Intel GMA 3600: the perfect graphics controller for netbooks

The video controller model Intel GMA 3600 has a fairly modest speed, and its main scope is low-performance netbooks. In such mobile devices, the cost and autonomy are at the forefront. It is with these two parameters that this graphic adapter has full order. But performance has a low level, which is only enough to solve the most simple tasks.

Prehistory of appearance. Niche solutions

Initially, integrated video controllers were included in the set of system logic. But the continuous improvement of semiconductor products has led to the fact that the degree of integration of the latter has constantly increased. As a result, the rest of the computing systems began to be transferred to one substrate with a central processing unit. Immediately such a fate befell the north bridge chipset motherboard, and then the built-in graphics adapter. Therefore, the predecessors of this video card were on the motherboard, but the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3600 by the manufacturer was already included in the processor unit. It was used in conjunction with the Atom chips. Most often they could be found in netbooks. The main sphere of use of the accelerator under consideration is low-performance mobile computing systems with a high degree of autonomy.

Main technical specifications and frequency

Silicon crystal Intel GMA 3600 was produced according to the standards of the technical process, which corresponded to tolerances of 32 nm. The clock frequency in the nominal mode was 400 MHz. Also, the manufacturer stated that this accelerator could output the video signal directly to 2 monitors. Again, expect to support the format of the image above HD in this case was not necessary. One of the monitors was system, and the second was connected to an external port using the miniHDMI port.

Video memory

Like any other Intel video card, the hero of this article did not have its own RAM. And this situation is typical for all integrated accelerators. An exception in this respect are only discrete graphics adapters, which are equipped with a separate video buffer. Therefore, we had to use system RAM for these purposes. In combination with the central processors, inside which there was a video controller Intel GMA 3600, the memory type DDR3 was used. The number of the latter in the best case could reach 4 GB, and the operating frequencies of the memory chips could be 1333 MHz or 1600 MHz. As a rule, controllers of such mobile computer systems could work in two-channel mode, and from the increase in the number of installed modules their performance only increased. The maximum amount of video buffer in this case could reach 512 MB. The last value could always be adjusted during the boot process in the BIOS.

Drivers

The main operating systems were for Intel GMA 3600 XP and "Windows 7". Also such a controller at the level of drivers supported and "Vista". But the late versions of "Winds" such support certainly can not boast for the reason that the company-manufacturer "Intel" has stopped supporting such products for a long time. It is for this reason that the driver updates for this platform have stopped coming out. Theoretically, it is possible to install a more recent version of Windows on such a hardware basis and install drivers in compatibility mode, but as practice shows, this is not always successful, and in some cases such a mobile system does not function quite stably.

Tests and comparison with competitors

This Intel video card on an equal foot can compete only with embedded video controllers. As opponents, the most appropriate choice is GeForce 7000M from NVidia and Radeon X1270 from ATI. These accelerators were released much earlier than the hero of this article, but they were developed by the leading manufacturers at that time, and they are aimed at using as part of the dekstop systems. That's why they do not have a limit on the level of power consumption. But GMA 3600, on the contrary, is aimed at mobile personal computers, and the level of power consumption in it is significantly adjusted downward. As a result, these accelerators in the 3DMark06 test showed the following results:

1. X1270 - 328.
2. GMA3600 - 281.
3. 7000M - 274.

Already, the fact that the hero of this article went around in this popular synthetic test package of NVidia's representative today is a significant achievement.

Advantages and disadvantages. The owners' opinion about this graphics controller

The lack of full support in new versions of operating systems is the main disadvantage of Intel GMA 3600. Windows 10, for example, does not have dedicated drivers for this accelerator. As a result, this can lead to various problems in the work of the PC. To pluses in this case it is possible to carry the moderate power consumption and the balanced level of speed. All this is harmoniously complemented by the democratic value of chips. As a result, more and more often in the inexpensive netbooks of the economy class you can find exactly such microprocessor devices.

Summary

High performance is not expected from Intel GMA 3600 initially. Yes, this is not his task. It is more suitable for performing the simplest applications, which belong to different word processors, table editors and web browsers. But for something more such modest software will certainly not be enough. Another plus is the excellent combination of energy efficiency and miniature dimensions. It is due to this combination that such a controller is successfully used in budget-level netbooks.