Can Intel UHD Graphics 530 Handle Blender Rendering?

The Intel Skylake Core i5-6600 processor features an integrated graphics card, known as the Intel UHD Graphics 530. While it's capable of handling various tasks, its video memory capabilities are somewhat unclear. Intel's spec sheets only mention eDRAM, with quotes ranging from 64MB to 128MB. It's assumed that the actual VRAM is borrowed from system memory, but a solid figure remains elusive.

For Blender enthusiasts, this raises concerns about rendering performance. The application requires between 512MB and 4GB of video memory, which may pose a challenge for the Intel UHD Graphics 530. Fortunately, it's possible to run Blender using OpenGL for the X session and dedicate a single Nvidia GPU for Cuda/Cycles rendering.

The Intel UHD Graphics 530 is an impressive chip, boasting compatibility with OpenGL 4.4, HLSL 5.1, and DX12. It would still make for an excellent gaming rig if paired with two Geforce GTX 960 cards (each with 4GB of VRAM). Considering the shift to the cycles renderer, SLI (Scalable Link Interface) might be a viable option to dedicate one GPU to Cycles rendering while leaving the other for X.

This new PC build aims to serve multiple purposes, including gaming, virtualization, coding, Blender usage, and possibly even VR. It's essential to choose components that can handle these diverse requirements efficiently. In this context, the Intel UHD Graphics 530 might be sufficient for general use but may struggle with demanding tasks like Blender rendering.

To give you a better idea of the graphics card's performance, here are some scores from benchmarking tests. Keep in mind that these results may vary depending on your system configuration and specific usage.

For those looking to upgrade their PC or build a new one, it's crucial to consider the video memory requirements of their applications. The Intel UHD Graphics 530 is an excellent starting point for general use, but it might not be the best choice for demanding tasks like Blender rendering. A dedicated graphics card would likely provide better performance and reliability.

Intel uhd graphics 530