Integrated Graphics vs Video Card for HTPC

[maklabouhlel]

Hi, I'm in the process of building a HTPC mainly for video playback @1080p on an LCD TV. I'm using an i5 7500, which has HD 630 graphics, and Z270N Gaming 5. Is there any advantage in using a video card like GT 710 over HD 630?

 

[hominid]

The I5 will be fine for 1080p for x264 and vp9/vp9 mode 2 as the internal GPU should handle it in hardware. The same for x265/x265 10bit up to 4K as the GPU will decode it in hardware - no need for the external GPU for video.

It'll do ok-ish gaming but nothing fantastic, and that's being kind, but for media the i5 will be fine for everything you can throw at it.

 

[ANDARIAL]

GFX card will give you better sound over onboard/cpu imho
Had used onboard for while and could not get dolby etc to work with any amps i tried,upgraded to a 1050 and bam dd digital,DTS digital ATMOS etc etc
No biggie if you only out put to a TV but worth considering

 

[ExoMale]

I have a gt710 coupled with a G3950 celeron, I’m only using it for general and films, so the onboard would do, but despite having 8gb ram, the way I look at it is the dedicated graphics card might offer some better features/performances, but above all it would offload it’s own vram which make it easier on the processor assuming you turn off the IGP.


I know you likely don’t need to use much ram for IGP, but it is nice not to have to dip in to it.

 

[z10m]

GFX card will give you better sound over onboard/cpu imho
Had used onboard for while and could not get dolby etc to work with any amps i tried,upgraded to a 1050 and bam dd digital,DTS digital ATMOS etc etc
No biggie if you only out put to a TV but worth considering

HD audio bitstreaming works fine on anything higher than pentium. I was using audio out over HDMI from motherboard on 4th gen i3 and now on 4th gen i7 and everything works just fine.
Getting DTS HD MA and Dolby True HD sent to my Onkyo receiver without issues...

 

[pandem0nium]

you might consider a card with HDMI 2.0 for 4k60 over HDMI. I think you might need it for 10bit colour and HDR at 4k.

 

[Lokken86]

I have the Vega3 in my laptop and it's roughly equal to the 630 you have. No issues with it's performance on video playback etc
Gaming performance is so so but they can run older games like borderland really well at decent settings.