Intel's drive for HD 4000 was decisive. An integrated graphics processor coexisted on the same chip with four Ivy Bridge cores of each Core i5-3570K and Core-i7 3770 (K). For this reason, the transition to the 22nm Ivy Bridge from the 32nm Sandy Bridge has become more than just a “tick” in the well-known “Tick-Tack” strategy of the manufacturer, and indicated that American marketers are really very pleased with what they enter the market.
However, to make sure that the performance of the Intel HD 4000 graphics card is significantly improved, a single presentation is not enough, as the manufacturer’s integrated graphics offerings often do not fit what you want. Checking the integrated GPU has become even more relevant after the introduction of the competing hybrid processor AMD FM1, whose performance significantly exceeded the capabilities of the HD 3000 installed on most chips with Sandy Bridge architecture.
Intel (R) HD Graphics 4000: graphics card specifications
So, what did the manufacturing company do to make such a fuss over the HD 4000? First of all, DirectX 11 support was added. This means the HD 4000 can take advantage of all the great API features like tessellation and high definition diffuse shading. No less important was the increase in the number of shader cores (or, as Intel calls them, executive units) by 30% - from 12 to 16.
To guarantee a full load of additional computing capabilities, the manufacturer increased the number of texture pipelines from one to two. Compared to the HD 3000 cores, pipelines have basically not changed, but an increase in their number means that each of them is divided by 8 rather than 12 cores, therefore, the theoretical throughput increases.
It is interesting to note that as a result of adding one pipeline, Intel was forced to allocate part of the L3 cache specifically for the GPU, since there is no point in doubling the number of texture processing units and leaving the throughput unchanged. 256 KB are available, although for the GPU, of course, you will also need part of the DDR3 system RAM.
Intel HD Graphics 4000 Features: Memory
Since the GPU does not have a dedicated random access memory, the processor must work together with the main memory and its clock speed. Typically, RAM runs at a frequency of 1333 MHz, often a slightly higher speed is found - 1600 MHz.
The integrated graphics processor now has a larger cache used in conjunction with the L3 CPU, which determines how much memory will be allocated to the video card. The dual-core and quad-core Ivy Bridge chips have 3-4 MB and 6-8 MB of L3 cache, respectively, which determines the theoretical effect of the memory size on the characteristics of Intel HD Graphics 4000.
Energy efficiency
In addition to architectural changes, the characteristics of the Intel HD 4000 are due to the transition to a new 22-nm process, which, according to the company, made it possible to provide the same level of performance with half the energy consumption. In idle mode, the GPU consumes 54.3 watts of energy, and under load - 113 watts (as part of the processor i7-3770K).
At the same time, there were some side effects. According to user reviews, chips based on Ivy Bridge have a high thermal density. This means that they can heat stronger than their technically weaker predecessors.
Test configuration
Users checked the Intel HD 4000 Graphics specifications of the i5-2570K and compared the results with the GPU parameters that it replaces - the HD 3000 integrated into the i5-2500k, as well as the AMD A8-3870K chipset, which provides fierce competition in the lower market segment due to the integrated Radeon HD 6550D GPU and the discrete Radeon HD 6450 graphics card . Comparison is not so easy, since the HD 650 boasts 512 MB of internal memory and the modern architecture of the Northern Islands GPU family.
Choosing the right procedures for checking the synthetic productivity of graphics is not an easy task. The Windows 7 performance index and CineBench R10 / 11 ratings are not as accurate as we would like, and 3DMark tests are generally more optimized and prefer Intel.
According to user reviews, the DirectX11 Unigen Heaven 2.1 test is a good option.
Synthetic performance
Unigen Heaven is one of the most difficult endurance tests for the HD 4000. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Intel integrated graphics processor can hardly cope even with low settings. The resolution is 1280 x 1024 pixels and the usual tessellation options allow you to get an average frame rate of 13 fps. Nevertheless, the HD 4000 is almost 2 times faster than some low-performance specialized graphics processors, such as the Radeon HD 7450 and GeForce 610M, each of which in the same tests and with the same settings reaches a frame rate of only 7 fps. The GeForce 630M graphics card is leading at 14 fps.
Left 4 Dead 2
According to user reviews, the i5-3570K processor consistently demonstrates the minimum 26 fps in the game Left 4 Dead 2 at a resolution of 720p. This result is superior to the AMD Radeon HD 6550D, integrated in the A8-3870K, which shows a performance of 31 fps, which is much higher than 25 fps, which is considered to be a threshold value. The same story repeats itself with an increase in resolution to 1920 x 1080 pixels - the offer from AMD is again the winner. But not everything is so bad: the HD 4000, integrated into the i5-3570K, is far ahead of the old HD 3000 as part of the i5-2500k. This confirms the manufacturer’s claims that the graphic part of the Ivy Bridge architecture is “more than a tick”.
Dirt 3
Users note that the impressive performance of the Intel HD Graphics 4000 is also confirmed by the Dirt 3 game, in which the GPU is again ahead of the HD 3000 by 40%. Such a huge advantage is enough to get the better of the discrete graphics card that participated in the testing. This has become another highlight in the coffin of discrete base-level graphics cards.
Again, the HD 4000 is marginally inferior to the HD 6550D at 720p, but it is important to note the higher calculated thermal power of the AMD processor. This does not pose a serious problem for a desktop PC (although when testing an Intel chip, the fan rotates at a noticeably lower speed, so the system built on its basis should work much quieter than on the basis of the A8-3870K), but it is a serious application for mobile computing, where power and cooling capabilities are significantly limited.
Diablo III
Surprisingly, for the GPU, not everything turned out to be so rosy when Diablo III was launched, since the characteristics of the Intel HD 4000, according to owners, were insufficient to cope with the game. This was not observed when using the on-board graphics A8-3870K or discrete HD 6450. The HD 4000 and HD6450 cards switched places here - the latter surpassed the first, although not one of them was able to demonstrate normal operation even at 720p resolution.
Perhaps this result is due to the fact that Diablo III at that time was a fairly new game and Intel still had to optimize its driver. However, this does not justify a rather poor performance, especially since the AMD driver did not have a serious drop in performance.
Known Issues
Intel GPUs in the past were famous for poor driver support. Users complained about artifacts and other crashes in a wide range of games that were not commonly seen with Nvidia and AMD GPUs.
Users who tested Intel HD 4000 specifications found that the manufacturing company began to slowly but confidently improve their drivers. For example, the Alan Wake game had compatibility problems with the HD 3000, but it can work correctly on the HD 4000. Nevertheless, incompatibility with a number of games remained unresolved.
In Black Ops, users experience intermittent freezes regardless of the graphics settings. The problem is observed even at the lowest settings. In this case, the frame rate drops to 22 fps. FIFA 12 has an unusually long boot time (when using the 2-core Core i5-3xxx). The Metro 2033 game with certain settings freezes at launch (valid only for the 2-core Core i5-3xxx).
Threat to low-end graphics cards
In general, users are impressed with the integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics processor. GPU performance has improved compared to the HD 3000 by an average of 30%. This difference increases up to 40% when integrated graphics are paired with a powerful 4-core Ivy Bridge processor such as the i7-3610QM. Even the best AMD Llano chips cannot compete with the HD 4000. Intel has a 15% advantage over the Fusion Llano offerings.
Even more impressive is the fact that the processor surpasses the Radeon HD 7450. This suggests that discrete base-level graphics cards from AMD or Nvidia are no longer a profitable alternative.
Random gamers who can put up with low resolution, disabled full-screen anti-aliasing, and muted graphics effects may find the HD 4000 processor a great option.
The manufacturing company did an excellent job, at least in terms of integrated graphics. The specifications of Intel (R) HD Graphics 4000 did not constitute a threat to discrete mid-range and high-end graphics cards, but the base models Nvidia and AMD got a serious competitor. Since the integrated GPUs were used in the vast majority of laptops, this product threatened to take away most of the market from competitors. The promotion of AMD Trinity with the new Fusion core could interfere with these plans.
Perspective for Mobile Applications
The users were impressed not so much with the Intel HD 4000 specifications, but with the opened prospects for using the processor.
At the same time, those wishing to create a media computer or a small cheap PC, which was important in graphics performance, preferred the cheaper FM1 chip, which was superior in performance to the HD 4000 i5-3570K in all tests. Even the decrease in the class of the video card did not allow it to be comparable in cost, since the GPU was supplied only with the i5-3570K and i7-3770K, and all other chipsets in the line were equipped with stripped-down HD 2500 cores.
Perhaps this is a slightly unfair comparison - Intel launched the HD 4000 in desktop chips, but the real place is the GPU in mobile processors. Here, the device could be on top due to good performance and low power consumption. This can not be said about the A8-3870K, since its high heat means that it can work exclusively in desktop systems.
Another concession
The HD 4000 video processor might have been better rated if the manufacturer paid more attention to its product. Meanwhile, AMD could enjoy the status of the highest-performance integrated graphics card for some time.