Once upon a time, Intel on-board graphics would totally be raped by games like Dungeon Siege 2, driving us to the point of insanity. Fortunately, now that Intel has seen the error of their ways, today an integrated graphics card can satisfy most gaming needs (except those of the hardcore gamers, of course). So if you are NOT a hardcore gamer or a professional video editor, chances are that you have a desktop computer or a laptop with an integrated video card. In this article I'm going to show you how to get the max out of the integrated graphics card in Intel processors - Intel HD Graphics. The performance improvement tips should also work on AMD integrated graphics.
This is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to do. The driver is the piece of software all the programs and games use to communicate with your graphics card. It serves the purpose of being a translator between your PC and its hardware. Being with the latest driver means that your graphics card will work faster and you will experience less problems and freezes in graphic intensive applications and games. New driver versions also introduce improvements and optimizations for many games. Not to mention the bug fixes….and remember there are hacked versions of Intel drivers, that are tailored specifically for gaming. Just do a quick Google search.
If you are on a desktop computer, simply go to Intel's website and search for the exact model of your CPU's graphics card, for example Intel HD Graphics for Celeron, Intel HD Graphics 3000, Intel HD GM45, etc. Then download the driver for your OS and install it. If you are on a laptop, it is best to visit the website of you laptop's manufacturer and find the web page related to your laptop.
- Increase the amount of RAM and make it work in dual channel mode
Integrated graphics cards usually do not have their own memory (or only have a small amount of one). They take memory from the RAM of the computer. When your computer has more RAM the Intel HD Graphics will be able to utilize more memory. But what will really speed it up will be using two memory sticks of the same capacity and speed. In this case you computer's RAM will begin to work in dual channel mode which means that it will automatically become at least 15% faster. As the integrated graphics card uses computer's RAM you can expect event greater performance improvement for your Intel HD Graphics. I use 2GB on my Lenovo and that keeps me satisfied, but it all boils down to preference. Remember, the more, the better.
- Make sure the graphics card is not in power saving mode
If you are after maximum performance of you Intel HD Graphics, make sure you have turned off all of its power saving features. This tip is valid for all video cards, power saving features kills performance (if you use a laptop, NEVER do this if running you’re your battery only). That is why in order to achieve maximum performance you have to make sure that your Windows power plan is not on Power Saver, you can use the Balanced or the (preferred)High Performance power plan. You can also click the Intel HD Graphics driver tray icon (it should be near the clock in the task bar, looks like a tiny monitor), then click the Powertab and select Maximum Performance. Please, note that although this tip will certainly improve your Intel HD Graphics' performance it will also increase the power it draws, as well as the heat it generates, so in desktop systems make sure you have some cooling fans mounted in there. This also helps keep your CPU cool as well. If you use a laptop, invest in a cooling pad, especially if you are on a laptop that gets hot really fast.
These 3 tips should improve your Intel HD Graphics performance thus letting you enjoy smooth gameplay even in games you thought you would never be able to play with an integrated graphics card. They will work fine for other graphics cards as well. Other ways to improve the performance of Intel HD Graphics also exist, but from personal experience found these 3 ones most effective. And no, you won’t be playing Crysis 2 or any game along that line lol. Cheers, Sam
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