If you're a gamer you probably know that using the integrated graphics built into your computer's
processor instead of a full-fledged discrete graphics card is about like eating meatloaf
instead of steak. And we did an episode about why integrated graphics lag behind their discrete
counterparts, which you can check out here. In a nutshell though, trying to cram high-performance
graphics into a teeny tiny CPU is tough because there just isn't enough space for all the extra
transistors that you'd need, not to mention that thermals would become a big concern. But
it is also true that integrated graphics have gotten a lot better over the years,
and there's actually a huge demand for quality integrated solutions. To explore this further,
we spoke with Nick Majuskovich and John Webb of Intel, and we'd like to thank them for their
time and contribution, as well as thank LG for sponsoring this topic. Part of the reason that
integrated graphics have improved to the point where you can play games in HD, that is assuming
you have reasonable expectations regarding frame rates and visual quality, is that transistor sizes
have continued to shrink. We've gone from having CPUs based on the 32-nanometer process back in
2010 to under half of that in the last 10 years. More transistors means that not only do you get
more processing muscle, but you don't need as much electrical power to get the same level of
performance, which reduces heat output. But manufacturers could have used those extra transistors
to help with CPU performance, so why improve graphics that many customers won't even use?
The whole thing is, I clearly underestimated it, but the market for quality iGPU solutions has been
there for a while and is absolutely huge. Despite the fact that many PC gamers are more interested
in higher-tier discrete graphics cards, there are plenty of others who just want their favorite
titles to be playable without breaking the bank or draining their laptop's battery.
And the progress has been such that with solutions like AMD's RX Vega graphics-equipped APUs and
Intel's upcoming Xe-based products, the market for budget graphics cards is all but dead because
they can't compete with what's already on the system for free. And aside from gaming,
onboard GPUs handle a variety of everyday tasks like improving video playback and productivity.
So many people actually use their integrated graphics even if they have a discrete card
without even knowing it, which has driven companies like Intel and AMD to design their chips to
deliver a certain baseline of performance with their graphic solutions for a broad audience.
With this in mind then, chip manufacturers have set out to make integrated graphics not only
powerful enough to handle gaming, but also efficient enough for other tasks on laptops
and tablets. They've done this by adding fixed function units, so parts of the processor that
are extremely good at one thing and do basically nothing else, and through more general architectural
improvements. The architecture of a chip is how the transistors all connect to each other,
and we're always learning new ways to make it better. They also use tricks like dynamic tuning,
which uses software to allocate power between the CPU and GPU part depending on what the system is
doing using data from thermal sensors. This was seen on Kaby Lake G, a series of laptop processors
from a few years ago that combined separate dies for the CPU and GPU on a single package.
Now there are still limitations to how large you can make an integrated GPU, as we discussed
previously, but manufacturers have at times dedicated extra space to graphics like an Intel's
Iris Plus for Ice Lake, which uses more die space for graphics execution units,
as well as for media encoding and decoding, which is increasingly important as we demand higher
and higher definition audio and video without killing our batteries. And the use of chiplets,
which you can learn more about up here, could make it cheaper for manufacturers to take this
approach to slapping a little bit less graphic silicon on this basic product and a little bit
more on a more multimedia focused product. So the answer then, as it turns out, is that the
higher performance is something of a side effect of a huge push in the industry to optimize the
cost and power efficiency of especially mobile devices through a combination of hardware and
software improvements. DX12 Ultimate, for example, could actually enable integrated graphics to run
ray tracing in the future. Not necessarily well, I mean we're not saying to ditch your $500
graphics card, it's just that the future does look pretty bright for gamers operating on tighter
budgets, especially if you like to take your games with you on the road. Now if you'll excuse me,
I need to go integrate some lunch into my stomach after I tell you about today's sponsor. We've
actually got a great example of a computer having Intel's Iris Plus graphics inside and it's the
latest release of the LG Gram, the sponsor of today's video. This lightweight, do-anything,
go-anywhere laptop features a 10th gen Core i7 1065G7 processor and Iris Pro graphics for solid
performance on the road, whether you're gaming, using Photoshop or even doing some light video
editing. The 17 inch model is 1.35 kilograms, that's just three pounds for our American friends,
with a 2560 by 1600 IPS screen and there's a smaller 15.6 inch model too. You get a fingerprint
reader for your security and a Thunderbolt 3 port and with the release of this LG Gram laptop in
the ultra portable market, it fulfills both the portability and performance needs of demanding
users at once. So check it out today at the link in the video description. Thanks for watching guys,
like, dislike, check out our other videos and leave a comment if you have a suggestion for a
future fast as possible. We really do read your comments, especially you Travis.