Is the Asus Z97 Board integrated Graphics or iGPU, and what is the difference?

Question

I plan to buy an Asus Sabertooth Z97 Mark 1 board, with an Intel Xeon Processor E3-1220 v3 (without graphic). Now I don't know if the Asus board uses an integrated graphics or the graphics from my CPU, in the comp-list the CPU is listed, but there is no info about the graphics.

Can anyone explain the iGPU and integrated graphics difference? This is a block diagram of the Z97 chipset, I can't find integrated graphics.

Solution

iGPU stands for Integrated Graphics Processing Unit.

Integrated:

An integrated graphics processing unit (GPU) doesn't use its own RAM; it utilizes the system's memory instead.

Dedicated:

A dedicated, or discrete, GPU has its own independent source of video memory, leaving the RAM your system uses untouched.

According to the asus sabertooth z97 mark 1 specs, it does have an Integrated Graphics Processing Unit:

The CPU, working in conjunction with software applications, sends information about the image to the graphics card or Integrated Graphics Processing Unit. The graphics card/Integrated Graphics Processing Unit then decides how to use the pixels on the screen to create the image. It then sends that information to the monitor through a cable. ­

So with that motherboard and CPU, if you were to plug a monitor into the HDMI port it would work/function as expected.

Comments

[Thalys]

Essentially its identical to this question Essentially the GPU is on the cpu die in most core i3/5/7 mainstream processors, and the equivilent xeons do not have onboard graphics. You need on die graphics in the cpu you select for the 'integral' ports to work. Else you need a discrete, pci-e gpu

[kockiren]

but in the block diagram is shown that the chipset use the CPU integrated Graphic. So the most CPUs that can be used in the Z97 chipset has a integrated Graphic but this one not. The remark in the comp-list mean that is a Server CPU and some integrated features not available?

[kockiren]

Now I'am confused, it is right that I need a Videocard or not?

[midnite]

@kockiren , simply say, yes, you need a video card for the Z97 motherboards. You can simply assume Z97 boards has no display functions (they are having only the ports). So you either go with a CPU with GPU, or display cards.