Integrated graphics: put to the test
The graphics chips in processors used to be
the butt of jokes, but these days they’re serious business, with the power to run
games and graphical applications instead of barely being able to handle an
average Windows desktop. We’ve tested every integrated core in this Labs in its
fastest processor to see what’s worth buying. All three games are tested at Low
quality settings and a resolution of 1,366 x 768.
The
graphics chips in processors used to be the butt of jokes
Unlike the CPU market, AMD leads the charge
in this area, with a variety of Radeon graphics cores transplanted into its
A-Series APUs. Intel has improved recently, though, replacing its ageing HD
Graphics 2500 and 3000 cores with new HD Graphics 2500 and 4000 in the latest
Ivy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 chips.
The HD Graphics 2000 isn’t cut out for
gaming: its Low quality Crysis result of 32fps is the worst here, followed up
by scores of 16fps and 30fps in Just Cause 2 and DiRT 3. The newer HD 2500 core
is a step forward, with 45fps, 22fps and 37fps in those same benchmarks, but
it’s still too slow to be considered a useful gaming chip.
The HD Graphics 3000 core was always more
capable, with scores of 49fps and 43fps in the Crysis and DiRT 3 runs, but the
HD Graphics 4000 really steps up a gear. Its 53fps Crysis result is good, while
its 61fps DiRT score is this month’s joint best. Its 37fps result in Just Cause
2 makes it the only Intel chip that managed playable results in all three
games.
AMD’s HD 6410D is on a par with only the
Intel HD Graphics 3000 core, but the mid-range Radeon HD 6530D is strong. Its
63fps Crysis score and 38fps Just Cause 2 average outpace Intel’s best,
although it lags behind in DiRT 3.
At the top of the pile is the HD 6550D:
it’s the fastest in Crysis and Just Cause 2, averaging 68fps and 45fps, and its
61fps score is on a par with the HD Graphics 4000.
Radeon
HD 6550D
Although gamers should still buy a discrete
card for the best experience, those on a budget can enjoy themselves too. After
all, the top integrated cores here are just as quick as, and sometimes quicker than,
low-end discrete cards.
Intel has closed the gap with Ivy Bridge -
and we’ve been told to expect a huge leap forward with next year’s Haswell -
but for now, AMD has the edge. After all, its HD 6550D resides in APUs that
cost $119, while the HD Graphics 4000 isn’t included in anything cheaper than
$255.
|
|
Socket
|
Frequency
|
Turbo Boost
|
Unlocked
|
Cores
|
Hyper-Threading
|
L2 cache (per core)
|
|
AMD Athlon II X4 631
|
FM1
|
2.6GHz
|
x
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD Athlon II X4 641
|
FM1
|
2.8GHz
|
x
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD Athlon II X4 651
|
FM1
|
3GHz
|
4
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD Athlon II X4 651K
|
FM1
|
3GHz
|
x
|
v
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD A4-3300
|
FM1
|
2.5GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
512KB
|
|
AMD A4-3400
|
FM1
|
2.7GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
512KB
|
|
AMD A6-3500
|
FM1
|
2.1GHz
|
2.4GHz
|
x
|
3
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD A6-3650
|
FM1
|
2.6GHz
|
x
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD A6-3670K
|
FM1
|
2.7GHz
|
x
|
v
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD A8-3800
|
FM1
|
2.4GHz
|
2.7GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD A8-3850
|
FM1
|
2.9GHz
|
x
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD A8-3870K
|
FM1
|
3GHz
|
x
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
1MB
|
|
AMD FX-4100
|
AM3+
|
3.6GHz
|
3.7GHz
|
v
|
2
|
v
|
2MB
|
|
AMD FX-4170
|
AM3+
|
4.2GHz
|
4.3GHz
|
v
|
2
|
v
|
2MB
|
|
AMD FX-6100
|
AM3+
|
3.3GHz
|
3.6GHz
|
v
|
3
|
v
|
2MB
|
|
AMD FX-6200
|
AM3+
|
3.8GHz
|
4GHz
|
v
|
3
|
v
|
2MB
|
|
AMD FX-8120
|
AM3+
|
3.1GHz
|
3.4GHz
|
v
|
4
|
v
|
2MB
|
|
AMD FX-8150
|
AM3+
|
3.6GHz
|
3.9GHz
|
v
|
4
|
v
|
2MB
|
|
Intel Celeron G440
|
LGA 1155
|
1.6GHz
|
x
|
x
|
1
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G460
|
LGA 1155
|
1.8GHz
|
x
|
x
|
1
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G530T
|
LGA 1155
|
2GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G530
|
LGA 1155
|
2.4GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G540
|
LGA 1155
|
2.5GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G620T
|
LGA 1155
|
2.2GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G630T
|
LGA 1155
|
2.3GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G620
|
LGA 1155
|
2.6GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G630
|
LGA 1155
|
2.7GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G840
|
LGA 1155
|
2.8GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G850
|
LGA 1155
|
2.9GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G860
|
LGA 1155
|
3GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Celeron G870
|
LGA 1155
|
3.1GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2100T
|
LGA 1155
|
2.5GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2100
|
LGA 1155
|
3.1GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2105
|
LGA 1155
|
3.1GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2120
|
LGA 1155
|
3.3GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2125
|
LGA 1155
|
3.3GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2130
|
LGA 1155
|
3.4GHz
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2400S
|
LGA 1155
|
2.5GHz
|
3.3GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2405S
|
LGA 1155
|
2.5GHz
|
3.3GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2300
|
LGA 1155
|
2.8GHz
|
3.1GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2310
|
LGA 1155
|
2.9GHz
|
3.2GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2320
|
LGA 1155
|
3GHz
|
3.3GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2380P
|
LGA 1155
|
3.1GHz
|
3.4GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2400
|
LGA 1155
|
3.1GHz
|
3.4GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2450P
|
LGA 1155
|
3.2GHz
|
3.5GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2500
|
LGA 1155
|
3.3GHz
|
3.7GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2500K
|
LGA 1155
|
3.3GHz
|
3.7GHz
|
v
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2550K
|
LGA 1155
|
3.4GHz
|
3.8GHz
|
v
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3450S
|
LGA 1155
|
2.8GHz
|
3.5GHz
|
x
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3450
|
LGA 1155
|
3.1GHz
|
3.5GHz
|
Turbo
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3470
|
LGA 1155
|
3.2GHz
|
3.6GHz
|
Turbo
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3550
|
LGA 1155
|
3.3GHz
|
3.7GHz
|
Turbo
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3570
|
LGA 1155
|
3.4GHz
|
3.8GHz
|
Turbo
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3570K
|
LGA 1155
|
3.4GHz
|
3.8GHz
|
v
|
4
|
x
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2600K
|
LGA 1155
|
3.4GHz
|
3.8GHz
|
v
|
4
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-2700K
|
LGA 1155
|
3.5GHz
|
3.9GHz
|
v
|
4
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3820
|
LGA 2011
|
3.6GHz
|
3.8GHz
|
x
|
4
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3930K
|
LGA 2011
|
3.2GHz
|
3.8GHz
|
v
|
6
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3960X
|
LGA 2011
|
3.3GHz
|
3.9GHz
|
v
|
6
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3770S
|
LGA 1155
|
3.1GHz
|
3.9GHz
|
Turbo
|
4
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3770
|
LGA 1155
|
3.4GHz
|
3.9GHz
|
Turbo
|
4
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
Intel Core i3-3770K
|
LGA 1155
|
3.5GHz
|
3.9GHz
|
v
|
4
|
v
|
256KB
|
|
|
L3 cache (per core)
|
Integrated GPU
|
GPU frequency
|
Die size
|
TDP
|
|
AMD Athlon II X4 631
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
100W
|
|
AMD Athlon II X4 641
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
100W
|
|
AMD Athlon II X4 651
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
100W
|
|
AMD Athlon II X4 651K
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
100W
|
|
AMD A4-3300
|
x
|
HD 6410D
|
443MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
AMD A4-3400
|
x
|
HD 6410D
|
600MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
AMD A6-3500
|
x
|
HD 6530D
|
443MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
AMD A6-3650
|
x
|
HD 6530D
|
443MHz
|
32nm
|
100W
|
|
AMD A6-3670K
|
x
|
HD 6530D
|
443MHz
|
32nm
|
100W
|
|
AMD A8-3800
|
x
|
HD 6550D
|
600MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
AMD A8-3850
|
x
|
HD 6550D
|
600MHz
|
32nm
|
100W
|
|
AMD A8-3870K
|
x
|
HD 6550D
|
600MHz
|
32nm
|
100W
|
|
AMD FX-4100
|
8MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
AMD FX-4170
|
8MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
125W
|
|
AMD FX-6100
|
8MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
AMD FX-6200
|
8MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
125W
|
|
AMD FX-8120
|
8MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
AMD FX-8150
|
8MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
125W
|
|
Intel Celeron G440
|
1MB
|
HD Graphics
|
650-1,000MHz
|
32nm
|
35W
|
|
Intel Celeron G460
|
1.5MB
|
HD Graphics
|
650-1,000MHz
|
32nm
|
35W
|
|
Intel Celeron G530T
|
2MB
|
HD Graphics
|
650-1,000MHz
|
32nm
|
35W
|
|
Intel Celeron G530
|
2MB
|
HD Graphics
|
850-1,000MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Celeron G540
|
2MB
|
HD Graphics
|
850-1,000MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Celeron G620T
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics
|
650-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
35W
|
|
Intel Celeron G630T
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics
|
650-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
35W
|
|
Intel Celeron G620
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Celeron G630
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Celeron G840
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Celeron G850
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Celeron G860
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Celeron G870
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2100T
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
650-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
35W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2100
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2105
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics 3000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2120
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2125
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics 3000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2130
|
3MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2400S
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2405S
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 3000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2300
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2310
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2320
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2380P
|
6MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2400
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2450P
|
6MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2500
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2500K
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 3000
|
850-1,100MHz
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2550K
|
6MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3450S
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2500
|
650-1,100MHz
|
22nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3450
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2500
|
650-1,100MHz
|
22nm
|
77W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3470
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2500
|
650-1,100MHz
|
22nm
|
77W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3550
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2500
|
650-1,150MHz
|
22nm
|
77W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3570
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 2500
|
650-1,150MHz
|
22nm
|
77W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3570K
|
6MB
|
HD Graphics 4000
|
650-1,150MHz
|
22nm
|
77W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2600K
|
8MB
|
HD Graphics 3000
|
850-1,350MHz
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-2700K
|
8MB
|
HD Graphics 3000
|
850-1,350MHz
|
32nm
|
95W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3820
|
10MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
130W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3930K
|
12MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
130W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3960X
|
15MB
|
x
|
x
|
32nm
|
130W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3770S
|
8MB
|
HD Graphics 4000
|
650-1,150MHz
|
22nm
|
65W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3770
|
8MB
|
HD Graphics 4000
|
650-1,150MHz
|
22nm
|
77W
|
|
Intel Core i3-3770K
|
8MB
|
HD Graphics 4000
|
650-1,150MHz
|
22nm
|
77W
|
