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Remember when games used to be borderline unplayable on integrated graphics? For those who had a discrete GPU in their builds, that iGPU was nothing more than a backup in case the graphics card died, or you wanted to troubleshoot display issues. You could run games, sure, but when you're averaging 20FPS at the lowest settings, you're really just proving that the game launches rather than enjoying it.
Fast-forward to 2026, and we finally have integrated graphics that can run some AAA games at over 60FPS. In fact, they even support upscaling and frame generation, as discrete GPUs do, so you know CPU manufacturers like Intel and AMD are taking iGPU performance seriously. Of course, they still can't match something like an RTX 5060, but compared to the entry-level cards many of us bought just a few years ago, they're a lot more competitive than you'd think.
The Ryzen 7 8700G handles 1080p gaming just fine
For desktop users, this is the best way to skip buying a graphics card
The Ryzen 7 8700G is an APU that AMD launched over two years ago. Back then, we were confident enough to call it the best gaming CPU for those on a budget, since you could skip buying a GPU if you're fine with gaming at 1080p. Today, we do have faster iGPUs, but none of them are desktop parts you can simply buy and drop into a motherboard. That's why the 8700G is still relevant today, even though it's overdue for a Zen 5 refresh. Its closest equivalent is Intel's Arc 140T, but that's only available in mobile chips like the Core Ultra 9 285H.
For starters, the Radeon 780M iGPU can run Cyberpunk 2077 at around 40FPS natively at 1080p using the low preset. You can push it past 60FPS by enabling FSR upscaling, and even higher if you're willing to experiment with Lossless Scaling for frame generation. Popular AAA releases like Spider-Man Remastered and Red Dead Redemption 2 can also hit 60FPS with low settings. Yes, you're making compromises for a 60 FPS experience, but that's pretty much what you'd expect from an entry-level card from a few years ago. If I had to compare it to an Nvidia GPU from the past, I'd say it trades blows with the GTX 1650 in raw performance.
AMD's Strix Halo shows how far iGPUs have come
The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is so good that you can game at 1440p
If the 8700G sounded impressive to you, you're gonna love the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, designed for laptops, tablets, and mini PCs. For a long time, if a laptop didn't have a dedicated GPU, you could pretty much forget about gaming on it. But this APU uses the Radeon 8060S for integrated graphics, which is roughly on par with the RTX 4060 laptop variant. You can run Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p Ultra and get over 70FPS with this CPU. And if you're willing to use FSR, you can even push 1440p at those frame rates.
Simply put, you're getting PS5-grade performance from an integrated GPU in 2026. That only makes me more excited for upcoming laptops powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark, which supposedly delivers RTX 5070-class performance. With support for DLSS upscaling and frame generation, we may actually be able to game at 4K using an integrated GPU very soon. A couple of years ago, that would've sounded completely unrealistic, but iGPUs have gotten significantly better. Now, I just wish we had desktop counterparts that offered this kind of performance.
The average iGPU is still terrible, though
You can't just buy a 9800X3D and expect its iGPU to hold up
If you noticed, all the processors I've mentioned here aren't the average mainstream CPUs you'd put in a gaming PC. Yes, while these CPUs also have integrated graphics, they're not good enough for gaming unless we're talking about light esports titles like Valorant or Fortnite. They're mostly there to give you a display output or help troubleshoot a faulty GPU. In fact, if you're the kind of person who sells their old GPU before buying the next one, that iGPU can keep your PC usable in the meantime.
That said, if you want to skip or delay a GPU upgrade because prices are so high right now, an APU makes a great stopgap. The Ryzen 7 8700G, for example, costs only about $270 right now, and you can install it in any AM5 motherboard. Alternatively, you can buy a Strix Halo-powered laptop and avoid carrying around a bulky gaming laptop. My point is that you can skip an entry-level GPU if you really want to, but you'll need a CPU designed for it. Just any CPU with an iGPU won't cut it, no matter how expensive it is.
Console-level performance is exactly what iGPUs needed
I don't expect iGPUs to compete with mid-range GPUs, at least until RTX Spark laptops start coming out. And honestly, they don't have to. The biggest win here is that integrated graphics are competing with entry-level GPUs like the RTX 4060. More importantly, they're delivering the kind of performance we've come to expect from current-generation consoles like the PS5. Desktop APUs do have some catching up to do, but I still think they're one or two upgrades away from crushing 1080p gaming. Add upscaling and frame generation on top, and suddenly, entry-level GPUs become a lot harder to justify at today's prices.
