So you have a computer with Intel HD Graphics 4000. You're probably wondering, How do I turn this old thing into a gaming machine? Well, there are a few things you can do, some being software-side and others being hardware-side, and the last being just buy a new computer. There are a few tweaks you can do to make sure that you can get the most performance out of that old iGPU. Now, don't expect to playing at anything over 720p on LOW settings. Let's get started, shall we?
Update Your Device Drivers
Having old drivers is one of the most obvious reasons as to why you're not getting the most out of your GPU. You can check your driver version by going to Control Panel > System then click Device Manager on the left. Then open up the Display adapter subsection and right clicking your GPU. Click properties, which should bring up a tabbed window. Click on the Driver tab and you should see a label saying Driver Version followed by your version. Go to the website of your GPU (Intel, in this case) and find the driver made for your GPU. If it's not the same as the one you have installed, then go ahead and install the new driver.
Dual-Channel Memory
Intel HD Graphics 4000 (and all of the Intel HD Graphics GPUs, actually) are integrated into the CPU. It does not have it's own VRAM, and therefore uses the system RAM. Chances are, if you have a laptop with Intel HD Graphics 4000, the RAM inside is probably low-end. Now, if you currently only have a single DIMM installed, then you should install a second (clocked at the same speed) RAM DIMM. Doing this increases the bandwidth that the GPU has access to, and increases performance. In my case, I had a laptop with an i3-3110M which has the Intel HD Graphics 4000 iGPU. It originally came with 1 4gb 1600Mhz DIMM. I ordered an identical DIMM with the same latency and speed and installed it into the second DIMM slot on my laptop's motherboard, and saw gains of over 15% in terms of gaming performance. High clocked memory will be better than lower clocked RAM such as 1333 Mhz.
Graphics Control Panel Settings
There are settings you can tweak inside the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel. First, please make sure that you have the latest GPU drivers installed from Intel. Next, go to your desktop and right click, then select Graphics Properties... Once it opens, click 3D. Make sure Application Optimal Mode is enabled, and set General Settings to Performance.
Conclusion
I hope you liked my guide on how to improve the gaming performance of the Intel HD Graphics 4000. This will apply to other HD graphics, such as the 4400, 4600, 5000, and so on. Thank you for reading!
Update Your Device Drivers
Having old drivers is one of the most obvious reasons as to why you're not getting the most out of your GPU. You can check your driver version by going to Control Panel > System then click Device Manager on the left. Then open up the Display adapter subsection and right clicking your GPU. Click properties, which should bring up a tabbed window. Click on the Driver tab and you should see a label saying Driver Version followed by your version. Go to the website of your GPU (Intel, in this case) and find the driver made for your GPU. If it's not the same as the one you have installed, then go ahead and install the new driver.
Dual-Channel Memory
Intel HD Graphics 4000 (and all of the Intel HD Graphics GPUs, actually) are integrated into the CPU. It does not have it's own VRAM, and therefore uses the system RAM. Chances are, if you have a laptop with Intel HD Graphics 4000, the RAM inside is probably low-end. Now, if you currently only have a single DIMM installed, then you should install a second (clocked at the same speed) RAM DIMM. Doing this increases the bandwidth that the GPU has access to, and increases performance. In my case, I had a laptop with an i3-3110M which has the Intel HD Graphics 4000 iGPU. It originally came with 1 4gb 1600Mhz DIMM. I ordered an identical DIMM with the same latency and speed and installed it into the second DIMM slot on my laptop's motherboard, and saw gains of over 15% in terms of gaming performance. High clocked memory will be better than lower clocked RAM such as 1333 Mhz.
Graphics Control Panel Settings
There are settings you can tweak inside the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel. First, please make sure that you have the latest GPU drivers installed from Intel. Next, go to your desktop and right click, then select Graphics Properties... Once it opens, click 3D. Make sure Application Optimal Mode is enabled, and set General Settings to Performance.
Conclusion
I hope you liked my guide on how to improve the gaming performance of the Intel HD Graphics 4000. This will apply to other HD graphics, such as the 4400, 4600, 5000, and so on. Thank you for reading!
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