Why the Intel Iris Xe DG1 Graphics Card is Still Better than an iGPU –

Intel recently launched a graphics card, called Iris Xe DG1, that’s built onto a laptop and provided features for VR (Virtual Reality), Gaming as well as Tablet. It’s a new technology and it’s quite a performance breakthrough over what we’ve seen before.

When Intel unveiled the new Iris Xe graphics technology it was received with a lot of moxy and excitement. It was the first time the blue giant has put out a graphics card that has a discrete GPU, and it’s the first time the company has ventured into the $100 price range. But, in a way, the new Iris graphics card takes things back to where they started: Freed from the shackles of Intel’s integrated graphics processors, the Iris Xe is still better than the integrated graphics solution that comes with most motherboards, so why are they still better than the iGPUs that come with traditional laptops?

Over the last year I’ve been working on a series of articles about how the design of graphics cards affects performance. The first article was called “Why the Intel Iris Xe DG1 Graphics Card is Still Better than an iGPU” (link). As the series progressed, I realized that there was a lot of overlap between the two articles, and so I decided to combine them into a single, revised article.

To be honest, Intel’s first effort into the discrete GPU market in the past two months was… strange. Aside from its official availability, the product’s reviews and benchmarks have gotten a mixed response. Some praise it for its unexpectedly high productivity potential, while others compare it to the GT 1030, which is now the go-to stop-gap GPU.

The recent introduction of AMD’s upgraded Zen 3 APUs, which included the all-familiar Vega iGPUs wrapped in the current Ryzen 5000 series architecture, has made its presence much worse. To aficionados, the Xe DG1 was beginning to resemble extra visual output for next year’s workplaces’ newest Optiplex and Thinkcentres.

Would it, however, be true? Here are several reasons why the Xe DG1 may still be preferable over an iGPU.

Images of the Intel Iris Xe DG1 found on the internet:

Why-the-Intel-Iris-Xe-DG1-Graphics-Card-is-StillASUS Iris Xe DG1 Graphics Intel Iris Xe DG1 Graphics ” data-medium-file=”https://h7t3n7s7.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Intel-Iris-Xe-DG1-Graphics-ASUS-300×200.jpg” data-large-file=”https://www.colourmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Intel-Iris-Xe-DG1-Graphics-ASUS.jpg”/>

Intel Iris Xe DG1 Graphics ASUS

1628925535_438_Why-the-Intel-Iris-Xe-DG1-Graphics-Card-is-StillGraphics Card Intel Iris Xe DG1 ” data-medium-file=”https://h7t3n7s7.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Intel-Iris-Xe-DG1-Graphics-Card-300×169.jpg” data-large-file=”https://www.colourmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Intel-Iris-Xe-DG1-Graphics-Card.jpg”/>

Intel Iris Xe DG1 Graphics Card

1628925536_583_Why-the-Intel-Iris-Xe-DG1-Graphics-Card-is-StillIris Xe graphics from Intel ” data-medium-file=”https://h7t3n7s7.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Intel-Iris-Xe-Graphics-1024-300×169.jpg” data-large-file=”https://www.colourmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Intel-Iris-Xe-Graphics-1024.jpg”/>

Intel Iris Xe Graphics

Specifications for Intel Iris Xe DG1

(Based on the OEM version from Asus)

Architecture DG1 Clock at the Start 900 Mhz
Process Dimensions 10 nm Game Timer 1650 Mhz
Units that provide shade 640 Clock Booster 2589 Mhz
TMUs 40 Clock with Memory 2133 Mhz
ROPs 20 Memory Capacity 4 GB
Executive Units 80 Type of Memory LPDDR4X
L2 Cache 1024 KB Bus Memory 128-bit
L3 Cache 16 MB Bandwidth 68.26 gigabits per second
FP32 TFLOPS = TFLOPS = TFLOPS = TFLOPS TDP 30 W
Price at the start N/A Extra Strength none

 

Overview of Why Intel Iris Xe DG1 Is Better Than Integrated Graphics

  • Setup for Multiple Displays
  • Demonstrates the effectiveness of dedicated hardware resources
  • Never sits idly in a chair that isn’t being used (In a Build)
  • Video Encoders That Are Far More Advanced (within the same GPU tier)

 

1. Multi-display Configuration

The Intel Iris Xe DG1 is attractive to OEM system makers simply because it is one of the cheapest discrete GPUs to provide multi-display connection for productivity reasons, comparable to the likes of office-variety GT 710s and even earlier GT 640s.

Even the most exotic and unique OEM designs would often just include a smidgeon of either an HDMI connector or a VGA and Dual-Link DVI. While this is plenty if you just need one screen for your office computer, demand is constantly on the rise for systems that can accommodate several displays. Indeed, why bother with an impractically weak discrete GPU if it can be plugged into the system for virtually no money and won’t affect the system’s fundamental specifications?

Furthermore, in many office productivity situations, the improved reaction speed of just tilting your head to another screen, rather than having to click through a few windows every few seconds, justifies the usage of several monitors. This emphasizes the importance of the Xe DG1’s OEM product exclusivity.

MSI GeForce GT 710 2GB Gaming

2. Dedicated Hardware Resources Still Outperform Shared Hardware Resources

The hardware resources must be shared equally between the CPU and (integrated) GPU, which is the misery of every iGPU, even the great likes of the Zen 3 Ryzen APUs. Memory bandwidth becomes more essential than ever, as VRAM consumes the system’s installed memory module capacity very immediately.

While the usage of LPDDR4X memory is dubious, the Xe DG1 is nevertheless constructed to semi-modern standards, with enough of memory capacity and bandwidth for dedicated hardware. Even today’s champion of competitive office computers, the “almighty” GT 1030, does not come with 4GB of VRAM. Despite having much less, it has previously been considered for this exact same reason. Isn’t the same true for the Xe DG1, which is also aimed at the office machine market?

This comparison is done in contrast to the use of an iGPU, which introduces fewer processing demands and data to the CPU and RAM. Because the CPU’s workload is reduced, it may devote its performance overhead to other tasks. And, unless otherwise tuned, this implies much less overall heat for both the GPU and the CPU to disperse.

When it comes to maximizing the capabilities of an iGPU, heat and memory go hand in hand.

2GB Asus GeForce GT 1030

3. Never sits around idle.

One of the most compelling reasons for the usage of iGPU systems is that they may act as a temporary solution. Rather of waiting a long time for your PC to become operational, you build the rest of the components right away and wait the rest of the months until you can afford a good discrete GPU update.

This… isn’t quite as perfect as it seems. First, specialized APUs reduce the cost of the construction by increasing the CPU’s initial price. Second, there is a secondhand market. A Ryzen 3 3200G is almost the same price as a Core i3 9100F Plus a used 750 Ti. Even if overclocked, the 9100F would definitely demolish the 3200G in discrete GPU gaming performance if the design is really a temporary solution with the intention of adding something like an RX 5500 XT very soon. Worse, the 9100F may easily move the 750 Ti to another computer or sell it to recover the loss immediately.

The Xe DG1 is the most sophisticated “750 Ti transfer” alternative for comparable circumstances, since it is a more advanced (architecturally) solution than the GT 1030 and RX 550. Although the Xe DG1 is now only compatible with certain motherboards (and therefore specified CPUs), the argument remains valid. Unlike a rather costly iGPU-driven CPU, it may be retained as a separate investment that can be used for a variety of different “insurance”-related reasons.

AMD Radeon RX 550 PowerColour

4. Video encoders that are much more sophisticated

Finally, as compared to comparable low-tier GPUs, the Xe DG1 is much superior in terms of video-related productive workloads. Yes, it was never intended to be a gaming GPU. However, unlike an iGPU (or even comparable office-level GPUs), it is equipped with specialized video encoding hardware to aid with the processing of smaller, but possibly more procedure-repetitive multimedia jobs.

Take, for example, its multi-format encoder/decoder. At least two of them, together known as an MFX unit, can conduct hardware acceleration on a variety of well-known and widely used video encoding standards, most notably AVC and HEVC. This is something that even a discrete GPU like the GT 1030, much alone a pair of Vega compute units slapped on a contemporary architecture Zen CPU, is just incapable of. When the work is offloaded to the CPU, the prior benefit number two kicks in.

2GD4 MSI GT 1030 MSI GT 1030 MSI GT 1030 MSI GT 1030

Even better, this ostensibly entry-level GPU is capable of simultaneous 8K multimedia playing on all three of its video outputs, with the resolution “tradeable” for greater frame rates as needed. All of this is in line with the Xe DG1’s stated target market, which is the small business market.

Related

The Intel Iris Xe is the second generation Intel Iris graphics card, the successor to the Intel Iris Pro. The Iris Pro was the first mainstream Intel graphics card for laptops, and used the same architecture as the desktop Iris Pro. The Iris Pro was a good graphics card, but it was also very expensive considering its specs. The Iris Xe came as a result of the demand for an Iris Pro that was more affordable. The Iris Xe still does not have the same specs as the Iris Pro, it has just been slightly reduced in core and memory. However, it is still a great graphics card, which means it is a great choice for a laptop. If you are in the market for a new laptop and are looking for a great graphics. Read more about intel dg1 gpu and let us know what you think.

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Yes, it is. Intel Iris Xe graphics is a mid-range graphics card that is very good at deep learning. The performance is not the greatest, but it is more than enough for deep learning.

Q: How do I get better at csgo?
The most important”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How good is Intel Iris Xe max graphics?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”
The Intel Iris Xe graphics are quite good. They are over twice as fast as the Intel HD graphics used in most laptops and are about equal to the Nvidia 940MX. This is great for anyone who wants to play games on low settings. It can easily handle most games on low settings with decent”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Why is Intel Iris Plus Graphics good?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”
This is a graphics processing package that comes with the computer chip. The graphics chip is used to help display information in the computer. It is not typically used in computers that are made for gaming.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Intel Iris Xe graphics good for deep learning?

Yes, it is. Intel Iris Xe graphics is a mid-range graphics card that is very good at deep learning. The performance is not the greatest, but it is more than enough for deep learning. Q: How do I get better at csgo? The most important

How good is Intel Iris Xe max graphics?

The Intel Iris Xe graphics are quite good. They are over twice as fast as the Intel HD graphics used in most laptops and are about equal to the Nvidia 940MX. This is great for anyone who wants to play games on low settings. It can easily handle most games on low settings with decent

Why is Intel Iris Plus Graphics good?

This is a graphics processing package that comes with the computer chip. The graphics chip is used to help display information in the computer. It is not typically used in computers that are made for gaming. Q: How to find out if my phone is charged? There are a couple of

Related Tags

This article broadly covered the following related topics:

  • intel xe gpu
  • intel dg1
  • intel dg1 specs
  • intel xe dg1 benchmark
  • intel dg1 gpu

About Vaibhav Sharda

Vaibhav Sharda

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