On-Board v Dedicated: Which Is the Future for GPUs?
The world
of graphics processing unit is changing. On-board graphics chips and CPU
combinations are challenging the supremacy of the dedicated graphics card.
Which direction will the future take for the GPU? Read on to find out.
What Is an On-Board
GPU?
On-board
or integrated graphics processing units are used predominantly in laptops but
can also be used in desktops. Most smartphones, tablets, and smaller computers
use an integrated GPU.
They come
with a number of advantages, such as lower power consumption and lower price,
but for a long time they could not compete with the power or potential of a
dedicated GPU. The technology has come on in leaps and bounds since then,
driven by the desire for more powerful laptops and smartphones. Now there are
on-board graphic setups that can challenge dedicated graphics cards.
The Intel Arc GPU architecture covers both
integrated and dedicated GPUs. Though some are more powerful than others they
all provide a similar standard of graphics and video output. This is allowing
laptops to finally compete with gaming PCs and provide similar gaming
experiences to desktops.
What Is a Dedicated
GPU?
This type
of GPU is mostly found in gaming PCs and high-end systems. Integrated GPUs have
taken over the low and mid-range PC market, reserving dedicated GPUs for
high-end PCs for gaming or video processing.
GPUs are
commonly called graphics cards, and the graphics processing unit is just one
component. Many graphics cards have their own RAM to use, dedicated to holding
graphic data. These cards are similar to a small computer, with their own
motherboard-like card forming the foundation for a GPU, RAM, and other
processing components to run on.
The
bigger size and the extra help from dedicated RAM mean that dedicated GPUs have
more power and potential than integrated GPU setups, but this comes at a cost.
Graphics cards are power hungry, and the more powerful they are, the hungrier
they become. Feeding these beasts often means more fans in the system and a
more powerful power unit, all of which adds to the cost.
Which Is Better?
If you
want absolute peak performance at the highest possible definitions at eye-water
framerates you are going to have to use a graphics card, or dedicated GPU. Be
prepared to spend a lot of money on one, as much as a whole mid-range laptop
would cost to buy, plus accessories. To really push the envelope takes multiple
graphics cards. You can spend thousands on graphics cards alone.
On-board
GPUs are catching up. They are capable of providing great gaming experiences at
a better price point. Pairing the right motherboard with a powerful and
compatible CPU is often more than enough to play the latest games in crystal
clarity. The framerates may not be quite as high, and the definition may be HD
and not 4K, but only the most hardcore gamers would
tell the difference.
