What Is Intel R Hd Graphics

Intel has spent a lot of fourth dimension talking virtually its new "Iris" graphics on upcoming Haswell parts, so much and so that you could be forgiven for assuming that it would be standard. That, however, is not the case. While Iris and Iris Pro represent the best Intel has to offer, many computers, from desktops to tablets, volition take to make do with Intel HD 4600.

The information available prior to launch was vague about Hd 4600's capabilities, and what was said did non seem promising, and then we were eager to see how the new mid-range integrated graphics processor (IGP) stacks up confronting Intel's previous Hard disk 2500 and HD 4000. To test Hard disk drive 4600, we fired upwardly several games as well as the world's about enervating benchmarks.

What has changed in Hard disk 4600

intelhd4600

When Intel released the first new Core processor architecture, known as Nehalem, it did and so alongside a long-term commitment to improve the quality of its integrated graphics processors. This happened with the re-launch of the company'southward IGP as Intel Hd Graphics, a revision that out-performed previous Intel IGPs by a significant margin. In previous generations, Intel has used a 2-prong graphics strategy consisting of a low-end variant barely adequate for even sometime games, and a high-end variant meant to provide adequate performance in virtually titles. During the last generation, these were known as HD 2500 and HD 4000, respectively.

The new Hd 4600 is substantially a revision of HD 4000, in the same way that Haswell is a revision of the preceding Ivy Bridge. Operation has been improved mainly through a pair of meaning changes: an increment in execution units from 16 to twenty, and an improvement in clock speed minimum from 350 MHz to 400 MHz. HD 4600, like its predecessor, will automatically overclock itself up to a maximum of 1350 MHz. However, this maximum clock volition not be obtainable on certain depression-voltage parts, which ways not every system with Hard disk drive 4600 will perform identically.

Intel has also used the revision equally an opportunity to upgrade compatibility with graphics standards. The new IGP supports Directly X 11.ane, likewise equally Open up CL 1.2 and Open GL 4.0. These tweaks are not hugely important in the short-term, merely it's always good for a graphics component to support the latest standards.

Our testing methods

To test HD graphics nosotros used 2 older computers in our possession and the Fragbox review unit on loan to the states from Falcon Northwest. The specifications of these computers can be constitute below.

Each system was put through the same five benchmarks, which we ran with the following setting:

3DMark Cloud Gate: Tested with default settings
Unigine Heaven 2.1: 1280×1024 Normal Tessellation DirectX 11 AA off AF 1x
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim : 1366×768 DirectX 11 medium detail preset
Battlefield iii: 1366×768 DirectX 11 medium detail preset
Deus Ex Human Revolution: 1366×768 DirectX eleven normal detail MSAA on

All results are rounded. In the case of games, we started our tests from the same save file on each system (thanks, Steam Cloud!) and performed similar actions during each of our 3 test runs.

The results

3DMark 06 Cloud Gate

Cloud Gate is the middle-rung test in the new 3DMark suite, and it's meant to simulate a modestly demanding electric current-gen game. Intel HD 4000 performs adequately, but the new Hard disk 4600 absolutely annihilates the older office's score by almost doubling information technology. This resulted in a very obvious render improvement: Cloud Gate runs great on the new hardware.

Unigine Heaven

This demanding benchmark is known for its high image quality and extensive employ of tessellation. Though the benchmark still runs poorly on Intel HD 4600, there's an approximately fifty% performance increase.

The Elderberry Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Skyrim is not the latest-and-greatest game anymore, but it remains a popular title and a enervating benchmark. Intel Hard disk 4600 improves performance past merely 8 frames-per-second, but those viii frames are of import.

The game tends to endure from spurts of stuttering on HD 4000, and any effects (such as magic) can cause the framerate to dip below 20 FPS, which isn't a pleasure to play. With Intel HD 4600, however, the game runs smoothly (with a few exceptions) and magical effects don't turn the game into a slideshow.

And remember: we tested at medium detail; going to low makes the game almost butter-polish on the new IGP.

Battlefield iii

Nosotros saw a strangely linear progression in this game, with each bump in graphics hardware increasing average FPS by ten. That translates to an about 50 percent increase of in-game performance, and, every bit with Skyrim, the actress performance is enough to have the game from un-enjoyable at medium detail (on HD 4000) to just fine (on Hard disk drive 4600).

Deus Ex Human Revolution

Unlike Skyrim and Battlefield 3, Deus Ex was playable and enjoyable on Intel Hd 4000 at the settings nosotros tested. Intel HD 4600 increased operation only 42 per centum relative to Hard disk drive 4000, but because the game already ran well, this smaller relative improvement translates to xiv extra frames per second. Deus Ex ran smoothly at all times, and there'south enough frame-charge per unit headroom to increase a graphics item.

Intel Hard disk drive 4600 is quicker, but what does that mean?

The average performance increase among the three real-world games we tested was 39 percentage, and adding in the synthetic tests boosts the proceeds to 53 percent. That's virtually in line with what Intel promised, and more than importantly, information technology was enough to make 2 games that weren't enjoyable on Hard disk 4000 a treat on HD 4600.

Improvements don't mean HD 4600 is an adequate pick for gamers, however. Our tests were performed at 1366 x 768, which is common among cheap laptops, but increasingly rare among desktop PCs, Ultrabooks, and multimedia laptops. Gaming at 1080p will slice a huge chunk off these results and make many games unplayable once again.

We besides think information technology's reasonable to believe graphics quality in AAA games will see a surge in 2014. Why? Next-gen consoles! With the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 out in winter of 2013, developers will exist able to explore new limits. While Hd 4600 is quicker, it probably won't stand up well in PC ports of games congenital for next-gen consoles.

Intel HD 4600 doesn't change Intel HD'due south position as graphics of final resort, only nosotros're happy to run into the last resort become significantly more than powerful. Consumers who tin can't afford a detached GPU can at least play 2011's best games at reasonable item, something which could non be said of Intel Hd 4000.

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