A common question people have been asking about Ryzen is whether or not it has integrated graphics.
Integrated graphics are common in budget laptops and desktop PCs. While you won’t get the same performance with integrated graphics cards as you would with a dedicated graphics card, if you are looking for a low-budget and low-performance PC, then integrated graphics work well.
So, to answer the question, “does Ryzen have integrated graphics?’, is that it depends on the CPU model. Some AMD Ryzen processors come with integrated graphics, but others do not (more on that later).
In this article, we will talk about what integrated graphics are available, which Ryzen chips come with integrated graphics, what the differences are between them, and what you should choose if you are building a Ryzen PC.
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What are integrated graphics?
Integrated graphics, aka iGPUs, are graphics cards that are built directly into the CPU. The CPUs with integrated graphics are called APUs (Accelerated Processing Units); an APU is essentially a CPU with an integrated graphics card, unlike a normal CPU that does not have built-in graphics.
As already mentioned, because integrated GPUs are part of the CPU, they cannot provide as much performance as a dedicated graphics card. That’s why it is always better to use a separate graphics card if you are building a PC for gaming or other heavy tasks.
However, an APU is more than enough for someone who doesn’t need high-performance processing and just needs something for web browsing and media playback.
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What is A Dedicated Graphics Card?
A dedicated graphics card is a graphics processing unit separate from the CPU. You’ll find dedicated graphics cards in PCs with high-performance computing, such as gaming rigs and workstations.
While they are named ‘graphics cards,’ they do more than just render images on your screen. For example, most dedicated graphic cards contain their own memory (called VRAM) that is used to store things like textures and other necessary data.
These cards allow you to use more than one monitor at once, connect your PC to a TV or other external display, or play games across multiple screens for a more immersive experience.
Most dedicated graphic cards have a much better performance than an APU with integrated graphics, which is why it is always better to use a dedicated graphics card if you want high-performance processing. But, someone who simply wants a low-budget and low-performance PC wouldn’t benefit from having a dedicated graphics card.
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Pros and Cons of Integrated Graphics
As is the case with most things, integrated graphics have both good and bad aspects. We will list some of these here so you can decide whether it is right for you or not.
Pros
1. Cheaper
Since integrated graphics are an inbuilt part of the CPU, they tend to be cheaper than standard graphics cards, which are getting increasingly expensive.
2. Less Space
Since you don’t need a dedicated graphics card, your system will be smaller. You can use this extra space for other components such as more memory or larger hard drives.
3. No Extra Power Supply Needed
High-performance GPUs (graphics processing units) require a lot of power and must be hooked up to the power supply with a PCIe cable. Integrated graphics do not need extra power or PCIe cables; they get all the power they need from the motherboard.
4. No extra heat
Since integrated graphics come with the CPU, they use the CPU’s cooling system, which generates less heat than a dedicated graphics card.
Cons
1. Integrated Graphics use the RAM of your computer
Yes, you heard that right. Integrated graphics use your RAM as their own memory. This is because of the way they are designed, so there is nothing you can do to stop this. However, the good news is this doesn’t really affect your system performance much.
2. Poor Performance
Even though integrated graphics are capable for everyday tasks, they are no match for dedicated graphics cards when it comes to games and high-performance tasks.
3. No Dedicated Video Memory (VRAM)
Since integrated graphics share your computer’s RAM, they don’t have their own dedicated video memory. This means that your computer will have to use your system memory when you are rendering videos or playing games which can cause a lot of problems.
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Which Ryzen CPUs come with integrated graphics?
As I already mentioned, some Ryzen CPUs come with integrated graphics, and some don’t. An easy way to tell which ones do is by looking at the model number. Ryzen CPUs with a model ending with a G or GE have integrated graphics, whereas those without a G or different letters like X or U don’t.
| CPU Model | iGPU |
|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 7 5700G | Rx Vega 8 Cores 2.0 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen™ 7 5700GE | Rx Vega 8 Cores 2.0 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 7 4700G | Rx Vega 8 Cores 2.1 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 7 4700GE | Rx Vega 8 Cores 2.0 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600G | Rx Vega 7 Cores 1.9 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600GE | Rx Vega 7 Cores 1.9 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 5 4600G | Rx Vega 7 Cores 1.9 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE | Rx Vega 7 Cores 1.9 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 3 5300G | Rx Vega 6 Cores 1.7 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 3 5300GE | Rx Vega 6 Cores 1.7 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 3 4300G | Rx Vega 6 Cores 1.7 GHz |
| AMD Ryzen 3 4300G | Rx Vega 6 Cores 1.7 GHz |
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What kind of iGPUs Ryzen APUs have?
The iGPUs (integrated Graphics Processing Units) that Ryzen CPUs come with are the RX Vega series. This means that you will be able to enjoy an HD gaming experience.
Of course, there are different models and generations of the RX Vega, depending on the Ryzen CPU you use.
As you can see above, different CPUs have different versions of the RX Vega iGPU. You should also keep in mind that different generations have different levels of performance (just like the CPUs). For example, some Ryzen 3000 and Ryzen 5000 CPUs use RX Vega 8 iGPU, but the performance of these two iGPUs is very different because the 5000 series is much better.
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Dedicated Graphic Cards vs. Integrated GPUs
There is no denying that a dedicated graphics card will always outperform an integrated one. However, some integrated GPUs can outperform some low-end dedicated graphic cards.
It is very hard to give a general answer as to which one you should pick because it depends on your budget and what you plan on using your computer for.
Below you can see a table with some popular dedicated and integrated graphics and their performance so you can get an idea of how they compare.
| GPU – iGPU Model | Benchmark Score |
|---|---|
| Radeon Ryzen 7 PRO 5750GE | 2,969 |
| GeForce MX350 | 2,870 |
| Radeon Ryzen 7 5700G | 2,837 |
| Radeon Ryzen 5 PRO 5650GE | 2,693 |
| GeForce GTX 465 | 2,679 |
| Radeon Ryzen 7 4700GE | 2,662 |
| GeForce GTX 850M | 2,603 |
| Radeon Ryzen 5 5600G | 2,570 |
| GeForce GTX 650 Ti | 2,555 |
| GeForce GTX 950A | 2,539 |
You can clearly see that there is no big difference between cheap dedicated and high-end integrated graphics cards when it comes to performance scores. You should also keep in mind that this is just a general comparison and that the specifics of each card may vary.
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AMD Ryzen CPUs without iGPUs vs AMD Ryzen CPUs with iGPUs
But how about when comparing the same CPU model with and without integrated graphics?
As you can see in the table below, most models without integrated graphics outperform those with integrated graphics.
| CPU Model | Benchmark Score |
|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 7 5800 | 25,720 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 5700G | 24,630 |
| MD Ryzen 5 5600X | 22,145 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600G | 19,887 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 4700G | 20,103 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 4800H | 19,094 |
But why does that happen?
When buying a CPU with an integrated GPU card, the same chip is shared between the CPU and iGPU. This means that your CPU is getting worse performance because it has to share the same chip with the integrated graphics card. This is another reason to buy a CPU with a dedicated graphics card if you are planning to use it for gaming or other GPU-intensive tasks.
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FAQ
Does Ryzen 5 have integrated graphics?
As you already know, Ryzen CPUs come with an integrated graphics card, and some don’t. Some Ryzen 5 CPUs have an integrated graphics card while others don’t. This information can be found in the Ryzen CPU model ending. If it ends with G, then the CPU has an iGPU (like the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G); if not, then it doesn’t.
Does Ryzen 7 3700x have integrated graphics?
No, the 3700x does not have an integrated graphics card. The “x” in 3700x means that it has no integrated graphics card.
Does Ryzen 5 3600 have integrated graphics?
No, the 3600 does not have an integrated graphics card.
Does Ryzen 5 2600 have integrated graphics?
Nope, Ryzen 5 2600 does not have an integrated graphics card. Ryzen 3 2200g has an integrated graphics card.
Does Ryzen 5 5600x have integrated graphics?
Again no, the 5600x does not have an integrated graphics card. The “x” in 5600x means that it has no integrated graphics card. But the Ryzen 5 5600G comes with a Vega 8 iGPU.
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Conclusion
I hope I have answered every question you had about Ryzen CPUs with or without an integrated GPU. If you think I forgot to mention something, feel free to let me know in the comments below.
Nick Ryley is a computer architect and the owner of The Pc Geekz.
His love for playing games got him interested in computers in the first place. He wanted to be able to build a gaming PC that could run all the latest games at max settings, and this has him pursuing a major in computer architecture!
He started this blog to help people out and answer some of the most common questions about computer building
