Games without a video card. Is it possible to play on the “embedded”?
Both Intel and AMD have processors with integrated graphics, but they are designated differently. Most Intel processors have an integrated video core, so the marking is used to distinguish models that do not have graphics. They are designated by the letter F, for example, Core i5 10400 ° F. At AMD, on the contrary, most of the processors come without inbuilt, so the company provides processors with graphics. Their marking contains the letter G. You can read more about the marking of Intel and AMD processors in a separate article .
Looking ahead, we can say that in the desktop segment the integrated graphics from Intel are outperformed by competitors. Even the UHD Graphics 750, which is installed in the latest 11th generation processors, does not make the difference. If you want the best fit, then this is the Ryzen processor. However, Intel cannot be completely discounted.
Intel UHD Graphics
Currently, Intel has two models of integrated graphics: Intel UHD 630 (from the 8th to the 10th generation of processors) and Intel UHD 750 (11th generation).
Considering the UHD 630 for any serious gaming beyond CS: GO is not worth it. And in the latter case, you will have to be content with 720p resolution, low settings and an unstable frametime schedule, which is absolutely not suitable for a professional game. More demanding games are either on the verge of comfortable values of 25-30 FPS, or are completely unplayable.
With Intel UHD 750, the situation is a little better: in some games you can go up to 1080p, while other projects can be launched at playable FPS.
As a result, buying an Intel processor with integrated UHD 630 or UHD 750 graphics for gaming is pointless. In the best case, such a solution will work as a temporary one or for completely undemanding players.
Radeon Vega
Graphics in AMD processors are presented in several options: from Vega 3 to Vega 11. Processors with integrated graphics from AMD are called APU (accelerated processing unit), but this is a marketing term and does not provide any advantages. But on its own, the integrated graphics are better than Intel’s.
Vega 3 in terms of performance is roughly between UHD 630 and UHD 750. Considering that the cheapest Athlon 200GE and 3000G processors (5000-6000 rubles) have such graphics, such a solution can take place in the most budget assembly for undemanding games.
Vega 8 is built into the Ryzen 3 2200G and 3200G processors (13,000-15,000 rubles) and their variations. This is exactly the level from which you can start assembling a PC without a video card. Ryzen 3200G launches Cyberpunk 2077, one of the most demanding games of recent years. At minimum settings and 720p resolution. The frame rate is below the comfortable 30 FPS, but still relatively playable. Less demanding games like Devil May Cry 5 show up to 50 frames.
Vega 11 is installed in the more powerful Ryzen 5 2400G and 3400G processors (15,000-20,000 rubles). With such graphics, you can play all the new items at minimum settings at 30 frames per second, and the system will pull competitive games at 1080p at low or medium settings.
Slightly more powerful graphics are found in the Ryzen 4000 and 5000 series processors. Despite the fact that the number of computing units has even decreased in comparison with their predecessors. So, the Ryzen 3 4300GE processor has Vega 6 graphics, and the 4650G has Vega 7. The 5000 series is represented by two models: 5600G with Vega 7 graphics and 5700G with Vega 8 graphics (27,000 – 35,000 rubles). These are the most powerful desktop solutions with integrated graphics to date, and will play almost all heavy games at 1080p and 30 frames per second.
As a result, the minimum that should be taken for games is Ryzen 3 2200G, or better – Ryzen 5 3400G. As for the 5600G and 5700G processors, they are quite expensive and hardly a bargain for a gaming PC without a discrete graphics card.
Where is the assembly with a budget video card better
Prices for processors with integrated graphics have increased recently. Therefore, it would be useful to consider an option with a processor without an embedded and a budget video card like the GeForce GT 1030. So, instead of Ryzen 3 2400G for 15,500 rubles, you can buy Intel Core i3 10100 ° F for 7,500 rubles paired with a GeForce GT 1030 for about the same 7,500 rubles … In terms of processor performance, the variant from Intel is better , but there will be no major differences in graphics.
If you want to buy such a bundle, look for the GeForce GT 1030 with GDDR5 memory, which is more expensive, but also more productive than the GDDR4 version. However, in this situation, you should pay attention to the secondary market and look for something more serious (GTX 960, 770 level) for reasonable money.
It is also important to understand that APUs differ from conventional processors not only in terms of graphics, but also in other characteristics. First of all – the cache size and operating frequencies, and not in favor of the APU. That is, if in the future you buy a good video card, then the APU will be weaker than its counterpart without graphics. And if the frequencies can still be raised by overclocking, then nothing can be done with a smaller cache size.
How to increase the performance of the integrated video card
The built-in video card does not have its own memory, it uses RAM instead. Therefore, in gaming systems without a discrete video card, it is desirable to have fast memory operating in dual-channel mode. It is also important not to forget about the volume – 8 gigabytes for such an assembly may not be enough (depending on the games being launched).
In addition, you can overclock components. First of all, this is the video core itself and RAM. Do not forget to provide good cooling at the same time – install a tower cooler with a margin of power dissipation, apply high-quality thermal paste and organize the case’s ventilation.
