Elden Ring With No Graphics Card
**Playing "Elden Ring" with Integrated Graphics: A Comprehensive Review**
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### Introduction
Hello everyone, welcome to another video. When I first saw the system requirements for "Elden Ring," I was pretty certain that any hopes I had of running it with integrated graphics were dashed. However, here we are—thanks to some unexpected performance, I’m sharing my experience with you.
At first glance, I didn’t think this was my sort of game. Then, after reading a few reviews, I changed my mind and decided it was a must-buy. Just like when I spent a month in Australia wondering why nearly every living thing seemed determined to kill me, "Elden Ring" has me asking the same questions about its world design.
I want to clarify that the gameplay footage you’re seeing here is from the very early stages of the game to avoid potential spoilers. The performance you see might not represent what you can expect throughout the entirety of the game, but it should still give you a pretty good idea of the general performance you can anticipate.
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### Test Systems and Settings
My first test system consists of an Intel Core i3-12300 (codenamed "Golden Cove") with 16GB of DDR4 memory running at 3200 MHz. The only graphics card used is the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 730, which is part of Intel’s onboard display solutions.
Intel’s integrated graphics have come a long way, but they still face occasional driver support issues and other problems. Despite these challenges, they are definitely usable for gaming. For instance, "Far Cry 6" runs decently on integrated graphics, though it still has some display issues like strange flickering and odd lighting behavior. These problems could likely be resolved with future updates.
For "Elden Ring," I set the game to the lowest settings at a resolution of 720p (1280x720). The game also offers an 800x600 option, which is best saved for scenarios where even 720p struggles to maintain 30fps. Additionally, there’s an auto-detect feature that adjusts rendering settings based on performance. I left this feature enabled during testing, though it didn’t seem to make a significant difference in this case.
Anti-aliasing was set to high because the performance hit between low and high settings is minimal, but the visual improvement is noticeable. This setting helps smooth out the edges of nearly everything in the game, making the experience more polished.
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### Performance on Intel Integrated Graphics
The excitement of running "Elden Ring" on an onboard GPU is tempered by the fact that it’s not a completely solid experience. While there are occasional dips in frame rates, especially during combat-heavy scenes, the game runs surprisingly smoothly overall. On my i3 system, the average frame rate sits comfortably above 30fps, though there are moments where it drops into the mid-20s or lower.
These dips are not constant and often occur just as quickly as I get wiped out by enemies, making them less noticeable in gameplay. The current version of "Elden Ring" is 1.02, so future updates and patches could potentially improve performance further.
I noticed a couple of graphical glitches during my testing, such as a sudden flash of blue and green light across the screen, which happened only once in an indoor area. While I’m unsure what caused this issue, it’s possible that it might be resolved with future updates or driver optimizations.
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### Testing on AMD Processors
Unfortunately, my testing on AMD processors didn’t go as smoothly. The AMD Athlon 3000G, paired with integrated Radeon graphics, consistently froze during gameplay—both when starting a new game and loading saves. Despite trying various troubleshooting steps like using newer or older drivers, overclocking, and swapping out memory modules, I couldn’t get consistent performance from this setup.
The situation improved slightly when I tested the game at 800x600 resolution, but it still faced significant issues. My primary test system, an AMD Ryzen 7 4700U laptop with integrated Radeon graphics, performed marginally better. With 16GB of DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode and running in maximum performance mode, the game managed to achieve an average frame rate above 30fps.
However, like the i3 system, this setup experienced occasional dips in performance during combat-heavy scenes, making it feel less stable than expected. Despite these issues, hitting even 30fps on integrated graphics is a welcome result, especially for those without access to a dedicated GPU.
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### Comparing Integrated Graphics Performance
The Intel UHD Graphics 730 and AMD Radeon integrated graphics have their pros and cons. While the Radeon graphics might be marginally better in terms of raw performance, it ultimately depends on the processor they’re paired with. Desktop AMD APUs tend to perform significantly better than their laptop counterparts, so I plan to test future systems like the Ryzen 5 5700G or Ryzen 7 5800G for more accurate comparisons.
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### Conclusion and Final Thoughts
"Elden Ring" is a tough game, but it’s surprisingly manageable with integrated graphics if you’re willing to play at lower resolutions and settings. Indoor areas tend to perform better than open-world environments, where frame rate drops are more common.
For those struggling to find a dedicated GPU, the 800x600 resolution option is a lifesaver, ensuring even fewer dips below 30fps. I can only commend the developers for including this feature, as it will undoubtedly help many players until they can upgrade their hardware.
Performance issues are widespread, and while things may improve with future updates and patches, there’s no guarantee of significant changes. I’ll keep you posted on any major developments and plan to continue testing "Elden Ring" on various integrated graphics setups in the future.
Thank you for watching! If you found this video helpful, please like it below, and don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already. Let me know how "Elden Ring" runs on your system and if it performs better than expected—along with your hardware configuration. I’ll see you all in the next video!
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This article provides a detailed breakdown of running "Elden Ring" with integrated graphics, highlighting both successes and challenges faced during testing.