Difference between integrated GPUs and dedicated GPUs?

[bungusboy81]

What are differences between integrated GPUs and dedicated GPUs? Why are dedicated ones better? What would you use integrated ones for if they're so much worse?

[emosun]

This could be a very searchable answer via some benchmark results of both types of gpus but basically integrated gpus are just gpus installed on the cpu itself when dedicated are just outboard of the cpu.

 

Dedicated doesn't really mean its any better, its just not part of the cpu itself

[Entropy.]

8 minutes ago, bungusboy81 said:

What are differences between integrated GPUs and dedicated GPUs? Why are dedicated ones better? What would you use integrated ones for if they're so much worse?

TL;DR: Igpus share space, cooling, and power with a CPU. They an only get so large, so hot, and can only draw so much power. Igpus are commonly used in builds that don't require more powerful dedicated GPUs, such as pcs used for spreadsheets, Microsoft office, or just general use. 

Integrated GPUs are embedded inside the cpu die. Many office builds where people aren't gaming will utilize Igpus as a cheap way to get video output. Basically they're usually used for people who don't need, don't want, or can't afford dedicated graphics. Dedicated graphics cards are usually (The design is inherently better, but if you're comparing a 20 y/o dedicated gpu to integrated graphics from say, an 11900k, it's just not the same) better because there's a lot more space for the GPU- the die/chip can be larger, the cooler, power delivery, ram, ect. all can be far larger than in a cpu. GPUs can also pump out a lot of heat. An Igpu is already sharing space- and cooling- with the rest of the CPU. Giving it it's own space and cooler can let the chip run unconstrained. 

[JamesTheFolf]

5 minutes ago, bungusboy81 said:

What are differences between integrated GPUs and dedicated GPUs? Why are dedicated ones better? What would you use integrated ones for if they're so much worse?

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000057824/graphics.html

[minibois]

4 minutes ago, bungusboy81 said:

What are differences between integrated GPUs and dedicated GPUs?

The fact that one is built into a CPU, while the other is a large piece of equipment with its own components (most notably its own memory, while an integrated GPU shares the system memory).

4 minutes ago, bungusboy81 said:

Why are dedicated ones better?

More components (like the memory), larger (so can output more heat) and more

5 minutes ago, bungusboy81 said:

What would you use integrated ones for if they're so much worse?

Worse != unusable

 

90% of normal consumers do not need a dedicated GPU, so why get a better thing that won't improve your experience?

[bungusboy81]

2 minutes ago, minibois said:

The fact that one is built into a CPU, while the other is a large piece of equipment with its own components (most notably its own memory, while an integrated GPU shares the system memory).

More components (like the memory), larger (so can output more heat) and more

Worse != unusable

 

90% of normal consumers do not need a dedicated GPU, so why get a better thing that won't improve your experience?

Thank you for explaining!

[mariushm]

Integrated graphics are perfectly fine for programmers (if they don't work on games), for office workers (ex accountants that only work in Excel all day), lots of jobs where you use custom software or stuff like Word or various 2D applications, even cad designers or pcb circuit layout people (2d graphics)

They're also perfectly suitable for browsing the internet, watching videos ...

 

An apu won't compete with dedicated graphics because it's limited by the amount of power and heat it can consume (due to sharing space with cpu) and because the memory bandwidth is much slower (gddr5 and 6/6x are several times faster than ddr4) and dedicated video cards can have higher bus widths (ex 256-512 bit wide vs 64-128 bit for integrated graphics)