Graphics Cards – Making The Step Up From Integrated Graphics

ICE STORM

Ice Storm is very basic testing environment, used to compare smartphones, tablets and ultra books. It is used to compare results across multiple mobile platforms, which require significantly less processing power.

The integrated graphics returned with a total score of 22632, while achieving as high as 96 fps in the graphics test and 137 fps in the physics test.

Where are the results for Sky Diver, Fire Strike and 3D Mark 11? Turns out that the integrated graphics are not compatible with Direct X 11, and further Furturemark is not able to test in these environments.

UNIGINE VALLEY BENCHMARK

Both of the Unigine benchmarking products we are using today immerse the graphics card in an intensive environment to fully stress test the card. Valley allows you to check out life high up in the mountains, then you’ll be flying over the vast green landscapes and switch over to a mountain hike. There are three main test methods with Valley: Basic, Extreme and Extreme HD.

BASIC

The integrated graphics ran through our Valley benchmark on the basic preset and returned a total score of 194, also averaging around 4.6 fps. Upon testing in Extreme and Extreme HD, we were greeted with a lovely error message upon starting the test. We can presume that this is due to the incompatibility of the integrated graphics.

UNIGINE HEAVEN BENCHMARK

Heaven Benchmark immerses a user into a magical world of shiny brass, wood and gears. Float around flying islands, a tiny village with its cobblestone streets, above the amazing sight of fluffy clouds, followed up by a dragon statue on the central square. This benchmark test is powered by the UNIGINE Engine again that utilizes the advanced capabilities of graphics cards. Here we have two presets to walk through: Basic and Extreme.

BASIC

In the basic setting our graphics card’s Heaven benchmark, our integrated graphics achieved a total score 179 and an average fps of 7.1. Upon testing in Extreme and Extreme HD, we were greeted with the same lovely error message upon starting the test. We can again presume that this is due to the incompatibility of the integrated graphics.

FURMARK

This benchmark uses fur rendering algorithms to measure the performance of the graphics card, which is specifically designed to overheat the GPU and to determine the stability of the card during times of intense stress. While the other tests had some exciting scenes to sit back and stare at, FurMark is a little less exciting. While it is not a test to “Set it and forget it”, it is also not a test you will want to watch for 15 minutes straight. We do encourage you now to utilize that laser thermometer, if you have one kicking around. Take a look at the temperatures recorded on-screen and what the card is actually listed it.

Our integrated graphics managed to make it through Furmark without any artifacts or crashing. However, it failed to return any results due to a temperature error. We can also see that it achieved an average frame rate of 1 fps.