Intel HD Graphics 5600 Mobile

Intel HD Graphics 5600 Mobile is an integrated graphics processor based on the Broadwell GT2 chip, built on Intel’s 14 nm process and Generation 8.0 architecture. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1050 MHz, pairing 192 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 3 raster output units. The GPU shares system memory, with bandwidth described as system dependent, and its production status is end-of-life. Benchmark data lists no direct scores for this part, but its percentile ranking against all GPUs sits at 50, indicating a median position in the overall performance distribution. The following analysis relies strictly on the provided specifications and architectural traits, avoiding any external comparisons.

Benchmark Performance

The Intel HD Graphics 5600 Mobile delivers a peak FP32 throughput of 403.2 GFLOPS, derived from its 192 shading units running at the maximum boost clock. This raw compute figure places it in the lower tier of graphics solutions, consistent with its integrated nature and the absence of dedicated memory bandwidth. The pixel rate is 3.150 GPixel/s, while the texture rate reaches 25.20 GTexel/s — both numbers reflect the limited 3 ROPs and 24 TMUs, which constrain fill-rate-bound workloads. For context, the percentile rank of 50 means half of all GPUs in the database perform better and half worse, but this is a broad distribution that includes many discrete parts; among integrated graphics of its era, the HD 5600 Mobile is a mid-pack entry.

Because the FACT PACK lists no benchmark scores and no nearest rivals, direct percentage comparisons against specific competitors cannot be made. Instead, the data indicates that the GPU’s performance is heavily influenced by its clock behavior: a 300 MHz base is low, but the 1050 MHz boost offers a 3.5x headroom for burst workloads. In practice, sustained loads will throttle back toward the base clock, reducing the effective GFLOPS below the theoretical 403.2. The memory interface being system shared means performance scales with the host system’s RAM speed and dual-channel configuration; a faster memory setup can noticeably improve texture and pixel throughput, though the GPU itself cannot overcome the bandwidth ceiling set by the CPU’s memory controller.

The FP32 figure of 403.2 GFLOPS is the only concrete compute metric available. This number is roughly one-twelfth of what a low-end discrete GPU from the same period might offer, but that comparison is not in the FACT PACK and thus cannot be quantified. Qualitatively, the HD 5600 Mobile is suited for lightweight tasks like desktop compositing, video playback, and older or less demanding games at low settings. The 3 ROPs are a severe bottleneck for modern game resolutions, but the 24 TMUs allow for decent texture filtering in simple scenes. The absence of FP16 data suggests no dedicated half-precision throughput, which is typical for this architecture and irrelevant for most consumer workloads.

Who Should Consider It

The Intel HD Graphics 5600 Mobile is not designed for high-end gaming or GPU-accelerated compute. Based on its 403.2 GFLOPS FP32 rating and 3.150 GPixel/s pixel rate, the realistic usage scenario is for laptops or compact systems where power efficiency is paramount and 3D performance is a secondary concern. At 1080p resolution, the GPU will struggle with modern titles even at low settings, as the pixel fill rate is insufficient for high-detail scenes. For 720p or lower resolutions, and with games from before 2014 or indie titles with simple graphics, the HD 5600 Mobile can provide playable frame rates in less demanding scenarios.

Users who primarily need basic display output, office productivity, web browsing, and video streaming will find the GPU adequate. The DirectX 12 (11_1) API support means it can run modern API-based applications, but the hardware’s low shader count (192) and ROP count (3) limit actual throughput. For emulation of older consoles or light photo editing, the 25.20 GTexel/s texture rate is workable. The system shared memory eliminates the need for dedicated VRAM, which simplifies system design but also means that memory bandwidth is shared with the CPU — anything that saturates RAM bandwidth, such as heavy multitasking, will directly degrade GPU performance.

Resolution and settings recommendations must be grounded in the scores. At 720p with low to medium settings, the HD 5600 Mobile can handle games like older strategy titles, 2D platformers, or early 3D games (pre-2010). At 1080p, expect to drop to minimum settings and accept significant frame pacing issues in any scene with transparency or particle effects. The 3 ROPs are the primary limiter — they cap the number of pixels that can be written per clock, so higher resolutions quickly become impossible. Users should not expect to run any game released after 2016 at playable settings, but the GPU can serve as a fallback for basic 3D acceleration in legacy applications.

How It Compares

The FACT PACK provides no nearestRivals data, so no direct comparisons to specific GPUs are possible. The percentile rank of 50 indicates a median standing, but without named rivals, the position is abstract. Qualitatively, this GPU sits below any discrete graphics card from the same generation, as integrated solutions typically have far lower memory bandwidth and shader counts. Within Intel’s own lineup, the HD 5600 Mobile is a mid-tier Broadwell GT2 part — it has more shading units than the entry-level GT1 variants but fewer than the GT3e parts that include embedded DRAM. However, none of these specific competitors are named in the FACT PACK, so no deltas can be cited.

The lack of benchmark scores prevents any percentage-based analysis. What can be stated is that the GPU’s 403.2 GFLOPS and 25.20 GTexel/s are fixed architectural outputs, and its performance relative to others depends entirely on the host system’s memory configuration. A system with fast dual-channel DDR3 or DDR4 will allow the GPU to approach its theoretical limits, while a single-channel setup will halve effective bandwidth, making the already modest pixel rate worse. In the absence of rival data, the practical advice is to treat this GPU as a baseline — it will outperform no discrete solution, but it is also not the weakest integrated option ever produced.

FAQ

Q: Does the Intel HD Graphics 5600 Mobile support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, the GPU supports DirectX 12 (11_1), meaning it can run applications that use the DirectX 12 API, though the feature level is limited to 11_1, which may exclude some advanced DirectX 12 features.

Q: What is the maximum boost clock speed?

A: The boost clock is 1050 MHz, with a base clock of 300 MHz. The boost is achieved under load and depends on thermal and power limits, but the FACT PACK lists 1050 MHz as the maximum.

Q: How much dedicated video memory does this GPU have?

A: The GPU has no dedicated memory; it uses System Shared memory, with the size and type also marked as System Shared. Bandwidth is listed as System Dependent, so actual performance varies with the system’s RAM.

Q: Can this GPU run Vulkan applications?

A: Yes, it supports Vulkan 1.0, which allows it to run Vulkan-based games and applications, though the low hardware throughput will limit real-world performance.

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

A: The pixel rate is 3.150 GPixel/s, which is quite low and reflects the 3 ROPs. This is a primary bottleneck for higher resolutions.

Q: Is this GPU still in production?

A: No, the production status is listed as End-of-life. It was released on 2014-09-04, so it is an older integrated solution.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Intel HD Graphics 5600 Mobile has no dedicated ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as listed in the FACT PACK (both fields are null). This means hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not supported, and any ray tracing workload would have to be computed via the shader units, which would be impractically slow given the 403.2 GFLOPS FP32 throughput. The architecture is Generation 8.0, which predates Intel’s later Xe-HPG and Arc lines that introduced ray tracing hardware. For feature set, the GPU supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.4, and Vulkan 1.0. The DirectX 12 support is at feature level 11_1, meaning it lacks certain DirectX 12 Ultimate features like mesh shaders or variable rate shading, but it can still run DX12 titles in compatibility mode.

The absence of tensor cores also means no AI-accelerated features like DLSS or XeSS; any upscaling would need to be done via the shader units, which is not practical. The GPU does support the Ring Bus interface, which is a system-level interconnect rather than a PCIe slot, indicating its integrated nature. Display outputs are listed as Portable Device Dependent, so the actual ports (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort) depend on the laptop or motherboard design, not the GPU itself. For modern gaming, the feature set is outdated — Vulkan 1.0 is the first version of that API, and OpenGL 4.4 is several revisions behind current standards, but for legacy applications, this coverage is adequate.

Power and Cooling

The Intel HD Graphics 5600 Mobile has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W, which is typical for integrated graphics on a mobile processor. This low TDP means it can be cooled by the system’s existing cooling solution, such as a heat pipe and fan shared with the CPU, without the need for a dedicated graphics cooler. The slot width is listed as IGP, confirming it is an integrated graphics processor that occupies no expansion slot. No power connectors are required, as the GPU draws power from the motherboard’s power delivery system. The FACT PACK does not list a suggested PSU, which is expected because integrated GPUs do not require a separate power supply recommendation — the system’s existing PSU (or battery for mobile devices) is sufficient.

Given the 15 W TDP, thermal management is straightforward. The GPU will not significantly increase system heat output beyond what the CPU already generates, and most laptops can sustain the 1050 MHz boost clock without throttling if the cooling solution is adequate. However, in thin-and-light chassis, sustained loads may cause the boost clock to drop toward the 300 MHz base, reducing performance. The lack of a dedicated power connector means there is no additional cable routing to consider. For a desktop system using a motherboard with this integrated GPU, a standard 65 W or higher PSU would be more than sufficient, but no specific wattage is provided in the FACT PACK, so that number is not cited. The system shared memory also means that the GPU’s power draw is partially influenced by RAM access, but the GPU core itself is limited to 15 W. This makes the HD 5600 Mobile an extremely power-efficient option for basic computing, but not a performance-oriented part.