Why do integrated graphics cards perform worse then standalone graphics cards?

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Recently, I got a new computer, replacing my laptop. I noticed that when installing Silent Hunter 5, it said that my PC did not meet the minimum system requirements, however it still ran at high quality (it still lagged a bit though). This led me to wonder if integrated cards are worse, and if so, why? Because I do not see any difference when playing any game, including Minecraft (in fact, Minecraft ran FASTER on my PC then on my laptop). One other difference that may be the reason for this is tat the previous laptop ran on AMD Vision E2 and this PC uses Intel Core i5.

figgycity50

Posted 2014-01-02T18:16:54.803

Reputation: 141

My guess is that dedicated cards are more dedicated to their job than integrated cards. – 3ventic – 2014-01-02T18:20:30.120

It's not true that all integrated GPUs are worse than all dedicated GPUs. – ChrisInEdmonton – 2014-01-02T18:23:06.077

I am not sure where the question is. The integrated graphics on your laptop is older then your standalone graphics card on your newer computer. Most integrated grapics will be made absolete very quickly because of how quickly Nvidia and ATI release new products. – Ramhound – 2014-01-02T18:29:58.947

Do you have a dedicated graphics card in your new PC, or are you just using the i5's integrated graphics core? – rob – 2014-01-02T18:39:07.633

Some integrated graphics chips are finally competitive with discrete graphics cards, most notably the Iris Pro 5200. – yjwong – 2014-01-02T19:09:52.580

@rob I'm using the dedicated i5 chip, that's why it said I did not meet the minimum requirements – figgycity50 – 2014-01-10T20:40:26.150

@user2758631 That's what I gathered, but not everyone caught that detail. (e.g., Ramhound assumed that you were using a discrete graphics card in your newer computer) – rob – 2014-01-10T22:55:04.657

Answers

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It depends on the technologies you're comparing, but for the sake of your argument, let's assume you're only comparing the top-of-the-line dedicated parts with the top-of-the-line integrated parts.

A current-generation dedicated card can be added to practically any current-generation PC, whereas an integrated graphics core needs to be designed at a much lower level to be integrated into the CPU package (or, in older days, onto the motherboard). Because CPU and GPU technologies don't advance at the same pace, there is always some lag in getting the latest technology into the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU package.

Another issue is cooling. The highest-performing dedicated GPUs generate much more heat than their integrated counterparts. As you generate more heat, it becomes more difficult to adequately cool the hardware using a conventional heatsink and fan.

rob

Posted 2014-01-02T18:16:54.803

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Asked: 2014-01-02T18:16:54.803

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Active: 2014-01-02T18:31:13.603