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Integrated graphics tested: ubiquitous and oh-so-slow!

Who makes the best integrated graphics solution, AMD or Intel? The answer is simple right now if you check our GPU hierarchy: AMD wins, easily, at least on the desktop. Current Ryzen APUs with Vega 11 Graphics are about 2.5 times faster than Intel's UHD Graphics 630. Of course, even the fastest integrated solutions pale in comparison to a dedicated GPU, and they're not on our list of the best graphics cards for a good reason. However, a lot of changes are coming this year, sooner than later.

Update: We've added Intel's Gen11 Graphics using an Ice Lake Core i7-1065G7 processor. Thanks to Razer loaning us a Razer Blade Stealth 13, and HP chiming in with an Envy 17t, we were able to test Intel Gen11 Graphics with both a 15W (default) and 25W (Razer) TDP. We've also added GTX 1050 results running on a Ryzen 5 3400G, which limits performance a bit at 720p and minimum quality. We have not fully updated the text, as we'll have a separate article looking specifically at Gen11 Graphics performance.

Judging by all the leaks, AMD’s Renoir desktop APUs should show up very soon. Meanwhile, AMD's RNDA 2 architecture is coming (and should eventually end up in an APU), and Intel's Tiger Lake with Xe Graphics should also arrive this summer. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, the more things change…

To give us a clear picture of where we are and where we've come from, specifically in regards to integrated graphics solutions, we've run updated benchmarks using our standard GPU test suite—with a few modifications. We're using the same nine games (Borderlands 3, The Division 2, Far Cry 5, Final Fantasy XIV, Forza Horizon 4, Metro Exodus, Red Dead Redemption 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Strange Brigade), but we're running at 720p (no resolution scaling) and minimum fidelity settings.

Some of these games are still relatively demanding, even at 720p, but all have been available for at least six months, which is plenty of time to fix any driver issues—assuming they could be fixed. We intend to see if the games work at all, and what sort of performance you can expect. The good news: Every game was able to run! Or, at least, they ran on current GPUs. Spoiler alert: Intel's HD 4600 and older integrated graphics don't have DX12 or Vulkan drivers, which eliminated several games from our list.

We benchmarked Intel's current desktop GPU (UHD Graphics 630) along with an older i7-4770K (HD Graphics 4600) and compared them with AMD's current competing desktop APUs (Vega 8 and Vega 11). For this update, we also have results from Ice Lake's Gen11 Graphics, but that's only for mobile solutions, so it's in a different category. We're still working to get a Renoir processor (AMD Ryzen 7 4800U) in for comparison, along with desktop Renoir when that launches.

We've also included performance from a budget dedicated GPU, the GTX 1050. The GTX 1050 is by no means one of the fastest GPUs right now, though you can try picking up a used model off eBay for around $100. (Note: don't get the 'fake' China models, as they likely aren't using an actual GTX 1050 chip!) And before you ask, no, we didn't have a previous-gen AMD A10 (or earlier) APU for comparison. 

Test Hardware

Because we're looking at multiple different integrated graphics solutions, our test hardware needed three different platforms. We've used generally high-end parts, including better-than-average memory and storage, but the systems are not (and couldn't be) identical in all respects. One particular issue is that we needed motherboards with video output support on the rear IO panel, which restricted options. Here are the testbeds and specs. 
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