Do Intergarated Graphics Matter on Gaming PC?

[LiquidGamer007]

While shopping I notice the cpu's without integrated graphics are quite a bit cheaper than those with graphics. Does integrated graphics matter on a gaming pc since there is a dedicated graphics card?

[RONOTHAN##]

Not really. They will serve one of two functions

 

1.) Troubleshooting. Being able to quickly test if a system works without a functioning GPU is very useful, and if you have to RMA your GPU for some reason you won't be out a system for a week while you wait for a new one. This alone is why if the CPU I want has the option of getting an iGPU, I always get the one with the iGPU and consider it worth the extra $10-15.

 

2.) Transcoding. You can use the iGPU as a hardware video transcoder, useful for streaming, video exports, and a couple other things. 

 

If you're on a tight budget or don't really care about the ease of troubleshooting, sure get the non-iGPU one, but I personally consider it worth getting. 

There might also be the fact non-iGPU CPUs overclock a little better since the iGPU isn't sucking any extra power or producing extra heat, but it's something you'd only really notice if you were going sub-zero. 

[Bombastinator]

7 minutes ago, LiquidGamer007 said:

While shopping I notice the cpu's without integrated graphics are quite a bit cheaper than those with graphics. Does integrated graphics matter on a gaming pc since there is a dedicated graphics card?

Usually no, but it can help for debugging since you can test things on the “other” graphics card. This is why intel”f” chips exist.  They get put in machines with dedicated graphics cards.

 

There are some tricks you can pull to get some cards that would otherwise have problems with games to pipe their output through the iGP and thus work anyway.  It’s fearsomely complicated though.  Laptops also often have both because the higher horsepower of the dedicated card often isn’t needed so by running stuff like browsers or movies on the iGP a laptop can save a lot of power. The features that allow this I understand is what makes it possible to game on some mining cards.  It’s difficult, only works on some mining cards, and just generally has huge problems though. 

[whm1974]

Due to the Shortage of dGPUs and what's available is rather pricey, iGPUs are needed for Budget Gaming PCs. Thanks to AMD We now have reasonable options for that now. Granted your will be limited to 1080p at low to medium graphics settings.

 

And AMD lit a fire under Intel to improve their iGPUs as well.

[Bombastinator]

9 minutes ago, whm1974 said:

Due to the Shortage of dGPUs and what's available is rather pricey, iGPUs are needed for Budget Gaming PCs. Thanks to AMD We now have reasonable options for that now. Granted your will be limited to 1080p at low to medium graphics settings.

 

And AMD lit a fire under Intel to improve their iGPUs as well.

It is a point that the definition of a gaming pc used to include a fairly larger graphics card whereas at the low end lately that has gotten muddied.  My understanding is the best IGPs from intel and AMD produce performance competive with around a 1030.  The m1 MacBooks also do this.  The m1 pro and pro max are much better.  They have apparently been gimped though making them less useful for gaming than they could be.  The pro max for instance shows power in some things similar to a mobile 3080 or even higher, but for gaming I’ve seen it compared to a mobile 3060. 

[LiquidGamer007]

My plan is to game at 1440p using a rtx 3060 ti gpu. So, after reading all the comments I think it's reasonable to say having a igpu is the best route to go.

[whm1974]

21 minutes ago, LiquidGamer007 said:

My plan is to game at 1440p using a rtx 3060 ti gpu. So, after reading all the comments I think it's reasonable to say having a igpu is the best route to go.

Which games at what settings?

[Moonzy]

26 minutes ago, LiquidGamer007 said:

using a rtx 3060 ti gpu

you have almost no reason to go with iGPU

 

for a gaming rig, the only conceivable reason is that you need the video out port on the motherboard

ie, more than ONE HDMI port is needed, most GPU only comes with one HDMI port

 

for me, i prefer to have iGPU because of that sole reason, and connecting more than 3-4 display is easier if you have iGPU

performance wise, it doesnt help much

[Blue4130]

Having an igpu also helps with future uses when you decide to upgrade to a new machine. The old one can take over server duty or nas duty or htpc duty and you don't need to mess about with going headless or needing a GPU in it. 

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, LiquidGamer007 said:

My plan is to game at 1440p using a rtx 3060 ti gpu. So, after reading all the comments I think it's reasonable to say having a igpu is the best route to go.

All things being equal it’s better than not having one.  Sometimes it’s worth the extra money, sometimes it isn’t.   Often it is if the extra money is there.  It’s a question of how much more money generally.  If one is going for a ruthless economy build often it isn’t. 

[whm1974]

Just wonder if there are Vendors that have CPUs w/ iGPUs In Stock? Not that it matters to me as I have an Haswell i5 and a 970 dGPU. But wanting to help out the OP I briefly looked.