Low-end GPU vs. integrated - worth it?

[redeye]

I think no matter how you look at it - mobile versions ARE scaled down and DO perform less. I'm afraid something simply does not magically half in size and power consumption without effectively doing less work at the end of the day - For sure my desktop i7 gets a LOT hotter when I'm using the iGPU - I'm sure the same is true for a mobile implementation, and many mobile chips eat into their performance to regulate heat when the tiny internal blower cant keep up.

Now there is the real kicker - can the tiny little internal blower keep up.

If there was an argument for a dedicated mid range GPU on a laptop it may well be that dedicated cooling would let it work harder than the potentially capable iGPU might.

If the system only uses a single cooling loop either way, then I'd say rather go for the bigger CPU and iGPU.

It will probably run games more or less as well either way - and you will have more CPU grunt for those moments when you aren't playing games.

Just remember an iGPU eats into your ram a bit and the more you can give it the happier it will be - So be sure there's some to spare on your system spec if you go for intergrated.

unless you are talking about the iris pro in highend MAC Laptops LOL. (because that iGPU solution (hd5200) is only in laptops...)


i agree with you, the iGPU to the haswells are great... (the 4130 is a minimum it has the hd4600) the i3 4330 has 1600ddr3, and the hd4600.

great thing about the 4770k, is that the memory can alot higher than stock, and that memory helps with the iGPU.

 

[de.das.dude]

HD 8670M should be able to handle most games at lower resolution and settings. It isn't going to blow your mind or anything but that's definitely better than integrated.

this. the 8670 is nice. i can play GRID 2 at high with >30fps.
but other badly coded games dont fair that well.

 

[FX-GMC]

Good
Excellent
Great

NOW BUY THE GOD DAMN LAPTOP.

goosfraba goosfraba

 

[Blue-Knight]

Good points re: the cooling, too.

I have a question: If I don't use the integrated GPU on my processor, will it use less energy and/or produce less heat?

 

[de.das.dude]

I have a question: If I don't use the integrated GPU on my processor, will it use less energy and/or produce less heat?

if you are talking about a laptop, yes it gets turned off and the discrete GPU will work on heavy load. But at desktop and non demanding conditions the discrete(more powers consuming) will turn off and the onboard efficient one will automatically take over.
no problemo. this way its very easy to get good batterylife out of laptops. i have a amd a8-4500m with discrete 8670m and i can get upto 4-6 hours on browsing and around 3-5 hours of media playback. mines a 15.6" screen.
so this feature does make things a lot more efficient.


if you want desktop, then there wont be much switching. but i may be wrong.