Integrated graphics performance on a Chromebook

Games stutter, animations feel choppy, or a 3D website takes a long time to draw. On a Chromebook, those symptoms can come from the graphics processor, but they can also come from background tabs, heat, or the browser.

The Graphics Test gives you a quick way to check browser graphics performance. It measures shading power and fill rate at 1080p and reports a score out of 100. Here is what those results can tell you, and what they cannot.

Test graphics performance on your Chromebook

1. Open the Graphics Test on the Chromebook you want to check. The test runs in your browser, so there is nothing to install.
2. Close games, video streams, and other demanding tabs first. Keep the Chromebook on a hard, flat surface so its vents are not blocked.
3. Run the test and wait for it to finish. Avoid switching tabs or using other demanding apps during the run.
4. Note the score, shading power, and fill rate. If you want to compare later, record the date and whether the Chromebook was plugged in or warm.

For a useful comparison, run the test again under the same conditions. A result from a cool Chromebook with few tabs open is not directly comparable to one taken during a video call or after a long gaming session.

What the result means

A higher score than your earlier run

Your Chromebook completed this particular browser graphics workload faster. That can reflect fewer background tasks, a cooler device, or a change in power conditions. A higher score does not guarantee that every game or app will run faster.

A low or inconsistent score

The test may be competing with other browser tabs or apps for processor time and memory. Heat can also make a Chromebook reduce performance to protect itself. Repeat the test after closing other work and letting the device cool for a few minutes.

Shading power and fill rate do not match

Shading power is a measure of work on graphics calculations. Fill rate describes how quickly the test can draw pixels. A graphics processor can be stronger at one kind of work than another, so the two figures do not have to rise together.

The score is not a game frame rate

The test uses a browser workload at 1080p. It does not run a specific game, measure frames per second in that game, or check every graphics feature. A game's frame rate also depends on its code, graphics settings, screen resolution, and whether the game runs as a web app, Android app, or Linux app.

The Chromebook uses integrated graphics

Integrated graphics are built into the main processor rather than installed as a separate graphics card. They often share system memory with the processor. That design is common in Chromebooks and is suited to everyday browsing, video, and lighter games, but performance differs by model. A browser score cannot identify the exact graphics chip or confirm how much memory is reserved for it.

Improve a slow graphics result

1. Close demanding tabs and apps. Pause video playback, close unused tabs, and quit games before retesting. Browser tabs can use graphics resources even when they are not in front.
2. Let the Chromebook cool down. Set it on a hard surface and keep its vents clear. If it has been warm or under load for a while, give it a few minutes before another test.
3. Check the power state. If the battery is nearly empty, connect the charger and allow the device to charge briefly. Some Chromebook models may limit performance to save power, and behavior varies by model.
4. Update ChromeOS. Open Settings › About ChromeOS and check for updates. Install any available update, restart, and test again.
5. Check for extensions that affect the browser. Temporarily turn off extensions you do not need, then repeat the test. Re-enable them afterward if the score does not change.
6. Lower graphics settings in the app that feels slow. Try a lower resolution, fewer visual effects, or a lower quality preset. These settings can matter more to a particular game than a general browser score.

When the Chromebook may need attention

A low Graphics Test score on its own is not proof of a hardware fault. First compare repeated runs after a restart, with the Chromebook cool and other apps closed. If everyday graphics remain slow in several apps, ChromeOS is up to date, and the problem began after a drop, spill, or repair, contact the Chromebook maker or your school or workplace support team. Chromebooks are often difficult to repair with user-accessible parts, so do not open the case unless the manufacturer says it is safe.

Why browser graphics tests have limits

A browser runs graphics work through its own supported APIs and security limits. The browser may use hardware acceleration, or it may fall back to software rendering if graphics support is unavailable. That can change results without proving the graphics chip is defective. To understand what a reported graphics renderer label means, see What a browser's GPU renderer label means.

Use the score as a repeatable check of one browser workload, not as a full rating of your Chromebook. For a game or app, its own performance and settings are the more relevant test.