristics, the more, the faster. The first level is the most important, the third is less significant. Directly depends on the kernel and series.
TDP– dissipated thermal power, or how much at maximum load. A lower number means less heat. Without clear personal preferences, this can be ignored. Powerful processors consume 110-220 watts of electricity under load. You can see a diagram of the approximate energy consumption of Intel and AMD processors under normal load, the less the better:
Model, series: does not relate to the characteristics, but nevertheless I want to tell you how to understand which processor is better within the same series, without delving too much into the characteristics. The name of the processor, for example "Intel i3-8100", consists of the "Core i3" series and the model number "8100". The first number means the line of processors on a certain core, and the next ones are its “performance index,” roughly speaking. So, we can estimate that:
- Core i3-8300 is faster than i3-8100
- i3-8100 is faster than i3-7100
- But the i3-7300 will be faster than the i3-8100, despite the lower series, because the 300 strongly more than 100. I think you get the idea.
The same goes for AMD.
Will you play on the computer?
The next point that you need to decide in advance is the gaming future of the computer. For “Farm Frenzy” and other simple online games, any built-in graphics will do. If buying an expensive video card is not part of your plans, but you want to play, then you need to buy a processor with a normal graphics core Intel Graphics 530/630/Iris Pro, AMD Radeon RX Vega Series. Even modern games will run in Full HD 1080p resolution at minimum and medium graphics quality settings. You can play World of Tanks, GTA, Dota and others.
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- Shared memory graphics is a device based on shared memory management with the main processor. This significantly reduces cost, improves energy saving system, but degrades performance. Accordingly, for those who work with complex programs, integrated GPUs of this type are more likely not suitable.
- Discrete graphics - a video chip and one or two video memory modules are soldered onto system board. Thanks to this technology, image quality is significantly improved, and it also becomes possible to work with 3D graphics With best results. True, you will have to pay a lot for this, and if you are looking for a high-power processor in all respects, the cost can be incredibly high. In addition, your electricity bill will increase slightly - the power consumption of discrete GPUs is higher than usual.
- Hybrid discrete graphics - a combination of the two previous types, which ensured the creation of the bus PCI Express. Thus, access to memory is carried out both through the soldered video memory and through the RAM. With this solution, manufacturers wanted to create a compromise solution, but it still does not eliminate the shortcomings.
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Built-in GPU plays an important role both for gamers and undemanding users.
The quality of games, movies, watching videos on the Internet and images depends on it.
Principle of operation
The graphics processor is integrated into the computer's motherboard - this is what integrated graphics looks like.
As a rule, they use it to remove the need to install a graphics adapter -.
This technology helps reduce the cost of the finished product. In addition, due to the compactness and low power consumption of such processors, they are often installed in laptops and low-power desktop computers.
Thus, integrated graphics processors have filled this niche so much that 90% of laptops on US store shelves have such a processor.
Instead of a regular video card, integrated graphics often use the computer's RAM itself as an auxiliary tool.
True, this solution somewhat limits the performance of the device. Still, the computer itself and the graphics processor use the same memory bus.
So this “neighborhood” affects the performance of tasks, especially when working with complex graphics and during gameplay.
Kinds
Integrated graphics have three groups:
Manufacturers
As a rule, large companies - , and - are engaged in the manufacture and development of integrated graphics processors, but many small enterprises are also involved in this area.
This is not difficult to do. Look for Primary Display or Init Display First. If you don’t see something like that, look for Onboard, PCI, AGP or PCI-E (it all depends on the buses installed on the motherboard).
By choosing PCI-E, for example, you enable PCI-Express video card, and disable the built-in integrated one.
Thus, to enable the integrated video card, you need to find the appropriate parameters in the BIOS. Often the activation process is automatic.
Disable
It is better to disable it in the BIOS. This is the simplest and most unpretentious option, suitable for almost all PCs. The only exceptions are some laptops.
Again, search for Peripherals or Integrated Peripherals in the BIOS if you are working on a desktop.
For laptops, the name of the function is different, and not the same everywhere. So just find something related to graphics. For example, the necessary options can be placed in the Advanced and Config sections.
Disabling is also carried out in different ways. Sometimes it’s enough to just click “Disabled” and put the PCI-E video card first in the list.
If you are a laptop user, do not be alarmed if you cannot find a suitable option; a priori, you may not have such a function. For all other devices, the rules are simple - no matter how the BIOS itself looks, the filling is the same.
If you have two video cards and they are both shown in the device manager, then the matter is quite simple: click on one of them right side mouse and select “disable”. However, keep in mind that the display may go dark. This will most likely happen.
However, this is also a solvable problem. It is enough to restart the computer or software.
Make all subsequent settings on it. If this method does not work, roll back your actions using safe mode. You can also resort to the previous method - through the BIOS.
Two programs - NVIDIA Control Center and Catalyst Control Center - configure the use of a specific video adapter.
They are the most unpretentious compared to the other two methods - the screen is unlikely to turn off, and you won’t accidentally mess up the settings through the BIOS either.
For NVIDIA all settings are in the 3D section.
You can select your preferred video adapter for the entire operating system and for specific programs and games.
In Catalyst software, an identical function is located in the “Power” option in the “Switchable Graphics” sub-item.
So switching between GPUs is a breeze.
Eat different methods, in particular, both through programs and through BIOS. Turning on or off one or another integrated graphics may be accompanied by some failures, mainly related to the image.
It may go out or simply become distorted. Nothing should affect the files on the computer themselves, unless you clicked something in the BIOS.
Conclusion
As a result, integrated graphics processors are in demand due to their low cost and compactness.
You will have to pay for this with the level of performance of the computer itself.
In some cases, integrated graphics are simply necessary - discrete processors are ideal for working with three-dimensional images.
In addition, the industry leaders are Intel, AMD and Nvidia. Each of them offers its own graphics accelerators, processors and other components.
Latest popular models- Intel HD Graphics 530 and AMD A10-7850K. They are quite functional, but have some flaws. In particular, this applies to power, performance and cost of the finished product.
You can enable or disable a graphics processor with a built-in core either yourself through BIOS, utilities and various programs, but the computer itself can easily do this for you. It all depends on which video card is connected to the monitor itself.
In nature, there are two types of graphics adapters: discrete and integrated. Discrete connectors are connected to connectors PCI-E and have their own sockets for connecting a monitor. Integrated ones are built into the motherboard or processor.
If for some reason you decide to use the built-in video core, then the information in this article will help you do this without errors.
In most cases, in order to use the integrated graphics, it is enough to connect the monitor to the corresponding connector on the motherboard, after first removing the discrete video card from the slot PCI-E. If there are no connectors, then it is not possible to use the integrated video core.
In the worst case scenario, when switching monitors, we will get a black screen at boot, indicating that the integrated graphics are disabled in BIOS the motherboard either does not have drivers installed for it, or both. In this case, connect the monitor to a discrete video card, reboot and enter BIOS.
BIOS
Driver
After searching, the found driver will be installed and, after a reboot, you can use the integrated graphics.
Disabling the built-in video core
If you are thinking about disabling the built-in video card, then it is better not to do this, since this action does not make much sense. In desktop computers, when a discrete adapter is connected, the built-in adapter is automatically disabled, and on laptops equipped with switchable graphics, it can completely lead to the device being inoperable.
Perhaps the key advantage personal computer as a platform is its impressive flexibility and customization possibilities, which today, thanks to the emergence of new standards and types of components, seem almost limitless. If ten years ago, when pronouncing the abbreviation “PC,” one could confidently imagine a white iron box, entangled in wires and buzzing somewhere under the table, today there are no such unambiguous associations and cannot be.
Today's PC can be a powerful workstation focused on computing performance or a designer's work machine, "tailored" for the quality of two-dimensional graphics and fast work with data. It could be a top-end gaming machine or a modest multimedia system that lives under the TV...
In other words, each PC today has its own tasks, which correspond to one or another set of hardware. But how to choose the right one?
You should start with the central processor. The video card will determine the system performance in games (and a number of work applications that use GPU computing). Motherboard - system format, its functionality “out of the box” and the ability to connect components and peripheral devices. However, it is the processor that will determine the system's capabilities in everyday household tasks and work.
Let's look at what is important when choosing a processor and what is not.
What you should NEVER pay attention to
CPU Manufacturer
As in the case of video cards (and, indeed, with many other devices), our compatriots are always happy to turn an ordinary consumer product into something that can be raised to standards and go to war with supporters of the opposite camp. Can you imagine a situation in which lovers of pickled cucumbers and canned tomatoes divided the store with a barricade, hurled insults at each other and often resorted to assault? Agree, it sounds like complete nonsense... but in the field of computer components this happens all the time!
If you choose a processor for absolutely new system, you should pay attention to the current sockets:
AM1 - AMD platform, designed for nettops, embedded systems and entry-level multimedia PCs. Like all APUs, it is distinguished by the presence of relatively powerful integrated graphics, which is the main advantage.
AM4- AMD universal platform for the mainstream segment. It combines desktop APUs and powerful CPUs of the Ryzen family, making it possible to assemble a PC for literally any budget and user needs.
TR4- AMD's flagship platform designed for Threadripper processors. This is a product for professionals and enthusiasts: 16 physical cores, 32 computation threads, a four-channel memory controller and other impressive figures that provide a significant increase in performance in work tasks, but are practically not in demand in the home segment.
LGA 1151_v2- a socket that in no case should be confused with the usual LGA 1151 (!!!). It represents the current generation of the mainstream Intel platform, and finally brings processors with six physical cores to the consumer segment - this is why it is valuable. However, you should definitely remember that Coffee Lake processors cannot be installed in boards with 200 and 100 series chipsets, and older Skylake and Kaby Lake processors cannot be installed in boards with 300 series chipsets.
LGA 2066- current generation of the Intel platform intended for professionals. It may also be interesting as a platform for gradual upgrades. Juniors Core processors i3 and Core i5 are practically no different from their LGA 1151 counterparts of the first version and are relatively affordable, but later they can be replaced with Core i7 and Core i9.
Number of Cores
This parameter requires many reservations and should be used with caution, but it is precisely this parameter that allows you to more or less logically arrange and differentiate central processors.
Models with two computing cores, and also with two physical cores and four virtual threads regardless clock frequency, degrees of dynamic overclocking, architectural advantages and fan mantras today are firmly established in the office PC segment, and even there - not in the most critical places. Today there is no need to talk seriously about the use of such CPUs in gaming machines, much less in workstations.
Processors with four computing cores look a little more modern, and can satisfy the needs of both office workers and not the most demanding home users. It is quite possible to build a budget gaming PC on them, although in modern titles the performance will be limited, and simultaneous execution of several operations - for example, recording a game video - will be impossible or will lead to a noticeable drop in FPS.
The best option for home - six core processors. They are capable of providing high performance in games, they do not faint when performing several resource-intensive tasks at the same time, they allow you to use your PC as a home workstation, and at the same time, they remain quite affordable.
Octa-core processors- the choice of those who are busy with more serious tasks than games. Although they can handle entertainment without any problems, their advantages are most noticeable in work applications. If you are engaged in video processing and editing, draw complex layouts for printing, design houses or other complex structures, then these CPUs are worth choosing. You won't notice any excess performance, but the fast processing and lack of freezes at the most crucial moment will definitely please you.
Processors with 10 and 16 cores- this is a server segment and very specific workstations, which differ from the previous version approximately as the work of a special effects designer for a big movie differs from the work of a video editor on YouTube (in fact, that’s where they are used). It is difficult to definitely recommend or, on the contrary, to dissuade them from buying them. If you really need this kind of performance, you already know how and where you will use it.
Recommendation #8: The number of cores is not the clearest parameter, and it does not always allow processors with similar characteristics to be classified into the same group. However, when choosing a processor, you should focus on this parameter.
Performance
The final and most important parameter, which, alas, cannot be found in any store catalogue. However, in the end, it is he who determines whether a particular processor is suitable for you, and how much the operation of a PC based on it will meet your initial expectations.
Before you go to the store to buy a processor that seems to suit you, take the time to study its detailed tests. Moreover, “detailed” are not videos on YouTube that show you what you should see according to their author’s intention. Detailed tests- this is a large-scale comparison of the processor in synthetic benchmarks, professional software and games, carried out according to a clear methodology with the participation of all or most competing solutions.
As with video cards, reading and analyzing such materials will help you determine whether a particular processor is worth the money, and what, if possible, it can be replaced with.
Recommendation #9: By spending a couple of evenings reading and comparing information from different sources (it is important that they are authoritative, and preferably foreign), you will make a reasoned choice and save yourself a lot of problems in the future. Believe me, it's more than worth it.
Criteria and selection options:
Based on the criteria outlined above, CPUs from the DNS directory can be distributed as follows:
Processors AMD Sempron And Athlon under socket AM1 suitable for assembling budget multimedia PCs, embedded systems and similar tasks. For example, if you want to install a full-fledged PC with a desktop operating system or build a small nettop that will live secretly in the bowels of a country house or garage - it’s worth paying attention to this platform.
For office PCs Dual core processors are suitable Intel Celeron, Pentium And Core i3. Their advantage in this case is the presence of a built-in graphics core. The performance of the latter is sufficient for output necessary information and speeding up browsers, but is completely insufficient for games that shouldn’t be in the workplace anyway.
For home multimedia PC The best choice would be AMD APUs designed for the current AM4 socket. Representatives of the A8, A10 and A12 lines combine a quad-core processor and very good graphics under one lid, which can confidently compete with budget video cards. A PC on this platform can be made very compact, but its performance is enough to play any content, as well as a number of work tasks and a considerable list of games.
For budget gaming PC Quad-core processors are suitable AMD Ryzen 3 and quad core Core i3 for socket LGA 1151_v2 ( don't be confused with dual-core Core i3 for socket LGA 1151!!!). The performance of these processors is sufficient for any home tasks and most games, but it is still not worth loading them with serious work or trying to perform several resource-intensive tasks at the same time.
For budget workstation a compromise could be AMD Ryzen 5 quad-core processors. In addition to physical cores, they also offer virtual computing threads, which ultimately allows operations to be performed in eight threads. Of course, this is not as efficient as physical cores, but the likelihood of seeing 100% CPU load and FPS dropping below playable levels when recording or live streaming gameplay is much lower here than with the previous two options. And the subsequent editing of this video will go faster.
The best choice for home gaming pc- six-core processors AMD Ryzen 5 And Intel Core i5 for the LGA 1151_v2 socket (not to be confused with their quad-core predecessors!!!). The cost of these CPUs is quite reasonable; they can even be called relatively affordable, unlike the top-end Ryzen 7 and Core i7 lines. But the performance is quite enough to play any games that interest the user and work from home. And even at the same time, if there is such a desire.
For top gaming PCs or workstations processors are suitable without pretense of selectivity and elitism AMD Ryzen 7 And Intel Core i7, having, respectively, 8 cores/16 threads and 6 cores/12 threads. Relating to mainstream platforms, these processors are still relatively affordable and do not require expensive motherboards, power supplies and coolers. However, their performance is sufficient for almost all tasks that an ordinary user can set for a PC.
If it is still not enough - for high performance workstations processors are intended AMD Ryzen Threadripper, designed for installation in the TR4 socket, and top models of Intel processors for the LGA 2066 socket - Core i7 and Core i9, having 8, 10, 12 or more physical cores. In addition, the processors offer a four-channel memory controller, which is important for a number of professional tasks, and up to 44 PCI-express lanes, allowing you to connect many peripherals without losing data exchange speed. It is impossible to recommend these CPUs for home use both due to their price and due to their “tailored” nature for multi-threading and professional tasks. But in operation, processors for top platforms can literally be several times faster than their desktop counterparts.
Any modern laptop has at least one video card, which comes “by default”. Considering that the vast majority of laptop computers come with Intel processors, then graphics system- the same manufacturer. Naturally, AMD processors use a video core of their own production, but in this case we’ll talk about Intel and the fact that each CPU has an integrated video card (GPU) - Intel HD Graphics or Iris Graphics. For use in modern games, for serious work with 3D modeling, creating animations, working with complex graphics packages, the capabilities of such graphics systems are not enough, but for the vast majority of everyday tasks the performance is more than necessary.
What is an integrated video card
The term “integrated” means that the video core is located on the same substrate as the processor, sharing RAM. The amount of RAM consumed by the built-in video card is within 5% of the total volume and depends on the tasks being performed. The video card driver, interacting with the operating system, strives to maintain optimal performance and memory allocation between the graphics subsystem and the processor.
As Intel representatives say, the task of catching up with discrete solutions is not worth it, since the integrated video card aims to ensure maximum stability, reduce the cost of the system by not purchasing an additional video card, and reduce heat generation and power consumption. The last two arguments are especially relevant for laptops.
In the latest generation of Kaby Lake processors, the built-in video core has been updated, which comes in two varieties and is called Intel HD Graphics and Intel Iris Plus Graphics. In the previous generation of Skylake they were called Intel HD Graphics and Intel Iris Graphics, respectively.
The model of the integrated video card depends on the processor used, as shown in the table.
| CPU generation | Intel GPU model | CPU |
| Skylake | Intel HD Graphics 500 | Celeron N3350, Celeron N3450 |
| Intel HD Graphics 510 | Pentium 4405U, Celeron 3955U, Celeron 3855U | |
| Intel HD Graphics 515 | Pentium N4200, Core m7,-6Y75, Core m5-6Y57, Core m5-6Y54, Core m3-6Y30 | |
| Intel HD Graphics 520 | Core i7-6600U, Core i7-6500U, Core i5-6300U, Core i5-6200U, Core i3-6100U, Core i3-6006U | |
| Intel HD Graphics 530 | Core i7-6920HQ, Core i7-6820HQ, Core i7-6820HK, Core i7-6700HQ, Core i5-6440HQ, Core i5-6300HQ, Core i3-6100H | |
| Intel Iris Graphics 540 | Core i7-6660U, Core i7-6650U, Core i7-6560U, Core i5-6260U, Core i5-6260U | |
| Intel Iris Graphics 550 | Core i7-6567U, Core i3-6157U, Core i3-6167U | |
| Intel Iris Pro Graphics 580 | Core i7-6970HQ, Core i7-6870HQ, Core i7-6770HQ, Core i5-6350HQ | |
| Kaby Lake | Intel HD Graphics 610 | Pentium 4415U, Celeron 3965U, Celeron 3865U, |
| Intel HD Graphics 615 | Pentium 4410Y, Core i7-7Y75, Core i5-7Y54, Core i5-7Y757, Core m3-7Y30 | |
| Intel HD Graphics 620 | Core i7-7600U, Core i7-7500U, Core i5-7300U, Core i5-7200U, Core i3-7100U | |
| Intel HD Graphics 630 | Core i7-7920HQ, Core i7-7820HQ, Core i7-7820HK, Core i7-7700HQ, Core i5-7300HQ, Core i5-7440HQ, Core i3-7100H | |
| Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 | Intel Core i7-7660U, Core i5-7360U, Core i5-7260U | |
| Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 | Core i5-7287U, Core i5-7267U |
What are the differences between Intel HD Graphics and Intel Iris Plus Graphics
It should be said right away that the integrated video card is not the best choice for working in AutoCAD, for games such as DOOM, Rise of the Tomb Raider and the like. Don't expect miracles. Old games that are several years old, or those whose hardware requirements are small, can be played on such video cards.
Unlike Intel HD Graphics, a number of processors are equipped with a more “advanced” video core - Intel Iris Plus Graphics, as it is called in the Kaby Lake processor generation. In previous Skylake, such video cards were called Iris (Pro), and in the 5th generation, Broadwell, the name Iris was used - just like that, no fuss.
What is the difference between regular video cores and Iris? The latter uses double the number of execution cores, 48 versus 24 for HD Graphics (Intel Iris Pro Graphics 580 uses 72 cores), and also uses a small 64 MB eDRAM cache (Intel Iris Pro Graphics 580 has 128 MB), which significantly increases performance of such a card. According to tests, such solutions can compete with the initial lines discrete video cards. For example, the Iris Plus 650 is roughly on par with the GeForce 930M in terms of performance.
Another thing is that there are too few laptop models with built-in Iris graphics. This is, one might say, a niche product, used in only a few models. Yes, at Apple MacBook Pro 13 are installed Intel processors Core i5 6267U with Intel Iris Graphics 550, or Dell XPS 13 - one of the hits in the class, one of the modifications uses Intel Core i5 6560U with Iris Graphics 540. There are similar offers from Lenovo and HP, but the number of models can be counted on one hand . By the way, I didn’t find modifications with Iris graphics in the updated line of Dell XPS 13 laptops, although I may have looked at something.
Main characteristics of integrated video cards:
| ModelGPU | Number of execution cores | Base frequency, MHz | Maximum frequency, GHz | VolumeeDRAM, MB |
| Intel HD Graphics 500 | 12 | 200 | 0.7 | |
| Intel HD Graphics 510 | 12 | 350 | 1.05 | |
| Intel HD Graphics 515 | 24 | 300 | 1.00 | |
| Intel HD Graphics 520 | 24 | 300 | 1.05 | |
| Intel HD Graphics 530 | 24 | 300 | 1.15 | |
| Intel Iris Graphics 540 | 48 | 300 | 1.05 | 64 |
| Intel Iris Graphics 550 | 48 | 300 | 1.10 | 64 |
| Intel Iris Pro Graphics 580 | 72 | 300 | 1.15 | 128 |
| Intel HD Graphics 610 | 24 | 350 | 0.95 | -- |
| Intel HD Graphics 615 | 24 | 300 | 1.05 | -- |
| Intel HD Graphics 620 | 24 | 300 | 1.05 | -- |
| Intel HD Graphics 630 | 24 | 300 | 1.10 | -- |
| Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 | 48 | 300 | 1.05 | 64 |
| Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 | 48 | 300 | 1.10 | 64 |
Supports multiple monitors and 4K resolution
The latest generations of processors, in particular the 6th and 7th generations, support monitors with 4K resolution. The only exception is the integrated Intel HD Graphics 500 graphics card, which does not have such support. In fact, the maximum resolution of these graphics chips is 4096 x 2304, which is higher than 4K's 3840 x 2160.
As for connecting multiple monitors, in the case of laptops, what matters is how they will be connected and what interfaces are used. Laptops equipped with DisplayPort or USB Type-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports will allow you to use 3 displays with FullHD (1920 x 1080) resolution, two monitors with 2K resolution, or one 4K. If there are no such ports, then you can use USB adapters.
Conclusion
So are integrated video cards good or not? For games, serious graphics programs– no, if we are not talking about simple or old games, for everyday work – more than that. At the same time, I don’t really understand the use of low-power discrete cards of the GeForce 920M(X) class in combination with the latest generation processors.
For example, in ASUS laptop The A541UV uses a Core i7-6500U and a GeForce 920M. Yes, a discrete card will be 30-40 percent faster, but its capabilities are still beyond the limits of comfortable use for games. But there is an extra consumer of electricity and an additional source of heating.