X-bit labs

Roundup of 7 Contemporary Integrated Graphics Chipsets for Socket 478 and Socket A Platforms

Category: Chipsets

by Tim Tscheblockov

[ 07/05/2004 | 11:09 AM ]

In our today’s article we will discuss 7 of the most advanced of currently-available integrated graphics chipsets. We will see how the integrated graphics manages games and video playback and how well it renders 3D scenes in the same games and will also evaluate the quality of output to the monitor, both CRT and LCD.

Table of contents:

• Testing Participants
  
• ATI RADEON 9100 IGP
  
• ATI RADEON 9000 PRO IGP
  
• SiS 661FX
  
• Intel 865G
  
• NVIDIA nForce2 IGP
  
• SiS 741GX
  
• VIA UniChrome KM400
  
• Testbed and Methods
  
• Performance in Gaming Tests
  
• Unreal Tournament 2004 Demo
  
• Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
  
• C&C Generals: Zero Hour
  
• Serious Sam: The Second Encounter
  
• IL-2 Sturmovik: Aces
  
• Quake 3: Arena
  
• Performance in Synthetic tests: PCMark 04
  
• Video Playback: MPEG-4, DVD, HDTV
  
• 3D Image Quality
  
• 2D Image Quality
  
• Conclusion
  

If we were to compare the evolution rate of discrete graphics processors with that of integrated graphics, we would see that integrated graphics solutions live as if in another world where everything is going on slowly and sedately – quite contrary to the changing and dynamic market of gaming graphics cards.

Just consider: we have watched several generations of GPUs passing by in the world of discrete graphics in the last two or three years. The industry greeted and embraced shaders of the eighth and ninth specifications of the DirectX API; the graphics chips have become truly programmable processors; the graphics memory bus expanded to 256 bits in width. DDR2 memory appeared and soon started to give way to GDDR3. I don’t even say by how much the performance of GPUs of all categories has grown in these two-three years!

Integrated graphics chipsets have used this time interval for a sluggish evolution, accumulating the functionality necessary for a modern chipset. They added support of new processors, higher FSB and memory clock rates, various interfaces like USB 2.0 and SerialATA – I could continue this list for long… It seems, however, that the speed and the functionality of the integrated graphics core used to be the last item in the list of intended innovations, and the users have got accustomed to regard integrated graphics disdainfully.

And really, we assume that a system with an integrated chipset should be used as an office “typewriter”, so the only serious requirement to its graphics core is a well-written driver for fault-free work in 2D applications and output of a high-quality image to the monitor. The mainboard should cost as low as possible at that, still providing all the necessary functionality.

At the same time, office is still not the only place for integrated graphics to dwell in. When such a chipset becomes a foundation of a barebone system or a home computer, the requirements to the speed and functionality of the graphics core become stricter.

In a home or “entertainment” system, besides the basic requirement about the high-quality output to the monitor, the integrated graphics core should permit watching videos and, as far as possible, enjoying simplest 3D games, at least.

In our today’s review we will discuss the most advanced of currently-available integrated graphics chipsets exactly from this point of view. We will see how the integrated graphics manages games and video playback and how well it renders 3D scenes in the same games and will also evaluate the quality of output to the monitor, both CRT and LCD. Overall, we’ll check out how well these chipsets would perform in a home computer.

I won’t dwell upon the functionality of the integrated chipsets, besides their graphics capabilities. However, I will be adding links here and there to the reviews of the much-esteemed Mr. Gavric, which deal with these matters.