A PC with a GPU is ideal for gaming, but if that’s impossible, processors with integrated graphics have come a long way. You don’t always need to spend heaps of extra cash on an expensive GPU to run games.
But that begs the question: which CPU has the best integrated graphics?
1 Best Performance: AMD Ryzen 7 8700G
Maybe you want to build the smallest gaming PC you can think of in a Mini-ITX or horizontal PC case. Or maybe you want it to double as a video/photo processing workstation. If so, the undisputed champion for gaming without a separate GPU is AMD’s Ryzen 7 8700G.
The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G has 8 cores/16 threads and a 4.2GHz base clock. Its graphical capabilities are powered by the Radeon 780M, which has 12 compute units, making it the most powerful of its kind on the market.
AMD took the lead in integrated graphics when it put a CPU and GPU onto the same silicon die for the first time back in 2011. AMD’s innovation in this niche is still apparent: conservative estimates put the 8700G at 60% to 200% more powerful in graphical performance than the other Intel offerings on this list.
The Ryzen 8700G is meant for limited 1080p gaming and full 720p gaming. Compared to a discrete graphics card, the Ryzen 7 8700G would be equivalent to Nvidia’s GTX 1650—an impressive feat if you consider that all that power is now packaged into one little chip.
If you’re looking for the highest graphical performance and don’t plan on getting a separate GPU later, AMD’s Ryzen 7 8700G is the processor for you.
However, the Ryzen 8700G might not make much sense when you can buy a discrete GPU like the Nvidia RTX 4060 at the same price for 2x to 4x the graphical performance. But to be fair, that’s an entirely different ball game, and the Ryzen 8700G still costs less than buying a CPU and GPU separately.
2 Best Value: AMD Ryzen 5 8600G
If we’re talking performance per dollar, AMD’s Ryzen 5 8600G takes the value crown. As the Ryzen 7 8700G’s little brother, the Ryzen 5 8600G is perfect for those who intend to do light gaming but also need their desktop primarily for work or school productivity.
The AMD Ryzen 5 8600G is powered by 6 cores/12 threads with a 4.3GHz base clock. It uses Radeon 760M integrated graphics with 8 compute units.
The Ryzen 5 8600G is a great value for what you’re getting. Although the Ryzen 8700G’s graphical output is undoubtedly superior, the 8600G’s CPU is almost on par—at a significantly lower price point. And because the Ryzen 8600G fits into the newest AM5 socket motherboards, it leaves a path open for you to upgrade components in the future.
3 Best Budget: AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G, first available to retail consumers in 2021-2022, was the predecessor to the Ryzen 7 8700G. The Ryzen 5700G was the flagship with the strongest integrated graphics processor of its generation. Believe it or not, this older chip still outperforms—in terms of integrated graphics—the newer Intel offerings below.
The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G has 8 cores / 16 threads and a base clock of 3.8GHz. It uses Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics.
If you have the budget to swing for any of the 8000-Series chips above, you’re better off with the newer-gen chips. But maybe you only intend to do light gaming and have other plans, like using it as a home-theater PC with Plex or its alternatives. Or maybe you’re on a tight budget and want to build a PC using the less expensive socket AM4 motherboard and components. In that case, the Ryzen 5700G is the budget leader.
However, you should know that the Ryzen 5700G uses the older AM4 motherboards. Socket AM5 is better than AM4 in significant ways, such as having DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 support. If you want an upgrade path compatible with socket AM5, then the Ryzen 8600G is a better value proposition.
4 Best Performance With GPU Upgrade: Intel Core i9-14900K
What if you were planning on gaming with integrated graphics to tide you over until you can add a separate GPU later? Although the Intel offerings lag behind their AMD counterparts for integrated graphics, choosing an Intel processor would be a wiser play in this scenario.
How come? The designs of the AMD processors above are limited in bandwidth by the link to the GPU slot; in short, this makes it so a discrete GPU can’t perform optimally, a situation you wouldn’t normally expect. This tradeoff doesn’t come into play for Intel CPUs because they use a different architecture.
Among Intel processors with integrated graphics, the Intel Core i9-14900K has the most graphical and processing power. The i9-14900K boasts 24 cores/32 threads at a base clock of 3.2GHz on its P-cores. Its on-chip integrated graphics is handled by Intel’s UHD Graphics 770.
But is this chip worth its high premium? The extra oomph from its high core count will probably be underutilized for gaming, and it might only make sense if your PC also moonlights as a high-powered workstation. Otherwise, considering the next option is a big price incentive.
5 Best Value With GPU Upgrade: Intel Core i5-14600K
The best value processor among Intel’s 14th-Gen lineup is the Intel Core i5-14600K. It features 14 cores/20 threads at a base clock of 3.5GHz on its P-cores. Like its bigger brothers, the i5-14600K comes with UHD Graphics 770.
Most systems are graphics-bottlenecked when it comes to gaming, so it could be argued that the price difference between the i7-14700K and the i5-14600K could be put toward a separate GPU later. Sure, the i5-14600K doesn’t have Intel APO. And yes, the i7-14700K has a higher graphical base clock. Real-world comparisons, however, have shown their frame rates to be within 10% of each other in popular games.
So, if you’re on a budget or saving for a GPU, the Intel Core i5-14600K is the better value.
6 Best for Laptop Gaming: Ryzen 9 8945HS
Did you know that AMD’s mobile processors now use an infuriatingly confusing naming scheme? Good luck figuring out the differences between a laptop with the Ryzen 5 7645HX versus one with a Ryzen 7 8840U.
To keep it simple for gaming, focus on the graphical technology on the chip. In other words, between AMD Radeon iGPU vs. Intel Iris Xe, which is the best for integrated graphics?
Spoiler alert: The winner is an AMD Ryzen mobile processor with Radeon 780M graphics. There are many processors in this lineup, but the most powerful one currently for gaming is the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, featuring 8 cores/16 threads with a 4.0GHz base clock. It uses the same powerful Radeon 780M integrated graphics as its desktop cousins, and it is the best laptop gaming experience you can have without the added size and overheating concerns of a discrete GPU.
