Intel hd graphics 4000 specifications reviews. NVIDIA says Intel HD4000 graphics are not for gaming

Intel is a world-famous corporation specializing in the production electronic devices and components for computers and laptops. Many people know Intel as a manufacturer of central processors and video chipsets. It is the latter that we will talk about in this article. Despite the fact that integrated graphics are very inferior in performance discrete video cards, such GPUs also require software. Let's figure out together where to download and how to install drivers for Intel HD Graphics using the 4000 model as an example.

Often, when installing Windows drivers are installed automatically on integrated graphics processors. But such software is taken from the standard database Microsoft drivers. Therefore, it is highly recommended to install a full set of software for this type of device. To do this, you can use one of the methods listed below.

Method 1: Intel Website

As in situations with discrete video cards, in this case the best option would be to install software from the official website of the device manufacturer. Here's what you need to do to do this: in this case.

1. Let's go to .
2. At the top of the site we look for the section "Support" and go to it by simply clicking on the name itself.
3. A panel will open on the left, where from the entire list we need the line . Click on the name itself.



4. In the next submenu select the line "Search for drivers", also clicking on the line.



5. We will be taken to a page where you can search for drivers for your hardware. You need to find a block with the name on the page "Search for downloads". It will have a search bar. We enter into it "HD 4000" and see the required device in the drop-down menu. All you have to do is click on the name of this equipment.



6. After this we will go to the driver download page. Before downloading, you must select your operating system from the list. This can be done in the drop-down menu, which is initially called "Any operating system".



7. Having selected the required OS, we will see in the center a list of drivers that are supported by your system. Choose required version software and click on the link in the form of the name of the driver itself.



8. On next page You must select the type of downloaded file (archive or installation) and the system bit depth. Having decided on this, click on the appropriate button. We recommend choosing files with the extension ".exe".



9. As a result, you will see a window with a license agreement on the screen. Read it and press the button "I accept the terms of the license agreement".



10. After this, the download of the driver file will begin. We wait for the process to complete and launch the downloaded file.
11. In the initial window you see general information about the product. Here you can find out the release date, supported products, and so on. To continue, click the appropriate button "Next".



12. The extraction process will begin. installation files. It takes no more than a minute, just wait for it to finish.
13. Next you will see a welcome window. In it you can see a list of devices for which the software will be installed. To continue, simply press the button "Further".



14. The Intel License Agreement window will appear again. We get to know him again and press the button "Yes" to continue.



15. After this, you will be prompted to familiarize yourself with general installation information. We read it and continue the installation by pressing the button "Further".



16. The software installation will begin. We are waiting for it to end. The process will take a few minutes. As a result, you will see a corresponding window and a request to click a button "Further".



17. In the last window you will be notified whether the installation was successful or not, and will also be asked to reboot the system. It is highly recommended to do this right away. Don't forget to save everything first necessary information. To complete the installation, click the button "Ready".



18. This completes the downloading and installation of drivers for Intel HD Graphics 4000 from the official website. If everything was done correctly, a shortcut with the name will appear on the desktop "Control Panel HD Intel graphics®» . In this program you can configure your integrated video card in detail.

Method 2: Intel Special Program

Intel has developed a special program that scans your computer for Intel hardware. After which it checks the drivers for such devices. If the software needs an update, she downloads it and installs it. But first things first.

1. First you need to repeat the first three steps from the method above.
2. In subparagraph "Downloads and Drivers" this time you need to select the line "Automatic search for drivers and software".



3. On the page that opens in the center you need to find a list of actions. Under the first action there will be a corresponding button "Download". Click on it.



4. The software download will begin. Upon completion this process run the downloaded file.



5. You will see a license agreement. You must check the box next to the line "I accept the terms and conditions of the license" and press the button "Install" located nearby.



6. Installation will begin necessary services and software. During installation, you will see a window asking you to participate in the quality improvement program. If you don’t want to participate in it, press the button "Reject".



7. After a few seconds, the installation of the program will complete and you will see a corresponding message about it. To complete the installation process, click the button "Close".



8. If everything was done correctly, a shortcut with the name will appear on the desktop "Intel(R) Driver Update Utility» . Let's launch the program.
9. In the main program window, click the button "Start Scan".



10. The process of scanning your computer or laptop will start for the presence of Intel devices and drivers installed for them.
11. When the scan is completed, you will see a window with search results. The type of device found, the version of drivers available for it, and a description will be indicated. You need to check the box next to the driver name, select a location to download the file and then click the button "Download".



12. The next window will display the software download progress. You need to wait until the file is downloaded, after which the button "Install" a little higher it will become active. Let's press it.



13. After this, the following program window will open, where the software installation process will be displayed. After a few seconds, you will see the installation wizard window. The installation process itself is similar to that described in the first method. After installation is complete, it is recommended to reboot the system. To do this you need to press the button "Restart Required".



14. This completes the driver installation using Intel utilities completed.

Method 3: General programs for installing drivers

Lessons have been published on our portal more than once, which talk about special programs, which scan your computer or laptop and identify devices whose drivers require updates or installation. Today there are a large number of such programs for every taste. You can get acquainted with the best of them in our lesson.

We still recommend that you take a closer look at programs such as . It is these programs that are constantly updated and, in addition to this, have a very extensive base of supported equipment and drivers. If you have problems updating the software using DriverPack Solution, you should read a detailed lesson on this topic.

Method 4: Search for software by device ID

We also told you about the ability to search for drivers by the ID of the required equipment. Knowing this identifier, you can find software for any equipment. For an integrated video card Intel HD Graphics 4000, the ID has the following values.

PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0F31
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0166
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0162

Method 5: Device Manager

It’s not for nothing that we placed this method in last place. It is the most ineffective in terms of software installation. Its difference from previous methods is that in this case special software that allows you to configure the graphics processor in detail will not be installed. However, this method can be quite useful in some situations.

We hope that one of the above methods will help you install software for your Intel HD Graphics 4000 graphics processor. We strongly recommend installing software from the manufacturer’s official websites. Moreover, this applies not only to the specified video card, but to all equipment. If you have any difficulties with installation, write in the comments. Let's figure out the problem together.

During the last meeting of NVIDIA management with analysts, a slide was shown during the report on which the developer of graphics solutions literally trampled on the graphics integrated into Ivy Bridge processors - the HD4000 core.

According to NVIDIA experts, HD4000-level graphics make over half of them unplayable. best games 2011. In order for the game to be playable, we emphasize that NVIDIA puts forward, in general, reasonable requirements: this is at least 30 frames per second, a resolution higher than 1366x768 pixels (or 720p), no artifacts, settings higher than basic or minimal. At the same time, one cannot help but admit that the company is going a bit too far. With the settings stated above, you can already play without experiencing much discomfort; if the game were interesting, the graphics would fade into the background. But let's not be Intel's lawyers, and let's listen to how a representative of the microprocessor company, to whom journalists from the KitGuru website showed this NVIDIA slide, will comment on this attack.

By the way, Richard Huddy answered our colleagues’ questions. We ourselves were somewhat unaware, but Mr. Huddy, as it turned out, has been working at Intel for about two years and is closely involved in developments related to the company’s graphics cores. Let us briefly recall that Richard was once on the team that came up with the idea of ​​the DirectX API, which later moved to Microsoft (we are talking about the development team, as well as the idea). Then this graphics specialist worked for NVIDIA, then for ATI and, finally, for AMD. In 2010, he was still responsible for the development of graphics cores as part of a competitor company, Intel. As you can see, some time ago AMD suffered another loss, which it tried not to advertise. Obviously, the word of such a specialist means something. And his verdict is clear: what is shown on the NVIDIA slide is not true.

Intel, according to Huddy, works closely with game developers and is doing everything possible to ensure that the vast majority of users are able to play games out of the box, which means a computer or laptop with a processor with an integrated video core. At the same time, the specialist admits that today it is impossible to focus, for example, on the number of reproduced frames. The problem is that laptops "start and win" - they dominate and will dominate, so increasing the FPS by half means draining the battery twice as fast.

In addition, the gaming graphics (accelerator) market has transformed from a horizontal one, where video processor developers competed in every niche (mobile and desktop) to a vertical one, where the game should run approximately the same on a smartphone, tablet, ultrabook and desktop PC. Dear developer forgot to mention consoles, which best reveals the problem. “Game makers” today are concerned with exactly one thing - to maximize platform independence for their games. So Intel is playing in their vein - it will not strive for the heights of desktop graphics, improving integrated video cores while maintaining a balance in power consumption. But to say that “this” cannot be played, as NVIDIA did, is also unfair. In any case, let us recall the well-known saying: “If you can’t, but you really want to, then you can.”

Just a few years ago, talking about the performance of integrated graphics cores made virtually no sense. It was possible to rely on such decisions only in cases where working with three-dimensional graphics was not among the possible uses of the computer, because the built-in graphics cores, compared to discrete video accelerators, had minimalistic functionality in 3D modes. However, to today this situation has changed radically. Since 2007, the instigator of the bulk of changes in the computer market, Intel considers increasing the capabilities and performance of its own integrated graphics one of the most important tasks. And its successes are impressive: the built-in graphics cores have not only increased their performance by more than an order of magnitude, but have also become an integral integral part modern processors. Moreover, the company clearly does not intend to stop there and has ambitious plans to increase the speed of embedded graphics by another order of magnitude by 2015.

The sudden interest among processor developers in improving graphics cores became a reflection of the desire of users to have at their disposal fairly compact, but at the same time quite productive computing systems. It would seem that quite recently the term “ mobile computer“was associated with a system that can simply be moved from place to place with one hand, and few people were concerned about the issue of its size and weight. Today, even looking at fairly small two-kilogram laptops, many consumers wrinkle their noses with dissatisfaction. The trend has turned tablet computers and ultra-compact solutions that Intel calls ultrabooks. And it was precisely this desire for lightness and miniature that became the main driving force in the integration of graphics into central processing units and in increasing its productivity. One chip that fully replaces both the CPU and the GPU and at the same time has low heat dissipation is exactly the basis that is needed to create enticing modern users mobile solutions. That is why we are seeing the rapid development of hybrid processors, the existence of which even adherents of desktop systems have to put up with. The latter, it must be said, also receive certain dividends from such progress.

Ivy Bridge processors are the second version of Intel's microarchitecture, characterized by a hybrid design that combines computing cores with graphics in one semiconductor chip. Compared to the previous version of the microarchitecture, Sandy Bridge, the changes have taken place dramatically, and they primarily affect the graphics core. Intel even had to give special explanations regarding the violation of the “tick-tock” principle: Ivy Bridge was supposed to be the result of a transfer of the previous design to a new, 22-nm process technology, but, in fact, from the point of view graphic capabilities a very significant step forward has taken place. That is why we reviewed the new video core included in Ivy Bridge in the form of a separate material - the number of various innovations is extremely large, and the improvement in 3D performance is quite serious.

An excellent idea of ​​how significant the changes have been can be obtained by simply comparing Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge semiconductor crystals.

Sandy Bridge - area 216 sq.mm; Ivy Bridge - area 160 sq.mm

Both of them are made using different technological processes and have different areas. But note that while the Sandy Bridge design allocated approximately 19 percent of the die area to the graphics core, the Ivy Bridge design increased that share to 28 percent. This means that the complexity of the graphics included in the processor has more than doubled: from 189 to 392 million transistors. It is quite obvious that such a noticeable increase in the transistor budget could not be wasted.

It must be emphasized that Intel's policy regarding combining computing and graphics cores and increasing the power of the latter is somewhat at odds with the APU concept proposed by AMD. Intel's competitor is considering in-processor graphics core as a complement to computing, hoping that flexible programmable shader processors can help increase overall performance solutions. Intel same opportunity widespread use graphics for calculations are not taken into account: with traditional processor speed, Ivu Bridge is fine as is. At the same time, the primary role of the graphics core is completely traditional, and the struggle of developers to increase its power is due to the desire to minimize the number of cases when a discrete video card is necessary system component, especially in mobile computing.

However, whether AMD’s approach or Intel’s, the result turns out to be the same. The market share of discrete graphics is steadily declining, giving way to new generations of integrated graphics, which have now acquired support for DirectX 11 and have received performance higher than that of a number of budget video cards. In this material we will look at those implemented in Ivy Bridge graphic accelerators Intel HD Graphics 4000 and Intel HD Graphics 2500 and let's try to evaluate which discrete video cards have lost their meaning with the advent of the new generation of Intel graphics.

⇡ Graphics architecture Intel HD Graphics 4000/2500: what's new

Increasing the performance of integrated graphics cores is far from an easy task. And the fact that Intel was able to raise it by more than an order of magnitude in just a few years is actually the result of a serious engineering work. The main problem here is that integrated graphics accelerators cannot take advantage of dedicated high-speed video memory, but share regular video memory with the computing cores. system memory with a fairly low bandwidth by the standards of modern 3D applications. Therefore, optimizing memory is the very first step that must be taken when designing high-speed embedded graphics.

And this one important step Intel implemented the previous version of the microarchitecture - Sandy Bridge. Introduction of a ring intraprocessor bus that links everything together CPU components(computational cores, third-level cache, graphics, system agent with a memory controller), opened a short and progressive route for memory access for the built-in video core - through a high-speed third-level cache. In other words, the integrated graphics core along with the computing processor cores became an equal user of the L3 cache and memory controller, which significantly reduced downtime caused by waiting for graphics data to be processed. The ring bus turned out to be such a successful find from the previous design that it migrated to the new Ivy Bridge microarchitecture without any changes.

As for the internal structure of the Ivy Bridge graphics core, in general it can be considered a further development of the ideas inherent in the HD Graphics accelerators of previous generations. The architecture of the current Intel graphics core has its roots in the Clarkdale and Arrandale processors introduced in 2010, but each new reincarnation of it is not a simple copy of the previous design, but its improvement.

Ivy Bridge Generation HD Graphics Core Architecture

Thus, when moving from the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture to the Ivy Bridge, an increase in graphics performance is achieved primarily due to an increase in the number of execution units, especially since the internal structure of HD Graphics initially implied technical feasibility their simplest addition. While the older version of graphics from Sandy Bridge, HD Graphics 3000, had 12 devices, the most productive modification of the video core built into Ivy Bridge, HD Graphics 4000, received 16 actuators. However, the matter was not limited to this; the devices themselves were also improved. They added a second texture sampler, and the throughput increased to three instructions per beat.

The increase in the speed of data processing by the graphics core required developers to think again about their timely delivery. Therefore, the Ivy Bridge graphics core now has its own cache memory. Its volume has not been disclosed, however, apparently, we are talking about a small but high-speed internal buffer.

Although the innovations in the microarchitecture of the graphics core do not seem too significant at first glance, in total they result in a clearly visible increase in 3D performance, estimated by Intel itself as twofold. By the way, the next generation of HD Graphics accelerators, which will be built into processors of the Haswell family, should offer approximately the same increase. In them, the number of executive units will increase to 20, and the fourth level cache will be included in the fight to reduce latencies when the graphics core works with memory.

As for Ivy Bridge graphics, increasing its performance was not the only goal of the engineers. In parallel, the formal specifications of the new graphics core have been brought into line with modern requirements. This means that HD Graphics 4000 finally has full Shader support Model 5.0 and hardware tessellation. That is, now Intel graphics are fully compatible “in hardware” with DirectX 11 and OpenGL 3.1 software interfaces. And of course, the operation of HD Graphics 4000 in the upcoming Windows 8 operating system will not be a problem - necessary drivers are already available on the Intel website.

Intel also added to the new graphics core the ability to perform computational work using it; for this purpose, the new generation of HD Graphics added support for DirectCompute 5.0 and OpenCL. In Sandy Bridge processors these software interfaces were also supported, but at the driver level, which redirected the corresponding load to the computing cores. With the release of Ivy Bridge, full-fledged GPU computing became available on systems with Intel graphics.

In light of modern realities, Intel engineers paid attention to supporting multi-monitor configurations that are becoming increasingly popular. The HD Graphics 4000 graphics core was Intel's first integrated solution capable of running three independent displays. But keep in mind that to implement this function it was necessary to increase the width of the FDI bus, through which the image is transferred from the processor to the set system logic. So support for three monitors is only possible with new motherboards using seventh series chipsets.

In addition, there are some restrictions in resolutions and methods of connecting monitors. IN desktop platform, based on processors of the Ivy Bridge family, theoretically you can get three outputs: the first is universal (HDMI, DVI, VGA or DisplayPort) with maximum resolution 1920x1200, the second is DisplayPort, HDMI or DVI with resolutions up to 1920x1200 and the third is DisplayPort with support for high resolutions up to 2560x1600. That is, the popular option of connecting WQXGA monitors via Dual-Link DVI with Intel HD Graphics 4000 is still impossible to implement. But the version of the HDMI protocol has been brought to 1.4a, and the DisplayPort protocol to 1.1a, which in the first case means support for 3D, and in the second - the ability of the interface to transmit an audio stream.

Innovations also affected other components of the graphics core of Ivy Bridge processors, including their multimedia capabilities. High-quality hardware decoding of AVC/H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2 formats was successfully implemented in the last generation of HD Graphics, but in Ivy Bridge graphics the AVC decoding algorithms have been adjusted. Due to the new design of the module responsible for context-adaptive encoding, the performance of the hardware decoder has increased, which has resulted in the theoretical possibility of simultaneous playback of several streams with high resolution, up to 4096x4096.

Considerable progress has also been made to Quick Sync technology, designed for fast hardware video encoding into the AVC/H.264 format. Commissioned at Sandy Bridge, it was recognized as a colossal breakthrough a year and a half ago. Thanks to it, Intel processors have taken the lead in video transcoding speed high resolution, for which a separate hardware unit is now allocated, which is part of the graphics core. Within HD Graphics 4000 Quick technology Sync has become even better and has an improved media sampler. As a result, the updated Quick Sync engine provides approximately a twofold advantage in transcoding speed to the H.264 format compared to its previous Sandy Bridge version. At the same time, as part of the technology, the quality of the video produced by the codec has also improved, and ultra-high resolution video content, up to 4096x4096, has also been supported.

However, Quick Sync still has its weaknesses. On this moment This technology is used only in commercial video transcoding applications. There are no popular freely available utilities that work with this technology on the horizon. Another disadvantage of the technology is its close combination with the graphics core. If your system uses an external graphics card, which generally disables integrated graphics, you cannot use Quick Sync. True, a solution to this problem can be offered by a third-party company, LucidLogix, which has developed the Virtu graphic virtualization technology.

Nevertheless, Quick Sync remains a unique technology for the market. A highly specialized hardware codec implemented within its framework turns out to be significantly better in all respects than encoding using the power of shader processors modern video cards. The implementation of a similar utilitarian hardware solution For coding, after Intel, only NVIDIA was able to master it. And that company’s specialized tool, NVEnc, appeared only very recently - in Kepler generation accelerators.

⇡ Intel HD Graphics 4000 vs Intel HD Graphics 2500: what's the difference?

As before, Intel is integrating two graphics core options into Ivy Bridge. This time these are HD Graphics 4000 and HD Graphics 2500. The older and high-performance modification, which was primarily discussed in the previous section, has absorbed all the improvements inherent in the microarchitecture. The junior version of graphics is not aimed at establishing new performance standards for integrated solutions, but at simply providing modern processors with the minimum required level of graphics functionality.

The difference between HD Graphics 4000 and HD Graphics 2500 is dramatic. The fast version of the video core has sixteen actuators, in the younger one their number is reduced to six. As a result, while HD Graphics 4000 delivers roughly 2x the theoretical 3D performance over the previous-generation HD Graphics 3000, HD Graphics 2500's performance advantage over HD Graphics 2000 is projected to be 10 to 20 percent. The same applies to the speed of Quick Sync - a twofold increase in speed compared to its predecessors is promised only in relation to older versions of the video core.

At the same time, the “full-fledged” HD Graphics 4000 core can be found not in all representatives of the Ivy Bridge generation, but mainly only in mobile devices, where graphics integrated into the CPU are most in demand. In desktop models, HD Graphics 4000 is present either in Core i7 series processors or in overclocking Core i5 series processors (with the K suffix in the model number) with the only exception to this rule - the Core i5-3475S processor. In all other cases, desktop users have to either deal with HD Graphics 2500 or resort to the services of external graphics accelerators.

Fortunately, the widening gap between older and younger modifications of Intel graphics occurred solely in performance. The functionality of HD Graphics 2500 was not affected at all. Just like HD Graphics 4000, the younger version has support for DirectX 11 and three-monitor configurations.

It should be noted that, as before, in different processors The third generation Core graphics core can operate at different frequencies. For example, Intel cares more about integrated graphics performance when it comes to mobile solutions, and this is reflected in the frequencies. In general, Ivy Bridge mobile processors have an HD Graphics 4000 core that operates at a slightly higher frequency than in the case of their desktop modifications. In addition, the difference in the frequency of integrated graphics may also be due to limitations in heat dissipation different models CPU.

In addition, the frequency of graphics operation is variable. Ivy Bridge processors implement special technology Intel HD Graphics Dynamic Frequency, which interactively controls the frequency of the video core depending on the load on the processor cores and their current power consumption and heat dissipation.

Therefore, among the characteristics of specific HD Graphics implementations, two frequencies are indicated: minimum and maximum. The first is typical for the idle state, the second is the target frequency to which the graphics core seeks to accelerate, if current power consumption and heat dissipation allows, under load.

Today, the 4400 model is one of the best graphics accelerators for creating an entry-level multimedia station or office personal computer. This model belongs to the Intel HD Graphics line. Reviews of this product, its specifications and capabilities will be discussed in some detail.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: reasons for its appearance

Intel HD Graphics 4000 was released to reduce the cost of entry-level PCs. In reviews about this device Users report extremely low levels of performance. This is an integrated solution that is designed to implement simpler tasks. This list includes video playback, office applications and the most simple toys. In this case, the cost reduction is achieved due to the fact that there is no need to purchase an entry-level discrete video card. If we compare this accelerator with earlier integrated graphics solutions, the transfer of a central processing unit to a semiconductor chip has a beneficial effect on the level of performance. In this case, the layout motherboard simplified significantly. This significantly reduces its cost.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: the market segment this accelerator is aimed at

Intel HD Graphics 4000 is aimed at solving the most simple tasks. Users confirm this information in their reviews. This accelerator copes well with office applications Excel type andWord. The adapter also allows you to display images on a TV or monitor in HD quality. It will also play the simplest computer games. This list also includes outdated applications of this plan. So, for example, HeroesIII will definitely work in any version. For the more demanding computer games You will need to buy a discrete graphics adapter.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: processors with this accelerator

The Intel HD Graphics 4000 video card was part of the Corei3 CPU fourth generation. These chips belonged to the middle price category. They included two cores, and data could be processed in four software threads.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: operating mode

Intel HD Graphics 4000 supports an impressive list of image output modes. In their reviews, device owners indicate that this list All currently available monitor resolutions are present. The accelerator can operate in modes with lower resolution, but the frequency will still be limited to 60 Hz. This will be quite enough for comfortable work.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: technical specifications

For Intel models HD Graphics 4000 clock speeds are limited to 350 MHz and 1.1 GHz. Based on user reviews, we can conclude that the device has low power consumption. The video chip can dynamically change its clock frequency depending on the load. This indicator also affects the degree of heating of the semiconductor crystal. The higher the temperature, the lower the frequency, which means the slower the performance. graphics system. In this case, the crystal itself is manufactured according to 22 nm standards technological process. The maximum number of connected monitors in this case is three.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: memory

All video cards Intel series HD Graphics are designed for RAM, which meets the specifications of the DDR3 standard. Owners of the device indicate in their reviews that part of the installed part is allocated for the needs of the accelerator. computer system random access memory. For the hero this review The maximum amount of RAM is 2 GB. It should be separately noted that the frequencies of conventional RAM modules are lower than those used in discrete video cards. As a result, any accelerator will be inferior in performance to an external one. This does not take into account the frequency formulas of the chip itself and some architectural features.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: drivers

It will be impossible to unlock the full potential of any IntelHDGraphics accelerator without specially installed drivers. User reviews about the video card indicate that without installing drivers it turns into standard card VGA with 1024x768V resolution best case scenario. In case of installation operating system You will definitely need to install special video accelerator drivers in the control panel. In this case, the picture will be displayed on the monitor screen with a resolution of up to 4096×2304.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: increased performance and overclocking

This video card model has the ability to overclock. However, this manipulation, at best, will allow you to achieve an additional 5% of productivity. The computer will still be an entry-level solution. In such a situation, the requirements for the configuration of a personal computer increase significantly. In this case, you will need a power supply with power reserves, an improved crystal cooling system and an advanced motherboard.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: Competing Solutions

Intel HD Graphics 4000 was recognized as the most powerful graphics accelerator of the previous generation. This accelerator was part of chips based on the third generation Core architecture. It had an improved frequency formula. This graphic solution could operate in the frequency range 650 MHz-1.15 GHz. Frequency range Intel HD Graphics 4400 in turn is – 350 MHz – 1.1 GHz. In their reviews, users emphasize more high level performance of the latest solution. In this case the answer is large quantities executive blocks. The Intel HD Graphics 4600 accelerator provided a slightly higher level of performance. These video cards have an identical frequency formula, however large quantity information processing units provides greater productivity.

Intel HD Graphics 4000: reviews

The hero of our today's review has a performance level lower than that of the same Intel HD Graphics 4600. In turn, reviews from owners indicate that in terms of performance the difference between the integrated solutions is not so noticeable. For tasks that are aimed at solving this decision, the level of performance is quite sufficient. If you need to run more demanding applications, then you cannot do without using a full-fledged discrete video card.

Conclusion

The Intel HD Graphics 4000 can rightfully be called one of the best integrated graphics accelerators. In user reviews you can find the opinion that this model has a high level of energy efficiency and good performance when solving simple problems. But for anything more, the capabilities of this product will not be enough. This is not what it is intended for. Today, sixth-generation chips based on the Core architecture with faster integrated video accelerators have already appeared. However, even their capabilities will not be enough. For normal startup Photoshop and computer games, you will have to purchase an external accelerator. In other cases, the difference between integrated products is not so noticeable.

Intel's spirit in promoting the HD 4000 was decisive. The integrated graphics processor was located on the same chip with four Ivy Bridge cores of each Core i5-3570K and Core i7 3770 (K). For this reason, the move to 22nm Ivy Bridge from 32nm Sandy Bridge was more than just a tick in the manufacturer's famous "tick-tock" strategy, and indicated that US marketers are indeed very happy with what they go to market.

However, a presentation alone is not enough to convince one of the significant improvements in performance of the Intel HD 4000 graphics card, since the manufacturer's integrated graphics offerings often fall short of what is desired. Checking the built-in GPU has become even more relevant after the appearance of a competing hybrid AMD processor FM1, whose performance significantly exceeded the capabilities of the HD 3000 installed on most chips with Sandy Bridge architecture.

Intel (R) HD Graphics 4000: graphics card specifications

So, what did the manufacturing company do that caused such a fuss about the HD 4000? First of all, DirectX 11 support has been added. This means the HD 4000 can take advantage of all the great API features like tessellation and high-definition diffuse shading. No less important was the increase in the number of shader cores (or as Intel calls them, execution units) by 30% - from 12 to 16.

To guarantee full load additional computing capabilities, the manufacturer increased the number of texture pipelines from one to two. The pipelines are largely unchanged from the HD 3000 cores, but the increase in their number means each is shared by 8 rather than 12 cores, hence increasing theoretical throughput.

It is interesting to note that as a result of adding one pipeline, Intel was forced to allocate part of the L3 cache specifically for the GPU, since it makes no sense to double the number of texture processing units and leave it unchanged throughput. 256 KB are available, although the GPU will of course also require some of the system DDR3 RAM.

Intel HD Graphics 4000 Specifications: Memory

Since the GPU does not have a dedicated RAM, the processor must work in conjunction with the main memory and its clock frequency. Typically, RAM operates at a frequency of 1333 MHz, and a little more is often found. high speed- 1600 MHz.

The integrated GPU now has a larger cache shared with the L3 CPU, which determines how much is allocated to the graphics card. Dual-core and quad-core Ivy Bridge chips have 3-4 MB and 6-8 MB of L3 cache, respectively, which determines the theoretical impact of memory size on the performance of the Intel HD Graphics 4000.

Energy efficiency

In addition to architectural changes, the characteristics of the Intel HD 4000 are due to the transition to a new 22-nm process, which, according to the company, allows it to provide the same level of performance with half the power consumption. In idle mode, the GPU consumes 54.3 W of energy, and under load - 113 W (as part of the i7-3770K processor).

However, it was not without side effects. According to user reviews, chips based on Ivy Bridge have high thermal density. This means they can run hotter than their technically weaker predecessors.

Test configuration

Users tested the Intel HD 4000 Graphics in the i5-2570K and compared the results to the GPU it replaces, the HD 3000 integrated into the i5-2500k, as well as the AMD A8-3870K chipset, which offers tough competition at the low end of the market thanks to integrated Radeon HD 6550D graphics processor and discrete graphics Comparison is not so easy, since the HD 650 boasts 512 MB of internal memory and modern architecture Northern Islands GPU family.

Selecting appropriate procedures for testing synthetic graphics performance is not an easy task. Windows 7 Experience Index and CineBench R10/11 scores aren't as accurate as we'd like, and 3DMark tests tend to be more optimized and favor Intel.

According to user reviews, a good option is the DirectX11 Unigen Heaven 2.1 test.

Synthetic Performance

Unigen Heaven is one of the HD 4000's toughest endurance tests, so it's no surprise that the integrated Intel GPU struggles even at low settings. 1280 x 1024 pixel resolution and regular tessellation options allow you to get average frequency frames 13 fps. However, the HD 4000 is nearly 2x faster than some low-end dedicated GPUs such as the Radeon HD 7450 and GeForce 610M, both of which achieve frame rates as low as 7 fps in the same tests and settings. The GeForce 630M video card is in the lead with 14 fps.

Left 4 Dead 2

According to user reviews, the i5-3570K processor consistently demonstrates a minimum of 26 fps in the game Left 4 Dead 2 at 720p resolution. This result is superior AMD Radeon HD 6550D integrated into the A8-3870K, which shows performance of 31 fps, which is well above the 25 fps that is considered the threshold. The same story repeats when increasing the resolution to 1920 x 1080 pixels - AMD's offering again comes out on top. But it's not all bad: the HD 4000 integrated into the i5-3570K is far ahead of the old HD 3000 included in the i5-2500k. This confirms the manufacturer's claims that the graphics part of the Ivy Bridge architecture is "more than teak."

Dirt 3

Users note that the impressive characteristics of the Intel HD Graphics 4000 video card are confirmed by the game Dirt 3, in which the GPU is again ahead of the HD 3000 by 40%. This huge advantage is enough to take over the discrete graphics card in the test. This was another nail in the coffin for base-level discrete graphics cards.

Again, the HD 4000 is narrowly inferior to the HD 6550D at 720p, but it's important to note the higher thermal design power of the AMD processor. This isn't a major problem on a desktop PC (although in testing Intel chip the fan rotates at a noticeably lower speed, so a system built on it should be much quieter than one based on the A8-3870K), but it is a serious application for mobile computing, where power and cooling capabilities are significantly limited.

Diablo III

Surprisingly, not everything was so rosy for the GPU at launch Diablo III, since the characteristics of the Intel HD 4000, according to reviews from owners, were insufficient to cope with the game. This was not observed with the onboard graphics of the A8-3870K or the discrete HD 6450. The HD 4000 and HD6450 cards swapped places here - the latter outperformed the former, although neither was able to demonstrate normal work even at 720p resolution.

This result may be due to the fact that Diablo III was a fairly new game at the time and Intel had yet to optimize its driver. However, this cannot be an excuse for the rather poor performance, especially since AMD driver had no serious drop in performance.

Known Issues

Intel GPUs have been notorious for poor driver support in the past. Users have complained of artifacts and other glitches in a wide range of games that are not typically seen in graphics cards. Nvidia processors and AMD.

Users who have tested the Intel HD 4000's performance have found that the manufacturer has begun to slowly but surely improve its drivers. For example, the game Alan Wake had compatibility issues with HD 3000, but can run correctly on HD 4000. However, incompatibility with a number of games remained unresolved.

IN Black Ops Users are having issues with intermittent freezes regardless of graphic settings. The problem is observed even on the most low settings. At the same time, the frame rate drops to 22 fps. FIFA 12 has unusually long loading times (using a dual-core Core i5-3xxx). Metro 2033 with certain settings freezes during startup (only true for dual-core Core i5-3xxx).

Threat to budget video cards

Overall, users are impressed with the integrated Intel HD 4000 GPU. GPU performance has improved by an average of 30% over the HD 3000. This difference increases to 40% when pairing integrated graphics with a powerful quad-core Ivy Bridge processor such as the i7-3610QM. Even the best AMD Llano chips can't compete with the HD 4000. Intel has about a 15% advantage over the Fusion Llano offerings.

What's even more impressive is that the processor outperforms the Radeon HD 7450, suggesting that entry-level discrete graphics cards from AMD or Nvidia are no longer viable alternatives.

Casual gamers who can put up with low resolution, with full-screen anti-aliasing turned off and graphical effects muted, may find the HD 4000 processor an excellent option.

The manufacturing company has done an excellent job, at least in terms of integrated graphics. The characteristics of Intel (R) HD Graphics 4000 did not pose a threat to mid-range and discrete graphics cards. high class, But basic models Nvidia and AMD have a serious competitor. Since integrated GPUs were used in the vast majority of laptops, this product threatened to take away most of the market from competitors. These plans could be hindered by the promotion of AMD Trinity with the new Fusion core.

Prospect for Mobile Applications

Users were impressed not so much by the characteristics of the Intel HD 4000 as by the new prospects for using the processor.

At the same time, those wishing to create a media computer or a small cheap PC for whom graphics performance was important preferred the cheaper FM1 chip, which outperformed the HD 4000 i5-3570K in all tests. Even a reduction in the class of the video card did not allow the price to be equal, since the GPU was supplied only with i5-3570K and i7-3770K, and all other chipsets in the line were equipped with cut-down HD 2500 cores.

This may be a bit of an unfair comparison - Intel launched the HD 4000 in desktop chips, but the GPU's real place is in mobile processors. This is where the device could excel thanks to its good performance and low power consumption. The same can't be said for the A8-3870K, as its high heat levels mean it can only be used on desktop systems.

Another concession

The HD 4000 video processor might have received a higher rating if the manufacturer had paid more attention to its product. In the meantime, AMD could enjoy its status as the highest-performing integrated graphics card for some time to come.