How to compare integrated and dedicated graphics

Want to know whether your computer is using its integrated graphics or its dedicated graphics card? On a laptop, the graphics processor can change automatically depending on the app, power mode, and display connection. A game or design app may use a different GPU than your browser.

You can compare graphics performance with TooLab’s Graphics Test. It measures shading power and fill rate at 1080p, then gives a score out of 100. The test can help you compare results, but it does not identify every graphics chip or predict the frame rate you will get in a particular game.

Compare the graphics performance

1. Open the Graphics Test on the computer you want to check. Use the same browser for each run.
2. Before starting, close games, video editors, and other demanding apps. Keep the computer plugged in or on battery for every run, and use the same power mode.
3. Run the test and note the score. It measures shading and fill rate at 1080p, which means how quickly the graphics processor handles pixel and graphics work.
4. Run the test two more times under the same conditions. Compare the scores, or use the middle score if one run is unusually high or low.
5. If your computer lets you choose a GPU for the browser, set it to the other option, restart the browser, and repeat the test. If there is no GPU choice, compare the available results without assuming the browser changed graphics processors.

For a comparison between two computers, use the same browser version and repeat the test under similar conditions. Keep in mind that differences in cooling, power settings, memory, and the browser can affect the result as well as the graphics hardware.

What the result means

The score is higher with the dedicated GPU selected

The browser test ran faster under that setting. This is evidence that the dedicated GPU benefits this particular browser workload. It does not mean every app is using that GPU, or that games will gain the same amount of performance. Games use different graphics features and settings.

The scores are close

The two GPUs may perform similarly in this test, or the browser may still be using the same GPU for both runs. The operating system or browser can also limit graphics performance. Check the selection steps below, then compare again after restarting the browser.

The score is lower than expected

A low score alone does not prove that the GPU is faulty. Background apps, battery-saving settings, heat, or software rendering can slow a browser graphics test. For more on what the score can and cannot tell you, see what a browser graphics score cannot tell you about VRAM.

You cannot select a second GPU

Some computers have only integrated graphics. Others switch between graphics processors automatically and do not offer a manual choice for every app. On a Mac with Apple silicon, the GPU is part of the system-on-a-chip, so there is no separate dedicated GPU to select in the usual sense.

Check which GPU the browser can use

1. Check Windows graphics preferences. In Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display › Graphics. Select or add your browser, choose Options, and check whether High performance is available. Choose it to request the higher-performance GPU, save the setting, then fully close and reopen the browser. Windows may show which GPU corresponds to each option.
2. Keep the power conditions consistent. On Windows 11, check Settings › System › Power & battery and use the same power mode for each run. On macOS, open System Settings › Battery and keep the power source and relevant options consistent. These settings can change how a laptop balances speed, heat, and battery use.
3. Check automatic graphics switching on a supported Intel Mac. Some Intel Mac laptops can switch graphics automatically. Look in System Settings › Battery › Options for Automatic graphics switching, if that option is available. macOS generally chooses graphics automatically, and it does not provide a universal per-browser GPU selector.
4. Restart the browser after changing a setting. A running browser may keep using the graphics choice it started with. Close all browser windows, reopen the browser, and run the test again.
5. Check for software rendering. A browser can draw graphics with the processor instead of using graphics acceleration. If the test is unusually slow, check the browser’s graphics settings and update the browser and graphics drivers through your computer’s usual update tools. Avoid changing several settings at once, so you can tell what affected the score.

Why integrated and dedicated graphics differ

Integrated graphics are built into the processor or system-on-a-chip. They often use the computer’s main memory, which is shared with other work. Dedicated graphics use a separate graphics processor and typically have their own video memory. That separate hardware can handle demanding 3D work more quickly, but it can also use more power and produce more heat.

Those labels do not guarantee a particular speed. Integrated graphics vary widely, and a dedicated GPU can be limited by heat, power settings, or the computer’s cooling. A graphics test score describes performance in the test, not the graphics card’s full capability in every application.

Some laptops use both kinds of graphics. The integrated GPU may handle the desktop and lighter tasks, while the dedicated GPU takes on demanding work. In this arrangement, the browser may not switch GPUs simply because a dedicated card is present. A connected external display can also affect which graphics hardware is active, so keep the display setup unchanged when comparing results.

The Graphics Test runs in your browser, so use it as a consistent comparison rather than a replacement for testing the games or apps you actually use.