Have you ever heard of the graphics processing unit (GPU)? Commonly known as the graphics card, it is one of the key components of a laptop or desktop. Whether you are a casual user, a gamer, or a professional in the creative field, always check the graphics card details before buying a laptop or desktop.
While checking, you will come across two different types of graphics cards: integrated graphics cards and dedicated graphics cards.
Depending on the type of graphics card the device has, you can determine how well it will perform when handling tasks like streaming videos, gaming, or rendering 3D models.
But with terms like "integrated" and "dedicated" floating around, it is easy to feel overwhelmed when you are unfamiliar with the technical jargon.
So, let us break down the jargon for you. It will help you understand what type of graphics card you should look for when buying a laptop or desktop online.
INDEX
Integrated Graphics Vs Dedicated Graphics
Integrated Graphics
Advantages of Integrated Graphics:
Budget-Friendly
Energy Efficient
Lower Heat Levels
Disadvantages of Integrated Graphics:
Not Meant for Heavy Tasks
Shared Memory
Limited Display Output
Dedicated Graphics
Advantages of Dedicated Graphics
Top-Notch Performance
Own VRAM
Supports More Displays
Disadvantages of Dedicated Graphics
Higher Cost
Discharges Battery Quickly
Increased Heat Production
Not Always Necessary
Should You Choose Dedicated Graphics or Integrated Graphics?
Frequently Asked Questions About Integrated Graphics and Dedicated Graphics
1. Can I upgrade from integrated graphics to a dedicated graphics card?
2. Do integrated graphics support 4K resolution?
3. What are external GPUs (eGPUs) and how do they work?
Integrated Graphics Vs Dedicated Graphics
Integrated Graphics
As the name suggests, these graphics cards are built directly into your computer’s motherboard. Therefore, they do not come as a separate piece of hardware. Most laptops available on the market come with an integrated graphics card — it stays soldered.
However, you can still find laptops with dedicated graphics cards.
Advantages of Integrated Graphics:
Budget-Friendly
The biggest advantage of an integrated graphics card is the price. People looking for budget-friendly options can buy integrated graphics. Since they come with the CPU, manufacturers cut down on overall production costs. It is perfect for everyday use like watching videos, browsing the internet, or handling work documents.
Energy Efficient
Do you often use your laptop while travelling? In such cases, battery life becomes a crucial aspect. Since integrated graphics share the CPU’s resources, it consumes less power and makes the battery last longer.
Therefore, you can use the laptop for longer hours without always worrying about searching for a plug point.
Lower Heat Levels
Laptops can heat up when used for longer hours. Over time, too much heat can damage your system. If you buy a device with integrated graphics, the risks of overheating are eliminated. This is because integrated graphics cards consume less power, which means they generate less heat.
Disadvantages of Integrated Graphics:
Not Meant for Heavy Tasks
The downside to integrated graphics is that they are not designed for resource-intensive tasks, like gaming or editing 4K videos. It may lag or take a long time to execute any instruction.
However, not all modern laptops are like this. You can find many gaming or professional laptops designed to perform heavy tasks.
Shared Memory
Multitasking can be a little difficult when you are working on any graphics-heavy tasks, even if your device has a lot of RAM. This problem arises because the integrated GPUs use your system’s main RAM during these tasks, meaning less memory is available for other tasks. So, your device may slow down or even freeze for a few seconds.
Limited Display Output
People working with multiple monitors should not use integrated graphics. They are not as powerful as dedicated graphics and can handle only one or two displays at a time. If your work requires 2 or more displays, you may experience lag.
Dedicated Graphics
A dedicated graphics card is a standalone piece of hardware that comes with its own GPU (graphics processing unit) and memory (VRAM). Therefore, when you perform any heavy task, it will not rely on your CPU. This is the reason why they are much better at handling graphically demanding tasks.
Advantages of Dedicated Graphics
Top-Notch Performance
If you are a professional gamer or editor, you should always invest in devices with dedicated graphics cards. They are designed to provide top-notch performance when you are performing any graphics-intensive task.
Popular software like Photoshop, After Effects, and Premiere Pro or games like ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ will run smoothly.
Own VRAM
Dedicated GPUs have their own memory called VRAM. It is specifically used for graphics tasks. This is important because it means that your computer’s main RAM is not being used up by graphics processing.
The result? Faster multitasking and smoother performance when running demanding applications and multitasking.
Supports More Displays
There are times when you need more than one display. Working on multiple monitors can strain your device if the device does not have dedicated graphics.
A standard dedicated graphics card will allow you to support two, three, or even more external displays simultaneously. This can be extremely useful for professionals who need to view several documents, timelines, or tools at once.
Disadvantages of Dedicated Graphics
Higher Cost
The most obvious disadvantage of dedicated graphics cards is the high price. It costs significantly more than an integrated graphics card and can increase the overall cost of your computer. High-performance GPUs, especially the latest models, are quite expensive.
So, if you want budget-friendly options, it is best to stick to integrated graphics.
Discharges Battery Quickly
While it would be wrong to say that your laptop will discharge fast if you have a dedicated graphics card, it does consume more power.
So, when compared to integrated graphics, dedicated GPUs will drain the battery faster.
Hence, using your device during long-distance travel can be difficult.
Increased Heat Production
Using a dedicated graphics card also produces more heat. Working on resource-heavy applications for too long can even overheat your device.
If this is ignored for too long, various internal components can get damaged.
Also, avoid performing heavy tasks when the device is on charge. The additional heat from charging can overheat your laptop faster.
Not Always Necessary
It is easy to get caught up in having the "best" components when buying a laptop. However, if you are buying a laptop for mostly doing light tasks, spending extra on a dedicated GPU might not be worth it. You will never use its full potential.
Should You Choose Dedicated Graphics or Integrated Graphics?
Here, the decision is quite simple. From the explanation we gave, it is quite easy to understand when you need to buy one of them.
Dedicated graphics are for performing resource-heavy tasks and integrated graphics are meant for performing light tasks.
So, once you determine your needs, you can make the right decision. However, it would be wrong to say that laptops with integrated graphics cannot perform heavy tasks.
For instance, many gaming laptops come with integrated graphics cards. They are perfect for playing high-end games or running professional editing software.
It is best that you research the laptop thoroughly before buying and not base the decision only on the type of graphics card you get.
Also Read: SSD vs. HDD: What You Should Know
In case you want to buy a laptop with dedicated graphics but do not have the budget for it, you can consider buying refurbished laptops.
Mobilegoo sells top-notch refurbished laptops with dedicated graphics that you can use for gaming and professional work. However, the heavy discounts on these devices make them quite affordable.
If you want to buy affordable laptops, check out our deals. You can get No-cost EMI as well.
When you are upgrading to a better laptop, we suggest you also sell the old laptop. Old laptops are generally stored away until they completely depreciate.
The smarter thing to do over here would be to sell your old/used laptop and get the best value for your device.
With Mobilegoo, you can sell your laptop in just a minute and get it picked up from your doorstep. It is a hassle-free process and you get instant cash payment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Integrated Graphics and Dedicated Graphics
1. Can I upgrade from integrated graphics to a dedicated graphics card?
Well, it is possible to upgrade from integrated to dedicated graphics, but it depends on your device. If you have a desktop PC, upgrading is generally straightforward. Most motherboards have an open PCIe slot and support dedicated graphics cards. Once you put the card in the slot, just install the card and ensure that the drivers are up-to-date.
However, it gets tricky if you own a laptop. In most laptops, you will not get the option to add a dedicated graphics card. The GPU unit stays soldered to the motherboard. Very few laptops come with a dedicated graphics card. If you want an upgrade, you can buy those models.
2. Do integrated graphics support 4K resolution?
It is true that dedicated graphics cards offer better performance. However, this certainly does not mean integrated graphics cards are bad or cannot deliver quality results. You can also get amazing laptops with integrated graphics that can support 4K resolution for tasks like video playback or general desktop use.
If you go for the high-end devices, you may be able to edit high-quality videos as well. So, never make your decision based on whether the device has integrated graphics or dedicated graphics. Read the details to get clarity.
3. What are external GPUs (eGPUs) and how do they work?
Do you know about external GPUs (eGPUs)? Well, you must have heard of external storage. eGUPs are a similar concept where you can use an external graphics card to power your system.
Whenever required, you can just connect it to your device via Thunderbolt or USB-C. They prove to be very useful when the integrated graphic card in your laptop is not sufficient for certain tasks.
So, you do not have to completely replace your device if you want to upgrade the graphics.
