With the release of processors from the Intel Core family, the concept of integrated graphics has appeared. Many manufacturers of processors have adopted this experience and with might and main release universal chips with graphic cores. Many believe that the computing power of the built-in adapters is not enough to run at least some 3D toy on a PC or laptop. But that was a long time ago. Technology has stepped forward . And now, integrated graphics cards are not inferior to budget discrete models. One of such advanced solutions is Intel HD Graphics 530. What is this chip capable of? Let's get it right.
What is this chipset and where is it used?
The Intel HD Graphics 530 is used in the Intel Core i3 6100 and Intel Core i7 6700K processors. Not to say that the graphics core performance increase in games depended on the type of processor, but working with i7 is somehow more pleasant. Both processors use a 64-bit architecture. The first has two physical cores and four virtual threads. The second is four cores and eight threads. But this does not affect the graphic part . It is worth noting that such a graphical solution is used only in these processors. Other models have either a weaker graphics core or an unrealistically productive Intel Iris Pro.
The video card Intel HD Graphics 530 in its parameters refers to the products of the budget level. Therefore, you should not expect any fantastic performance from it . This graphics solution is used by manufacturers in laptops, because the graphics core consumes much less energy. This has a positive effect on the battery life of the device. If the laptop has a built-in graphics processor core and a discrete graphics card, then processor graphics are used when the system is operating in normal mode. But as soon as the " heavy " 3D application is launched, a powerful discrete video adapter automatically enters the battle.
Graphics card specifications
So what are the specifications of the Intel HD Graphics 530? It has a maximum clock speed of 1150 megahertz. This is a normal result for an integrated graphics solution. The video card works with 24 streams in video and 3D processing. The width of the memory bus is 128 bits. Many discrete models do not even have such characteristics. The most important thing for gamers is the availability of support for Direct X 12. It is also worth noting that this video card draws memory from the RAM of a PC or laptop. Therefore, it simply cannot be much. However, no amount of memory affects graphics performance. A much more important role is played by the clock frequency and bit depth. And with this, the video card is all right.
What games will go on Intel HD Graphics 530?
This question is of great interest to all owners of the Intel Core i3 processor with Intel HD Graphics 530 on board. Let's see how world hits will behave at different levels of graphics settings when using this video card. First on the list is the ancient but legendary Blizzard Diablo III. On the ultra-settings of the image, the video card processes the image with only 35 frames per second. You can play. But not very comfortable. At medium settings, the video card quietly produces 71 frames per second. Already better. At low settings, the user receives already 106 frames. This is a decent result. Now let's see how a more modern game on this graphics chip behaves.
The next hero is Metal Gear Solid V 2015 release. Here, Intel ( R) HD Graphics 530 only shows 8.3 frames per second in ultra settings . Normally, you can play only at low quality settings. Then the number of frames per second grows to 48. The worst situation is with such a hit as The Witcher III. Even at low graphics settings, the number of frames per second does not exceed 13.4. As you can see, this video card is far from suitable for all games. For serious products, a discrete graphics card is recommended.
The difference between the integrated graphics core and discrete adapter
The main difference is the physical size of the kernel and the number of threads that take part in processing a particular graphic task. It is clear that such video cards as Intel HD Graphics 530 with i3 6100 cannot keep up with discrete models. Let's not forget about the maximum working frequency of the video adapter. In the discrete version, it will be much higher. Video memory also plays an important role. And here the integrated core loses for the simple reason that it draws memory from RAM. So, she doesn’t react so quickly. Yes, and a lot of it can not be. That is why for serious games it is preferable to have a discrete card. And in the " Farm Frenzy " you can drive on the " Intel " .
Why should you buy a laptop with an integrated graphics core?
The answer to this question is somewhat ambiguous. On the one hand, the integrated graphics are not very powerful, and there’s little use for it . But on the other - it is this solution that helps to significantly reduce the laptop’s power consumption. In addition, modern integrated adapters (such as the graphics core of the Intel Core i3 6100 processor - HD Graphics 530) do pretty well with 3D games. But not with the newest. Some laptop manufacturers are introducing hybrid graphics into their products. What does it mean? This means that on board the laptop there are two video cards at once: built-in and discrete. Depending on the complexity of the tasks performed, the automatic laptop system uses one or another video adapter. At nVidia, this technology is called Optimus. There are also products with hybrid graphics from AMD. If you purchase just such a laptop, then you can save on energy consumption and not deny yourself your favorite pleasures.
What do you need to know about the integrated graphics core?
When buying a laptop with such a graphic part, you need to clearly understand that in terms of power such a solution will not be able to compete with discrete adapters. Nevertheless, you need to thoroughly study the technical characteristics of the video adapter in order to know what it is capable of. But this is only if there is only one video card in the laptop - the integrated one. If there are two adapters, then such subtleties are completely useless. The only thing: it is better to choose a graphics core such as Intel HD Graphics 530. The processors into which they are integrated are usually very productive. In favor of products from Intel and the fact that they consume much less energy. Especially when you compare these products with products from AMD. The latter are inferior in performance and heated so that even the most advanced cooling system can not stand it.
Positive feedback from owners
This is a very important section, because it is here that you can find out about the real advantages or disadvantages of the integrated video adapter. As for the video core Intel HD Graphics 530, the reviews about it are mixed. Let's start with the positive. Many users note the excellent video card performance in terms of video processing. Processes such as conversion, reproduction and transcoding do not constitute any problem for this adapter. Also, owners of laptops and PCs with such a graphical solution say that games such as Diablo III or World of Warcraft are quite capable of Intel HD Graphics 530. Many praise the unrealistically low power consumption of integrated graphics. And owners of laptops with hybrid graphics do not even know grief.
In general, the performance of Intel HD Graphics 530 is at the level of the most budget discrete adapters. This is confirmed by numerous user reviews. However, they note that it would be nice to have a discrete graphics card. Just in case. Suddenly want to play GTA V? At the moment, the 530 series in Intel chipsets is the most advanced. Except for the terribly productive and unrealistically expensive “ Iris ” and “ Iris Pro ” . But to meet them in ordinary life is almost impossible. Therefore, there are much more owners of the 530th model of the adapter. And most of them are happy with the video card. For the vast majority of users, the power of a graphical solution is enough.
Negative owner reviews
The picture of reviews would be incomplete without mentioning the negative comments of those who for some reason did not like this graphics adapter. There are not many, but they are. And their opinion has to be reckoned with. What are the most common complaints about the Intel HD Graphics 530? The driver for the device on the official website is hopelessly outdated. And the manufacturer, it seems, is not going to update it. Here is the most common complaint that comes with this graphics core. However, the manufacturer may have reasons for not updating the drivers. Perhaps it is with them that the adapter works most adequately. Complaints that the video card refuses to work properly with modern games are also very frequent. But that’s not at all at all. For such tasks, only a discrete card is needed, the 530th is not suitable.
In general, there is very little constructive criticism from users regarding the 530th adapter from Intel. For the most part, people complain that it is not suitable for games. But that was understandable. Just some comrades need to carefully read the specifications before buying a laptop or PC. Serious problems include only the outdated driver on the manufacturer’s official website. Yes, and this is not critical. For even with it the adapter works perfectly.
Conclusion
We just reviewed the integrated graphics adapter Intel HD Graphics 530. It has a lot of advantages that may appeal to users who are familiar with the specifics of such solutions. But at the same time, the power of the graphics core for modern games is clearly not enough. Such a solution can be seriously used only in tandem with a discrete graphics card. Nevertheless, when working exclusively on this adapter, the laptop consumes much less energy. And this is a fact to be reckoned with.