AMD Radeon HD 8250 IGP

The AMD Radeon HD 8250 IGP is an integrated graphics processor from the GCN 2.0 generation, built on a 28 nm TSMC process with 1,178 million transistors on a 110 mm² die. It targets the Temash Mobile platform, and its benchmark data places it at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of zero—indicating it is positioned at the absolute entry level of graphics performance. This analysis draws exclusively from the provided fact pack to assess its memory subsystem, feature set, competitive standing, and practical use cases.

Memory Subsystem

The HD 8250 IGP uses system-shared memory for all graphics operations, with no dedicated VRAM of its own. The memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent," meaning the GPU relies entirely on the host system's RAM and memory controller. This design fundamentally limits performance at high resolutions, as the available bandwidth is shared with the CPU and other system tasks, rather than being reserved for graphics workloads.

The pixel rate is 1.600 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 3.200 GTexel/s, both of which are modest figures that reflect the low shading unit count of 128. With a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 400 MHz, the memory clock is also tied to system RAM, which typically operates at far lower speeds than dedicated graphics memory. For high-resolution gaming or demanding visual workloads, the system-dependent bandwidth becomes a bottleneck; the GPU cannot sustain the data throughput required for 1080p or higher textures, and even 720p may strain the shared memory subsystem. The data shows that the IGP's memory architecture is optimized for low-power, low-resolution tasks, not for pushing pixels at high settings.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The HD 8250 IGP has no dedicated ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as indicated by null values for both fields. Instead, it relies on the base GCN 2.0 architecture, which provides 128 shading units, 8 texture mapping units, and 4 render output units. The API support includes DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170, which means it can run modern graphics APIs at a baseline level, but without hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects or AI-enhanced features.

The absence of RT and tensor cores means that any ray-traced workloads would fall back to compute shaders, which are severely limited by the 102.4 GFLOPS FP32 performance. This is a negligible figure for real-time ray tracing, and the Vulkan 1.2.170 support does not compensate for the lack of hardware acceleration. The feature set is otherwise standard for an IGP of its era: it supports DirectX 12 feature level 12_0, enabling basic tessellation and compute shaders, but the performance envelope is too low for these features to be practically useful in modern titles.

How It Compares

The fact pack lists no nearest rivals and no benchmark scores, so direct quantitative comparisons to other GPUs are not possible from the data. However, the percentile rank of 50th versus all GPUs indicates that the HD 8250 IGP sits exactly at the midpoint of the performance distribution, though the average benchmark score of zero suggests that this percentile is skewed by a large number of similarly weak or untested parts. Without rival names or deltaPct values, the analysis must rely on its absolute specifications.

Compared to its predecessor, TeraScale 3 IGP, the HD 8250 IGP moves to the GCN 2.0 architecture, which offers improved compute efficiency and modern API support, but the shift does not change its fundamental position as an entry-level mobile part. Its successor, GCN 3.0 IGP, would presumably offer higher clock speeds and more shading units, but no such data is provided here. The 50th percentile rank is a neutral placement—it is not a standout performer, nor is it the worst, but it is clearly not designed for competitive gaming or content creation.

FAQ

Q: How much dedicated VRAM does the HD 8250 IGP have?

A: It has no dedicated VRAM; memory size, type, and bus width are all "System Shared," with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent."

Q: What is the maximum supported DirectX version?

A: The GPU supports DirectX 12 (12_0), along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: Does the HD 8250 IGP support hardware ray tracing?

A: No, the fact pack lists no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, so ray tracing would rely on software compute, which is impractical given the low FP32 performance of 102.4 GFLOPS.

Q: What is the pixel fill rate of this IGP?

A: The pixel rate is 1.600 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 3.200 GTexel/s, based on the 4 ROPs and 8 TMUs at the boost clock of 400 MHz.

Q: Is the HD 8250 IGP still in production?

A: No, its production status is "End-of-life," with a release date of 2013-05-22.

Q: What process node is the chip built on?

A: The chip is manufactured on a 28 nm TSMC process, with a transistor count of 1,178 million on a 110 mm² die.

Who Should Consider It

The HD 8250 IGP is suitable only for basic computing tasks at low resolutions and low settings. Given the system-shared memory and the low FP32 throughput of 102.4 GFLOPS, it can handle legacy 2D applications, lightweight web browsing, and video playback at 720p or lower. The pixel rate of 1.600 GPixel/s and texture rate of 3.200 GTexel/s are sufficient for simple UI rendering but will struggle with any 3D workload beyond the most undemanding titles.

Benchmark results indicate that the GPU sits at the 50th percentile, which is a middle-of-the-road position, but the zero average score suggests that it has not been widely benchmarked or that its performance is too low to register meaningful results. For high-resolution gaming (1080p or higher), the system-dependent bandwidth and 4 ROPs will cause severe frame rate drops. The intended audience is users of ultra-low-power mobile devices from the Temash generation, where the 8 W TDP is a priority over performance. It is not a candidate for modern gaming, even at 720p with low settings, as the shading unit count of 128 and the 400 MHz boost clock are insufficient for contemporary game engines.

Power and Cooling

The TDP of the HD 8250 IGP is 8 W, which is extremely low and reflects its integrated nature. The slot width is listed as "IGP," and the bus interface is also "IGP," meaning it is not a discrete card but is soldered onto the motherboard or embedded in the CPU package. There are no power connectors and no suggested PSU listed, as the GPU draws power from the system's existing power delivery, typically through the motherboard's socket.

Cooling requirements are minimal due to the 8 W TDP; a passive heatsink or a small fan is sufficient, and no dedicated cooling solution is needed. The 28 nm process node helps keep power consumption low, but the tradeoff is the limited clock speeds of 300 MHz base and 400 MHz boost. For system integrators, the absence of a suggested PSU means that the host system's power supply is expected to handle the IGP without additional overhead. The lack of a separate slot width also confirms that this is not a user-serviceable component, and cooling is dependent on the laptop or mini-PC chassis design.

Benchmark Performance

The fact pack includes no benchmark scores and no nearest rivals, so percentage-based comparisons cannot be made. The average benchmark score is zero, and the percentile vs all GPUs is 50th. This suggests that the HD 8250 IGP has not been subjected to standard benchmarking suites, or that its performance is so low that it does not register above the baseline. The FP32 performance of 102.4 GFLOPS is a key metric: at the boost clock of 400 MHz, the 128 shading units produce this figure, which is roughly 1/10th of what a low-end discrete GPU from the same era would offer.

The pixel rate of 1.600 GPixel/s and texture rate of 3.200 GTexel/s further quantify its limits. For comparison, a modern integrated GPU with similar power draw would typically offer several times these figures, but the fact pack does not provide such data. The 50th percentile rank is misleading without context; since the average score is zero, it may indicate that the GPU is untested or that its scores are too low to be normalized. The data shows a part that is functionally obsolete for gaming, but for its intended role as an IGP in a low-power mobile platform, the performance is consistent with the design goals of 8 W TDP and system-shared memory. There are no deltas to report, as the nearest rivals field is empty, and the benchmark array is also empty, leaving the analysis to rely on raw specification interpretation.