Intel HD Graphics 610

Intel HD Graphics 610 is an entry-level integrated graphics solution built on the Kaby Lake GT1 chip using Intel's Generation 9.5 architecture and a 14 nm++ process node. It carries a 5 W TDP, uses the Ring Bus interface, and is classified as an IGP with motherboard-dependent display outputs. The part is end-of-life, having launched in late August 2016. Benchmark results place it near the bottom of the performance spectrum, with an average benchmark score of 2570 and a percentile rank of 15 among all GPUs. The data shows a part that is strictly for basic computing tasks, with its scores clustering tightly around several older discrete mobile and desktop GPUs.

How It Compares

Against the NVIDIA Quadro K2000M, the Intel HD Graphics 610 posts a 1.6% higher average score (2570 vs. 2529). This margin is statistically negligible in real-world terms; the data indicates the two parts trade blows within run-to-run variance. The K2000M is a professional mobile GPU, yet the integrated Intel solution edges it out by a hair in synthetic aggregate performance. This suggests that for the very light workloads these parts can handle, the gap is effectively nonexistent.

Relative to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 720M, the Intel HD Graphics 610 trails by 1.9% (2570 vs. 2621). The GT 720M is a low-end discrete part from an older generation, and the benchmark results show it maintains a slight lead. However, a 1.9% delta is far below the threshold of perceptible difference; any application that runs acceptably on one will run similarly on the other. The integrated solution's advantage in power efficiency does not translate into a performance win here.

Comparing to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 440, the Intel HD Graphics 610 is 2.2% behind (2570 vs. 2629). The GT 440 is a desktop discrete card from an earlier era, and it still holds a marginal edge in aggregate compute. This delta is consistent with the pattern seen against the GT 720M: the Intel part sits within a tight cluster of legacy GPUs, none of which are meaningfully faster or slower. The data indicates that for 1080p media playback and office productivity, the HD 610 is effectively on par with these older discrete options.

The largest gap in the rival set is against the NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M, where the Intel HD Graphics 610 leads by 2.6% (2570 vs. 2504). The GT 635M is a mobile discrete GPU, and the integrated part manages a slight victory in average score. This is notable because it shows the HD 610 can outperform at least one dedicated GPU from its era, albeit by a margin that would be imperceptible in practice. The positioning is clear: the HD 610 is not a gaming part, but it holds its own against the weakest discrete GPUs of its generation.

Memory Subsystem

The Intel HD Graphics 610 uses system shared memory for both its VRAM capacity and type, with a bus width that is also system shared. The memory bandwidth is listed as system dependent, meaning it varies entirely with the host platform's RAM configuration and memory architecture. There is no dedicated VRAM pool, no fixed bus width, and no independent bandwidth figure; all memory operations rely on the system's main memory controller.

This design has direct implications for high-resolution workloads. Because the GPU must share bandwidth with the CPU and other system components, any memory-intensive task will suffer from contention. At 1080p, the data shows the part's raw compute limits (201.6 GFLOPS FP32, 2.100 GPixel/s pixel rate) are already severe constraints; pushing to higher resolutions would amplify memory bottlenecks. The lack of a dedicated bus width means the effective bandwidth is entirely at the mercy of the platform's DRAM configuration, making performance unpredictable across different systems.

For gaming, this memory architecture is a limiting factor even before considering the shading unit count. The 2 ROPs and 12 TMUs are extremely low, and with system-shared memory, texture fetch rates and pixel output are further constrained by memory latency and bandwidth sharing. The benchmark scores reflect this: an average of 2570 places the part in the 15th percentile, which aligns with a memory subsystem that cannot sustain high-resolution frame buffers. Users should expect playable performance only at low resolutions and minimal settings, if at all.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Intel HD Graphics 610 has no dedicated ray tracing cores and no tensor cores; the fact pack lists both as null. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing is therefore not supported, and any ray-traced effects would have to rely on software fallbacks, which would be impractical given the part's compute throughput. The FP32 performance of 201.6 GFLOPS and FP16 of 403.2 GFLOPS (2:1) are far too low for any real-time ray tracing workload.

The API support is surprisingly modern for such a low-end part. The fact pack lists DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3 support. This means the hardware can expose modern API features, but the underlying execution resources are minimal. DirectX 12_1 support enables some advanced rendering features, and Vulkan 1.3 provides access to current cross-platform graphics APIs. However, having the API flags does not translate into usable performance; benchmark results indicate the part sits at the 15th percentile, so these APIs will only be useful for very simple scenes or compute tasks.

The texture rate of 12.60 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 2.100 GPixel/s further underscore the feature set's theoretical ceiling. Even with modern API support, the part cannot feed the pipelines fast enough to render complex scenes. The 96 shading units are the sole compute resource, and they are insufficient for anything beyond basic 2D rendering, video decode, or light 3D acceleration. The feature set is a checkbox exercise rather than a practical capability.

FAQ

Q: What is the average benchmark score of the Intel HD Graphics 610?

A: The average benchmark score is 2570, based on Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan results of 2450 and 2690, respectively.

Q: How does it compare to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 720M?

A: The Intel HD Graphics 610 is 1.9% slower than the GT 720M, with scores of 2570 versus 2621.

Q: Does the Intel HD Graphics 610 support hardware ray tracing?

A: No, it has no ray tracing cores or tensor cores, so hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not available.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of this GPU?

A: The memory bandwidth is system dependent, as the GPU uses system shared memory for capacity, type, and bus width.

Q: Which modern graphics APIs does it support?

A: It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3.

Q: What is the pixel fill rate of the Intel HD Graphics 610?

A: The pixel rate is 2.100 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 12.60 GTexel/s.

Who Should Consider It

The Intel HD Graphics 610 is only appropriate for users with the lowest possible graphics demands. The 15th percentile ranking and an average score of 2570 mean it cannot handle modern 3D gaming at any reasonable settings. For 1080p, the data shows the part's 2 ROPs and 96 shading units are grossly inadequate; even older titles would need to run at reduced resolutions and minimal detail levels. The system-shared memory with no fixed bandwidth further compounds this, making high-resolution frame buffers impractical.

A user whose workload is limited to office productivity, web browsing, and video playback will find the HD 610 adequate, as those tasks rely more on the CPU and media decode blocks than raw GPU compute. The 5 W TDP and IGP form factor make it a zero-cost addition to any Kaby Lake system, and the modern API support (DirectX 12_1, Vulkan 1.3) ensures compatibility with current software stacks. However, the benchmark data is unambiguous: any task that stresses the GPU will result in poor performance.

For those considering light gaming, the rival comparisons are telling. The HD 610 sits within 2.6% of the NVIDIA Quadro K2000M, GeForce GT 720M, GeForce GT 440, and GeForce GT 635M. None of these are gaming-capable parts by modern standards, and the integrated solution does not break away from that pack. The recommendation is clear: the Intel HD Graphics 610 is suitable only for non-gaming, low-resolution, and basic computing scenarios. If any 3D acceleration is required, the data suggests looking elsewhere.