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Graphics Chip on i5/i7 CPU's.. is it decent?

scotred

scotred

scotred

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20 Sep 2011
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OK, I will be purchasing a new computer build very shortly, just waiting on the Bulldozer benchmark results to come in from a number of sources.

I have £700 as of today to grab everything apart from a Monitor. So, Ive just drawn some spec lists up and can get a pretty decent system if i dont include a GFX card as of yet and buy that in a couple of weeks time.

My question: Will the graphics chips inbuilt into the i5/i7 range be good enough for me to use for a couple of weeks gaming or should i just hold off and buy the parts all together?

Bearing in mind i am currently gaming on a laptop with a 4yr old Nvidia 8600M GT a couple of hours a night. It runs BF:BC2 on low settings ok and Fifa 12 on low ok too... so if the chip in the i5/i7 can match that performance, i would be happy enough.

I would really like to build the system to get it settled in time for BF3, so its just a matter of popping a GFX card in when the time comes. I will probably end up with a Radeon 6970 of some variety as i read its the best bang for buck out there.
 
The graphics core on the i5 2500K and i7 2600K is the Intel HD 3000. All other (non-K series) desktop sandy bridge CPUs use the HD 2000 which is half the speed of the 3000.

Based on gaming benchmarks, the Intel HD 3000 is around the level of AMD's lowest level discrete graphics card from the previous generation - the amd hd 5450.

here is a review of this onboard graphics chip in a range of games. as a stop gap for a week or so, it should be enough to tide you over, but don't expect much in terms of performance and be prepared to turn down the resolution as well as settings to get playable framerates.

looking at this, the HD 3000 (which is also used in intel mobile chips) is very close to the performance of the 8600M GT.
 
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ahh thanks for the responses. I was going to go for the i5 2500k as a CPU and if the i7 2600k uses the same Graphics chip as the 2500k, thats just confirmed it. Ill wait till Thursday and the Bulldozer results to come in before i order.

Because i am using the integrated GFX chip intensively for a couple of weeks... should i really buy an after market cooler too? i will overclock at some point, but probably 6 months down the line or so.. i like to burn my CPU's in gently.
 
Aye, for gaming the 2500K is the one to go for and the graphics chip in it is just as good as the one in the 2600K.

As for an aftermarket cooler - at stock speeds (even when using the graphics and CPU under heavy loads) the standard intel cooler will be perfectly fine. However, going for a nice aftermarket cooler will mean the chip runs quieter and allows you to overclock - which is really simple on these chips and the performance gains are pretty nice.
 
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