Dedicated Vs Integrated Graphics Card

Computing is all about rich graphics. Be it the eye-catching windows, your favorite game, or 3D CAD software that you use for your profession, without a high-end graphics card, it is really tough.

The graphics card in computers comes in two configurations. Either integrated with the processor or a dedicated card ported into a PCI slot. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

One of the biggest confusion among computer or laptop shoppers is that ” Shall we go for a dedicated Graphics card or an integrated one.”

Let’s have a comparison in this article about Dedicated Vs Integrated Graphics Card and find out which one is better.

What Is An Integrated Graphics Card?

The integrated graphics card comes integrated with the processor itself. It uses system memory to do GPU-related functions. Both CPU and GPU come integrated into the same chip.

Since both CPU and GPU come in a single chip, it has been noticed that both suffer when it comes to performance. All system resource that the CPU uses is shared with the integrated GPU as well.

Dedicated Graphics Card Vs Integrated Graphics Card
Motherboard

Most of the low-end Intel processors come integrated with a GPU. If the CPU performs betters, then GPU suffers, and when GPU performs better, the CPU suffers.

Integrated graphics cards are more common in low-end laptops and contribute to more than 50% of the laptop market.
Positive
  • Takes up less space. So compact laptops use integrated GPU
  • Low-end motherboards can be used without any PCI slot
  • There will be no compatibility issue as it comes integrated with processors
  • The cost is much lesser than a dedicated graphics card
Negatives
  • Does not support high-end graphics
  • Most of the graphics-rich applications won’t work
  • The system processing speed will be very low
  • Frequent system crashes ( Blue Screen Of Death)
  • System overheating even with casual use

What Is A Dedicated Graphics Card?

Unlike an integrated graphics card, a dedicated graphics card comes with its own set of resources.

It has to be ported in a separate PCI slot in the motherboard. So normal motherboard without a PCI slot can not be used for a dedicated graphics card.

The dedicated graphics card has its own memory unit called VRAM ( Video Random Access Memory). It does not interfere with the CPU functions and does not share the CPU resources.

Dedicated Graphics Card Vs Integrated Graphics Card
Dedicated Graphics Card

Dedicated graphics cards are more powerful than integrated graphics cards because it comes with a separate graphics proceeding unit, a dedicated memory module, and a cooling mechanism to make them work smoothly.

The power of a dedicated graphics card can be further enhanced by allowing a portion of system memory called virtual memory. Once coupled with virtual memory, a dedicated graphics card offers the best performance.

Positive
  • Do not interfere with system resources. So system processing will be fast.
  • Graphics-hungry applications will work smoothly
  • There will be no frequent system crash due to low graphics memory
  • CPU gets the freedom to use its full resources without sharing any resources with the GPU
  • Due to the dedicated cooling unit, the system won’t heat up quickly.
Negatives
  • Need a PCI slot in the motherboard
  • Need more space to accommodate the dedicated graphics card
  • The cost is way higher than a processor with an integrated graphics card.

Differences Between Dedicated Vs Integrated Graphics

Integrated Graphics CardDedicated Graphics Card
No separate memory moduleDedicated memory module
Use CPU resourcesDoes not interfere with CPU resources
No dedicated cooling unitA dedicated cooling mechanism is available
Very poor graphics performanceUsually offers high-end graphic performance
It’s cheap to ownUsually, costs are way higher than an Integrated graphics card

Who should use an integrated graphics card?

An Integrated Graphics card is enough for day-to-day computing. Unless you use graphic-hungry applications, integrated graphics solve all purposes. Considering this, a user should opt for an integrated graphics card in the following scenarios.

Non-Gamers

There is no point in investing in a dedicated graphics card if you are not a Gamer. 3D games consume more GPU resources. So if you are not a game addict, those resources will be unutilized.

Casual computer users

Many users use the computer to check emails or do basic office jobs like Microsoft Word or Excel. There is no point in using a dedicated graphics card for such basic jobs.

Budget is a concern

Integrated Graphics comes a lot cheaper than dedicated one. So if budget is a concern for you, there is no other option except to choose an integrated graphics card.

Who should choose a dedicated graphics card?

Some applications or games won’t work if you don’t use a high-end dedicated graphics card. You might see frequent crashes if you use those applications with an integrated graphics card.

3D CAD users

3D cad software is the most graphics-hungry software. Those software are used to create 3-dimensional engineering designs, simulations, etc. Such 3D software won’t even open if the graphic card requirements are not met.

Video Editing

If you are a YouTuber or work as a video editor, you need a high-end graphics card. Or else it will be impossible to work. Even basic video editing software needs a dedicated GPU

Game Addicted Users

Though I am not one of them, the crowd is not too lean and addicted to gaming. For them, the dedicated graphics card is the best bet. Integrated graphic cards will only frustrate them.

Can I live with an integrated graphics card?

The answer is YES. If you know how to optimize your computer operating system, you can share more resources for the integrated GPU to perform better. Here is one guide on how to speed up windows.

The other best bet would be to use Linux. Linux is a very lightweight operating system and usually consumes fewer computer resources. This in turn helps integrated GPU to work better.

Conclusion: Integrated Vs Dedicated Graphics Card

Which one is better? Integrated graphics or dedicated graphics?

It depends on you. Yes, it absolutely depends on you. I use a laptop with an integrated GPU for the last 5 years without any issues. I do video editing and use 3D CAD software on that laptop. But how do I manage with an integrated GPU?

I manage to optimize my laptop to perform better than expected. I choose to use Linux over Windows for over a decade. That’s how I manage to get the best from an old laptop.

So if you are a computer shopper with a basic knowledge of computing, go for an integrated graphics card.

Suppose you are a professional and involved in video editing, 3D gaming, and 3D CAD software, better to invest in a dedicated graphics card. I promise that will be your best bet.

That’s all I have in this article. I hope you got a fair amount of knowledge to choose between the dedicated and integrated graphics card. Do write in the comment section if you have any questions.

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