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Integrated graphics can run some modern PC games, but performance depends on the exact graphics chip and the laptop or desktop built around it. The strongest recent integrated GPUs can deliver playable results in selected demanding games at modest settings; others fall below 30 frames per second in the same title. If you want high settings, demanding effects, or higher resolutions in new AAA games, a PC with a discrete graphics card offers more headroom.
What integrated graphics means for gaming
An integrated GPU (iGPU) is built into a processor or its platform rather than installed as a separate graphics card. It can render games, but it shares the system’s power, cooling, and memory resources. That makes the exact implementation important: the same GPU name in two different laptops does not guarantee identical frame rates.
“Integrated graphics” also covers a wide range of capabilities. A CPU family name alone is not enough to predict game performance. Look up the exact GPU model, then seek independent tests of that GPU in the specific laptop or desktop configuration you are considering. Power limits, cooling, memory configuration, and driver state can all affect results.
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Game demands vary just as much. A less demanding game or racing title may run smoothly while a demanding open-world game needs lower settings, a reduced resolution, or more performance than an iGPU can provide. Older games, esports, casual play, and selected current games with compromises are generally more natural fits than demanding AAA games at high settings.
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What recent game tests show
PC Gamer’s 2026 comparison tested four individual laptops: an Asus Zenbook Duo with Intel Arc B390, an Asus Zephyrus G16 with AMD Radeon 890M, an Asus Zenbook S 14 with Intel Arc 140V, and an Acer Nitro V 15 with a 75 W mobile RTX 4050. The results below are useful examples of the range, not a universal ranking of every system carrying those GPU names.
The tests used 1080p and game-specific settings. PC Gamer cautioned that the RTX 4050 system’s power was higher than the Intel iGPU system’s total power, so direct comparisons between those laptops are imperfect. The table focuses on the three integrated GPUs and records each result’s settings and upscaling mode.
| Game and test conditions | Intel Arc B390 | AMD Radeon 890M | Intel Arc 140V |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077, 1080p Medium, no upscaling | 64 fps average; 52 fps 1% low | 41 fps average; 35 fps 1% low | 33 fps average; 27 fps 1% low |
| Black Myth: Wukong, 1080p Medium, no upscaling | 39 fps average; 31 fps 1% low | 23 fps average; 20 fps 1% low | 17 fps average; 14 fps 1% low |
| F1 24, 1080p Medium, no upscaling | 113 fps average; 100 fps 1% low | 74 fps average; 65 fps 1% low | Not stated by PC Gamer for this test |
| Cyberpunk 2077, 1080p Medium, upscaling set to Quality | 92 fps average; 60 fps 1% low | 53 fps average; 45 fps 1% low | 40 fps average; 33 fps 1% low |
Source for all figures: PC Gamer’s 2026 hands-on comparison. These are results from the named laptop configurations, not a lab-controlled comparison of GPU silicon alone or a guarantee for every laptop with the same iGPU.
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An average frame rate summarizes performance across a test, but can conceal dips. A 1% low is a measure of performance during the slowest portion of the run; it helps indicate whether gameplay may feel uneven even when the average looks acceptable. For example, the Arc 140V averaged 33 fps in the Cyberpunk 2077 test without upscaling, but its 27 fps 1% low signals weaker moments. Compare both figures when a source reports them.
How to use these results
The tests show why a single yes-or-no answer about modern games is misleading. The B390 reached 64 fps average in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p Medium without upscaling, but the 890M and Arc 140V results were lower. In Black Myth: Wukong under the same stated resolution and preset, the 890M and Arc 140V averaged below 30 fps. In F1 24, the 890M’s 74 fps average demonstrates that a different game can perform much better on the same tested laptop.
Do not treat the upscaled Cyberpunk result as equivalent to native rendering: it uses a different image-quality target. When comparing systems, align the game, resolution, preset, ray tracing setting, upscaler and quality mode. Include both average fps and 1% lows where available.
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For someone asking, “Is the 890M good for the latest AAA games?”, the honest answer is: it depends on the title and the settings you consider acceptable. In PC Gamer’s 2026 tests, the tested 890M laptop averaged 41 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p Medium without upscaling, but 23 fps in Black Myth: Wukong under its stated 1080p Medium test. With Cyberpunk’s upscaler set to Quality, that laptop averaged 53 fps. Those results illustrate potential and limits; they do not establish how every 890M system will perform or guarantee a smooth experience in a different game.
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Upscaling renders a game at a lower internal resolution and reconstructs an image for display at a higher output resolution. When supported by a game and GPU, it can improve frame rate, often in exchange for some image detail or stability. The result depends on the title, the specific implementation, and the chosen quality mode; no general fps increase is guaranteed for integrated graphics.
Intel XeSS
Intel says XeSS is available in supported games on Intel Arc graphics and on GPUs from other vendors. If a game offers it, select XeSS in that game’s display or graphics menu. Intel describes the quality options as a trade-off: Quality preserves more image detail but generally offers a smaller performance gain, while more aggressive Performance modes can provide a larger gain with a greater image-quality cost. The Intel XeSS support guidance notes that its supported-game list can change.
AMD FSR and Radeon Super Resolution
AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) is a game-integrated technology: availability depends on the game and supported products, and some features are enabled through the game itself. Certain supported FSR versions can also be managed through AMD Software. AMD also documents Radeon Super Resolution (RSR), a driver-level option for compatible AMD RDNA architecture or newer graphics hardware running games in exclusive full-screen mode.
AMD recommends using in-game FSR when a title supports it, as it typically gives better results. AMD warns that running RSR and FSR together can degrade image quality. The AMD FSR overview and AMD RSR overview describe feature availability and operation; they do not promise a particular performance increase on an iGPU.
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AMD’s RSR page also lists “up to” performance multipliers from AMD tests dated February 8, 2022, using a discrete Radeon RX 6800 XT system. Those results are not integrated-graphics measurements and should not be used to predict an iGPU’s uplift. For example, the page lists up to 3.2x in Cyberpunk 2077 when upscaling 1080p to 4K, and up to 2.1x when upscaling 1440p to 4K, under AMD’s own test setup. These vendor figures are neither independent results nor a basis for estimating performance on an integrated GPU.
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How to tune settings when a game runs poorly
Change one or two settings at a time, then test a representative gameplay scene. Menus and brief built-in tests may not reflect performance during demanding play. The aim is not simply the highest displayed average: choose a combination that looks acceptable and maintains the smoothness you want.
- Check the game’s requirements and your exact hardware. Confirm the iGPU model, laptop or desktop configuration, and driver state. Look for independent benchmarks of that exact system if possible.
- Lower resolution if native 1080p is too slow. Try 1600×900 or 1280×720. Fewer rendered pixels can improve performance, but the image will look less sharp, especially on a display whose native resolution is higher.
- Choose a Low or Medium preset. Start with the game’s preset rather than changing many individual options before you have a baseline.
- Reduce demanding effects. Lower settings such as shadows and, where available, ray tracing. Effects can have a substantial performance cost, and their impact differs by game.
- Try the game’s supported upscaler. Start with Quality, then test Balanced or Performance if frame rate is still too low. More aggressive modes may improve speed at the cost of image quality.
- Replay the same kind of gameplay scene. Compare how it looks and feels, not just the average frame rate. Note 1% lows when the benchmark provides them; stutter or dips may matter even when the average is high.
Resolution reduction, lower effects, and upscaling make different trade-offs. Lower resolution softens the whole image; reducing shadows or ray tracing changes specific visual effects; an upscaler reconstructs an image and may introduce its own loss of detail. Keep the change that provides a useful improvement without making the game look or feel unacceptable.
How to choose an iGPU system for games
Start with the games you actually plan to play and your acceptable balance of image quality and smoothness. A benchmark is relevant only when its game, settings, and system are close enough to your intended use.
- Identify the exact GPU. “Integrated graphics” or a processor family label is too broad for a useful performance estimate.
- Check the complete system. For a laptop, examine the specific model’s power and cooling configuration. For either platform, look for independently documented memory configuration and driver information instead of assuming the GPU name tells the whole story.
- Match test conditions. Compare the same game, resolution, graphics preset, ray tracing setting, and upscaling mode. Treat a native-resolution test and an upscaled test as different image-quality targets.
- Check more than one game when possible. Results in one title may not predict results in another. A performance-oriented genre or lighter game may be a better fit than a demanding open-world release.
- Set a realistic target. If you require demanding new AAA games at high settings or higher resolutions, consider a system with a discrete GPU. An iGPU is more compelling when portability and selected games matter more than maximum visual settings.
If you are shopping for a laptop, use the exact GPU model as a starting filter, not the final decision. Intel Arc B390 is one example of a current laptop product path: PC Gamer’s benchmark came from an Asus Zenbook Duo with that integrated GPU. The result applies to that tested configuration, not automatically to every B390 laptop. Check the specific model’s configuration and seek current independent tests before buying. No current official US retail listing was published for prices or retail availability, which can vary by market and date.
Likewise, do not treat a single benchmark table as a purchase guarantee. Check a prospective system against the games you play, and note whether a result used native rendering or upscaling, what preset it used, and whether 1% lows were reported. If one test barely meets your target on average but has much lower lows, gameplay may still feel less consistent than the headline average suggests.
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An iGPU can be a sensible choice if you want one portable computer for everyday work and a mix of casual, older, esports, or selected current games. It can also suit someone willing to lower resolution or visual settings and check each demanding game individually. The benefit is avoiding a separate graphics card; the trade-off is less performance headroom for demanding effects and high-resolution play.
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If your priority is consistently playing demanding AAA games at high settings, a discrete GPU system is the more dependable category to consider. Integrated graphics can surprise in selected games, but that does not remove the need to evaluate the exact game and system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can integrated graphics run modern PC games?
Yes, some can. The strongest current iGPUs can play selected demanding games at modest settings, while other games or systems may fall below 30 fps. Performance depends on the exact GPU, system power and cooling, memory configuration, driver state, game, and settings.
Is the Radeon 890M good for the latest AAA games?
It can be playable in some games with compromises, but there is no blanket answer. PC Gamer’s 2026 tests of one 890M laptop reported 41 fps average in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p Medium without upscaling and 23 fps in Black Myth: Wukong at 1080p Medium. Results vary by system and title.
Will upscaling make an integrated GPU fast enough?
It can help when a game and GPU support an upscaler, but the gain varies and image quality may change. Start with a supported in-game option such as XeSS or FSR where available, test Quality first, and compare Balanced or Performance only if needed. No particular frame-rate increase is guaranteed.
What should I compare when choosing an integrated-graphics laptop?
Check the exact iGPU and laptop configuration, then compare tests for your games at matching resolution, preset, ray-tracing setting, and upscaling mode. Consider averages and 1% lows together, and verify current model availability and configuration before buying.
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Modern integrated graphics are capable of more than basic display output: selected current games can be playable, sometimes at 1080p with modest settings. But performance varies substantially by GPU, system, and game, and a strong result in one title is not a promise for another. Check exact-system benchmarks, compare average fps and 1% lows under matching settings, and use supported upscaling or lower settings when needed. For demanding AAA games at high settings or higher resolutions, a discrete GPU remains the safer choice.
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