With the advent of Intel core processors in laptops, the hybrid graphics subsystem has become widespread. That is, two video cards are installed in the laptop: integrated into the processor (built-in) and discrete (separate board). Many users have questions about the appropriateness of using the power of the integrated graphics subsystem in games. In particular, many questions arose about the Intel HD Graphics 520 as the most advanced integrated card among its "brothers." It makes sense to analyze in more detail the characteristics of this adapter and consider its performance in games.
general information
The HD Graphics 520 is installed on Skylake generation processors. These are the i3, i5 and i7 models. The most powerful are the latter. It is worth noting that in the case of integrated graphics, its performance directly depends on the type and amount of RAM and the size of the third-level cache. Therefore, it is advisable to consider the capabilities of this card only in tandem with the most powerful processor of the line - i7. This is the whole point of built-in video adapters. They directly depend on other components of the laptop. While discrete cards are completely self-sufficient. But that's not the point. It's time to go to the characteristics of the adapter.
Specifications
So, what about the HD Graphics 520 in terms of features? This card is built on the SkyLake architecture and has a maximum clock speed of 1050 megahertz. But this is only in turbo mode. The standard frequency for it is 300 megahertz. The adapter can work with random access memory like DDR3 and DDR4. This alone makes it quite modern. The maximum memory bus width is 128 bits. This means that the video card is capable of delivering good color depth. But for modern adapters, this figure is a common thing. Among other things, the adapter supports DirectX 12 (which is not found on many cards) and QuickSynch technology. This allows the adapter to work with the latest applications and games. By the way, the graphics chip will also feel great on the new Windows 10 OS thanks to the support of the latest version of Direct. This is a distinctive feature of HD Graphics 520. The characteristics, as you can see, allow us to hope that the adapter will be able to run many games.
Supported games
Now let's see what the Intel HD Graphics 520 graphics chip is capable of. A laptop (with average parameters) is not a very powerful device in itself. And you can’t count on the full launch of games like GTA V. But an i7-based car with this adapter in the kit is quite capable of coping with almost all 2015 toys at the minimum graphics settings. This does not mean that at maximum games will not start. Just the number of frames per second will be very small. Thus, a laptop with this built-in adapter is capable of launching such masterpieces of the gaming industry as Battlefield Hardline (30 fps), Fallout 4 (13 fps), GRID Autosport (73 fps), Metro 2033 (31 fps) and other toys of various genres. It is worth noting that the integrated graphics adapter with a bang copes with the development of complex textures and overloaded locations. You can play quite comfortably with the help of HD Graphics 520.
Comparison with discrete graphics
If we consider this adapter in the "maximum configuration" (with an i7 processor and a decent amount of RAM), then the closest competitor among the discrete cards will be the NVidia GeForce 820M. Technical specifications of both chips are approximately the same, but the “discrete” still wins a little in performance. This is due to the fact that when using the integrated graphics, the laptop processor performs a double job: its own and the graphics adapter. A discrete graphics card has its own CPU, which is responsible only for image processing. Therefore, the rendering quality is better, and the number of frames per second is decent. So for heavy games HD Graphics 520 is not suitable. Better use discrete graphics. So the processor will be more intact.
Conclusion
So, we have examined the technical specifications and real capabilities of the integrated graphics adapter from Intel HD Graphics 520. Its performance is enough to run games at the minimum graphics settings. But it's better to use discrete video adapters. So the central processor will last longer. And the picture quality will be better. Not to mention the number of frames per second. The built-in adapter is good for browsers and watching videos. So let him do his work.