Do I need a Separate Graphics Card?

[Sir Topham Hatt]

I didn't know if I should put this in hardware or not but it's really only related to gaming.

 

I am thinking I don't really need a graphics card in my next system as I rarely use graphics intensive games.  Here's a few specs of the games I frequently play:

LUL SIM:
Graphics card: GeForce 9800 (GT) or comparable ATI
 
ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON 3:
Any ATI Radeon? or GeForce? 2 with 32MB or higher; or other video card with 32MB and hardware T&L (ATI Radeon? 64 MB SDR or GeForce? 2 Pro or other video card with 64 MB or more memory and hardware T&L recommended)
 
RAILWORKS:
64 MB with Pixel Shader 2.0** (AGP PCIe only)
 
RED ALERT 3:
Video Card ? NVIDIA GeForce 6800, ATI Radeon X1800 or higher end DirectX 9.0c compatible gfx card
 
TEAM FORTRESS 2:
Graphics Card: Radeon X800 or Geforce 6800
 
SETTLERS 7:
512 MB Graphics Memory with Shader 3 (Rec: GeForce 9600)

[tsupersonic]

Those are all fairly older games. What resolution/details are you playing at? Even if you are not gaming, I would recommend a low end card. It's always nicer to have a dedicated graphics card rather than an integrated card. 

[NoClipMode]

I disagree, its no longer better to always have a dedicated GPU. The latest integrated GPU's from AMD and Intel are easily good enough for all of those games (Intel in particular has come a long way recently). They support the latest DirectX and OpenGL standards, support 4k resolution, offer multiple monitor output and save space, heat and power. You will literally get zero benefit using a dedicated GPU for the games you play.

If i was you i'd go for a Intel Haswell CPU with a integrated HD 4600 GPU, so something like the Core i5 4670. This should run any of those games at 1080p on full graphics setting.

[Sir Topham Hatt]

My current resolution is at 1680 x 1050, so most games play at that.

I think the odd one is higher but I can't remember which one.  I don't see myself getting a huge monitor any time soon.

 

My current card is only 512Mb so I guess even a  GT 630 1GB DDR3 card would be an upgrade?

 

The option I have for a processor is an Intel i5 3570 (1155) - the K version is offered but I don't need to overclock, so would save on the price.  Would that integrated graphics processor be fine to run those games?  I do have the option of a 2nd generation Intel i5 3470 (1155), which would save me ?16 so I chose the newer one.

The graphics card would be an additional ?40 to have.

[Blackhearted]

We need to know a bit more than '512 MB' to know how a gt 630 or integrated graphics compares to whatever you're using now.

[psionicinversion]

if you went for an AMD Richland (FM2) chip the on board gfx are better than anything intel currently has plus it would be ALOT cheaper to. Those games are so old youd have to go out of your way to find a gfx card that would struggle to play em nowadays.

 

So id go for an AMD system if i were you

[tsupersonic]

You should be fine with the i5 3570's integrated at that resolution. I always recommend a low end graphics card if it can fit in the budget. It's always better to have that strain off CPU/RAM. The i5 3570k will offer HD4000, while the i5 3470 and i5 3570 both offer the weaker HD2500

[tsupersonic]

if you went for an AMD Richland (FM2) chip the on board gfx are better than anything intel currently has plus it would be ALOT cheaper to. Those games are so old youd have to go out of your way to find a gfx card that would struggle to play em nowadays.

 

So id go for an AMD system if i were you

Why would you purposely buy an older card to play those games? You can just buy a modern graphics card and those games will play perfectly fine. 

[threetonesun]

My current resolution is at 1680 x 1050, so most games play at that.

I think the odd one is higher but I can't remember which one.  I don't see myself getting a huge monitor any time soon.

 

My current card is only 512Mb so I guess even a  GT 630 1GB DDR3 card would be an upgrade?

 

The option I have for a processor is an Intel i5 3570 (1155) - the K version is offered but I don't need to overclock, so would save on the price.  Would that integrated graphics processor be fine to run those games?  I do have the option of a 2nd generation Intel i5 3470 (1155), which would save me ?16 so I chose the newer one.

The graphics card would be an additional ?40 to have.

 

1680x1050 isn't very taxing for most graphics cards. The 2500 GPU on those processors is ok... at best. It will run all of those games though, the only one I could see it "struggling" on is TF2, but it should still be over 30 fps at medium settings.

[psionicinversion]

Why would you purposely buy an older card to play those games? You can just buy a modern graphics card and those games will play perfectly fine. 

 

Maybe he wants to upgrade his system but hasnt got the budget to buy a gfx card to. you could buy an A10-6700 richland cpu and a cheap motherboard for the price of an ivybrudge 3570k and the integrated GPU is alot stronger.

[Liam]

I may have been unfortunate here, but after attempting to use onboard graphics on an intel display adapter, it didnt have the ram to run steam big picture mode, nor the driver support to run Fez, (its a htpc not my main pc) went and purchased a amd hd5450 for around ?35 and it now runs them fine... I guess what im suggesting is go with an AMD atleast, the driver support is quite important IMO

[Astra.Xtreme]

Your GT 630 has more power than an integrated HD 4000, so you're better off already.

[PGHammer]

My current resolution is at 1680 x 1050, so most games play at that.

I think the odd one is higher but I can't remember which one.  I don't see myself getting a huge monitor any time soon.

 

My current card is only 512Mb so I guess even a  GT 630 1GB DDR3 card would be an upgrade?

 

The option I have for a processor is an Intel i5 3570 (1155) - the K version is offered but I don't need to overclock, so would save on the price.  Would that integrated graphics processor be fine to run those games?  I do have the option of a 2nd generation Intel i5 3470 (1155), which would save me ?16 so I chose the newer one.

The graphics card would be an additional ?40 to have.

Dedicated discrete graphics is ALWAYS better (even for older or low-end games) - once you discover how much better, you'll start kicking yourself.

 

You don't have to get spendy on discrete graphics, however (you pointed to the GT630); however, I would also recommend looking at used (especially factory-refurbished) versions of the GTX5xx series if you live near a MicroCenter.  (This month, the retail stores have been blowing out factory-refurbished versions of the GTX550Ti and GTX560Ti.  Both are solid performers in any game, they don't require lots of either power or case space (while both are dual-slot, neither is all that long), and even the GTX560Ti in refurbished trim is, at worst, $100USD before taxes.

[psionicinversion]

Yeah but hes playing games from like 10 years ago, theres more than enough power in a IGP to play what hes playing

[threetonesun]

I may have been unfortunate here, but after attempting to use onboard graphics on an intel display adapter, it didnt have the ram to run steam big picture mode, nor the driver support to run Fez, (its a htpc not my main pc) went and purchased a amd hd5450 for around ?35 and it now runs them fine... I guess what im suggesting is go with an AMD atleast, the driver support is quite important IMO

 

Which one? Any of the new Core series processors have enough memory to run Steam in big picture.

 

FWIW, Fez had issues, in general. It wasn't really Intel's fault. The Intel IGPs are not that bad, I ran through Dishonored on a 4000 before I got a dedicated GPU, and it ran fine, at low settings. It would have no problem with TF2.

 

Not to say a dedicated card won't be better, but for some in the $50 - $70 range, they might not be much better.

[vcfan]

My current resolution is at 1680 x 1050, so most games play at that.

I think the odd one is higher but I can't remember which one.  I don't see myself getting a huge monitor any time soon.

 

My current card is only 512Mb so I guess even a  GT 630 1GB DDR3 card would be an upgrade?

 

The option I have for a processor is an Intel i5 3570 (1155) - the K version is offered but I don't need to overclock, so would save on the price.  Would that integrated graphics processor be fine to run those games?  I do have the option of a 2nd generation Intel i5 3470 (1155), which would save me ?16 so I chose the newer one.

The graphics card would be an additional ?40 to have.

 

both the 3470 and 3570 have the same hd 2500 igp, so its a comparable in performance to between a 9400gt and 9500gt,probably closer to 9500gt.

 

the 3570k has an intel hd 4000,and depending on your cooling (turboboost), you can achieve performance between a gt 620 and gt 630.

 

most likely,you will achieve the best performance by going with the discreet card,but according to the specs of those games, a 3570k should be adequate,and the igp should be at least 2x as fast as the 3470/3570 igp.

[Liam]

Which one? Any of the new Core series processors have enough memory to run Steam in big picture.

 

FWIW, Fez had issues, in general. It wasn't really Intel's fault. The Intel IGPs are not that bad, I ran through Dishonored on a 4000 before I got a dedicated GPU, and it ran fine, at low settings. It would have no problem with TF2.

 

Not to say a dedicated card won't be better, but for some in the $50 - $70 range, they might not be much better.

 

Sorry about the delay, I seem to have reply notifications turned off (not a big poster as you can see :) ), it was an old core duo 2 2.93ghz if i remember correctly. I wasn't blaming Intel by any means, its not their fault that a certain game doesn't work, hotline miami wouldn't run either. and I'm aware both are low budget indy'ish type games.  I have since replaced that pc with the leftovers from my gaming rig upgrade. I'd personally go with Amd / nvidia if only for the driver support for small / older titles. It was kinda infuriating to put together a cheap low cost rig to watch avi's and play casual games with a controller.. only for them to not run at all.  The intels have come a long way though over the years, I Just don't personally believe they are their yet.