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Most people consider making use of integrated graphics when they want to enjoy some casual games on their PC but don’t have the required budget for a dedicated graphics card. The popular decision here would be to give up on the idea of a graphics card and settle for less. However, anybody can tell you that in order to game on a PC properly, you will need a graphics card from either AMD or Nvidia; integrated graphics chipsets simply cannot run games well.
While this juxtaposition of dedicated graphics cards and integrated graphics chipsets heavily suggests that integrated graphics may not be meant to be used for quality gaming, one must still educate themselves on the unexplored potential of integrated graphics.
To answer the question of if integrated graphics is good for gaming: no, it isn't. But that doesn't mean all hope is lost.
Integrated graphics can run games, but your experience can be highly dependent on different factors like what kind of game you want to play, to what extent you're willing to lower graphics settings, and what technology your integrated graphics is based on.
Apart from gaming, integrated graphics cards are highly valued for enabling basic computer applications and graphical output. Investing in a $1000 graphics card would seem like an overkill for just running basic computer applications. With this, we observe that Integrated graphics do have a stronghold in the work-oriented PC market.
What are some compromises with gaming on integrated graphics?
Gaming on integrated graphics is certainly possible, but in order to achieve a playable experience, one has to make certain common compromises. Firstly, you simply cannot consider gaming in resolutions above 1080p, let alone enjoying 4K gaming. It is recommended to start off with a base resolution of 720p and configure the resolution according to the performance you get with your integrated graphics.
Next, you will mostly have to dial down your graphics settings in-game. This part depends on what game you are playing. Certain games may even allow you to enjoy high or ultra graphics options, whereas graphics-intensive games require you to keep your settings low. If the game you're playing is CPU heavy and you have a good CPU like an Intel 11th gen CPU or newer, then you can derive an enjoyable gaming experience from the game.
When it comes to gaming performance, it's noted that the ideal number of frames per second to expect would be around the 30 FPS mark. If you're playing a cinematic, story-based game, 30 FPS will be bearable. But things can take a turn for the worse when playing competitive online games that require high FPS. Thankfully, there are games like Valorant that are highly optimized to work with low-end hardware. If you have a decent CPU with integrated graphics, you can even expect to get over 60 FPS in the game.
One of the positives about having integrated graphics is that since the community is gigantic, you can find tons of benchmark videos to figure out which games will offer the best experience for your integrated graphics. Furthermore, you can find the recommended settings and optimizations best suited to your hardware.
Speaking of optimization, if you plan on playing a CPU-intensive battle royale game like Apex Legends, there are ways to boost FPS. Pay attention to these five optimizations, and you can gain a significant performance boost is Apex Legends and other similar games.
Can fans ever expect integrated graphics to match dedicated GPUs' performance?
While fans have generally spoken out about compromises with integrated graphics, in recent years, they have seen significant improvement on that front. Over time, CPU transistors have become extremely efficient and, at the same time, occupy less space. This makes room for higher-quality integrated graphics to be implemented. AMD and Intel have generated unrivaled values with their APUs, Accelerated Processing Units, and you can buy a Ryzen 3000 or 4000 series chipset with Vega graphics for GPU performance that resembles some of the budget graphics cards on the market.
Intel, on the other hand, has stuck to basic-level integrated graphics over the years. However, recently, Intel introduced their Xe counterpart for integrated graphics, which offers significant performance to satisfy your gaming needs.
In conclusion, integrated graphics was seen as a sub-standard option for gaming for a long time. But they have come a long way since in terms of providing excellent value to those wishing to game on a budget. Considering recent incremental trends with integrated GPUs, fans can even hope to see them being a complete substitute for dedicated budget-oriented graphics cards.
