Integrated Graphics slow down performance?

Does integrated Graphics slow down performance?

This isn't for gaming so I put it here in the hardware thread.

I'm getting mixed reviews about integrated vs dedicated graphic cards.

For everyday use like using office, skype and watching movies...does it make much of a difference?

Edit: Forget to mention. I meant for lowest performance dedicated graphic cards and the newest integrated.

 

For normal day-to-day usage, integrated cards should be fine

Only in graphically demanding tasks, such as gaming is an integrated card weak compared to a dedicated card

Also integrated cards use less power so they are likely to give you better battery life

Hope it helps

 

There are those who claim that an integrated GPU slows down performance because it shares the system memory. This may be true, but is not noticeable in real life. The latest Intel GPU (X4500) will handle office, skype, movies etc with ease. It includes an H.264 decoder so it will also handle HDvideo without stressing your computer.

If you are not going to be play 3D games or doing 3D CAD then an integrated GPU is fine. It uses less power so it makes less heat and you get less fan noise. The the notebook will run longer when using battery.

John

 

Great. There is a lot of mis-information out there. Kind of makes one a bit confused.

How about for multi-tasking? Like watching a movie while working with Office and chatting on Skype at the same time?

 

Multi-tasking is more CPU intensive that GPU intensive, so you should be fine watching a regualr-def film while browsing the net and such

Don't know about multi-tasking when playing HD-content thought

Hope this helps

 

Integrated cards weren't made to run intensive apps. Just to get you by. Yeah you'll be able to that for sure, but unfortunately you might notice a little sluggishness. Lots of background work there for that integrated card, it'd be choking while doing those !

You might notice it to become a bit slow, but it will run though.

 

Whoa. Septuple posting here... calm down.

As long as your application has no 3D rendered environment, then I would say you will not notice the difference between the higher integrated and dedicated cards ..even if you are multitasking.

 

Please do your research better. Multi-tasking and computationally intensive work is a matter for the CPU / chipset / RAM / HDD and GPU performance is irrelevant. Think of a server: They are made to handle a heavy concurrent workload and any display requirement is minimal.

The main difference between integrated and dedicated GPUs is that the latter have more pipelines for processing 3D graphics and also have their own memory (but can also share some system RAM).

John

 

John is absolutely right!GPU has nothing to do with multitasking.

 

ive used 2 laptops, everything same except one had integrated and other had dedicated gpu, there was no difference in anything other than gaming

 

Unless using heavy 3D applications, NO DIFFERENCE
except that it is cooler and quiet (IGP ofc).

 

I've got laptop with hybrid graphics (nVidia 9600M GT & Intel 4500MHD), and I would say the same thing.

 

Ive got an older macbook with penryn 2.4ghz and intel X3100 integrated chip.

While nothing slows down when using it intensively (skype/movies etc), the computer does get hot really fast requiring heavy fans to be turned on.

So as its more CPU intensive, you will notice CPU intensive stuff (heat/fans)

If you have lots of ram and a good dual core CPU, I don't think you would notice any other difference

Exception: connecting to an external monitor can result in the tinest amount of lag when moving large windows and scrolling on a fairly large screen (20" and bigger - definately 24")

x4500 is better in these terms than x3100, and integrated chips like Nvidia's 9400 don't feel like an integrated chip anymore (no lag time etc -)

If I had choice, I would get dedicated (and I don't even game) or at least the top integrated chip.

 

I am so serious when I say that you will have less heat when you are running with integrated graphics.

AFAIK, the GMA x3100 does not put strain on the CPU for anything (unlike the GMA 3100 and below).

 

my wife has a Compaq 6910p with x3100. It seems to work without any lag. not to much to compare to though. The CPU is pretty strong though.

 

It used to be that back in the days when CPUs didn't have much bandwidth and memory sharing algorithm was crap the loss in non-3D of sharing memory was significant, but those are long gone now.