The Best Games That Run Well On Integrated Graphics

Gaming can become an expensive hobby, especially for those chasing the bleeding edge of tech. That said, gamers with a modest setup can also enjoy a massive library of titles on PCs and laptops with integrated graphics. While these games may fall short of eye-catching graphics, they make up for it by offering an unparalleled storyline and gameplay.

4:13

Related

Amazing PC Games With Low System Requirements

You don’t need a monstrous PC to see some of the best the platform has to offer. Today, we’re covering the best PC games with low system requirements.

Advancements in integrated graphics technologies further enhance the gaming experience, and laptops powered by Intel’s Arc series, in particular, offer commendable in-game FPS on some popular titles. Below are some of the most coveted games with integrated graphics that can run on laptops.

Updated on February 3, 2025 by Mehrdad Khayyat: Although the big-budget studios try to opt for games with high visual quality and deliver realistic experiences to the players, it doesn’t mean retro-style gaming with budget-friendly visuals is dead.

Every year, many indie developers come up with creative ideas to surprise players with addictive gameplay loops, and in the meantime, they are so light in visuals that even a computer from a decade earlier can run them just as smooth as a modern-day console.

RAM Requirement: 4 GB

Management

Simulation

Sports

Released

November 6, 2024

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Isn’t it a beautiful coincidence that one of the most popular sports games is also one of the least demanding ones? Well, Football Manager 2024 is known as one of those games that even a toaster can run smoothly, let alone integrated graphics with a performance level of Intel HD 4000 or beyond.

Probably the biggest problem with the game could be a longer loading time after each save, but that is also an SSD issue, which has nothing to do with a graphics chipset. No matter surfing the management UI or watching the matches live on the 3D engine, a relatively modern integrated GPU can handle this game just fine!

9

Katana ZERO

RAM Requirement: 1 GB

Systems

Released

April 18, 2019

Developer(s)

Askiisoft

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Who’s not in for a story-driven experience with a mind-blowing twist? Katana ZERO is one of those hidden gems in gaming that happens to require nothing more than basic-level hardware. This game only requires 256 MB of video memory and the requirements only mention a 7600 GT, which is not stronger than an Intel HD 4000.

Regarding the fact that gameplay is quite fast-paced in Katana ZERO and requires quick reactions from the player, it’s crucial to run the game at 30 FPS or above, and thankfully, anything that meets Intel HD 4000’s performance will tackle, and there is also a chance for Intel HD 1000, really!

8

Slay The Spire

RAM Requirement: 2 GB

Released

January 23, 2019

Developer(s)

Mega Crit

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

For those looking for a game with a lot of replayability, Slay the Spire can be a top-notch choice. The game might seem quite difficult in the beginning, but every defeat teaches a new lesson, helping players to better moderate their stuff and choose their path wisely.

The good news is Slay the Spire can run pretty well on a variety of systems with integrated graphics. It even runs at an acceptable level on Intel HD 3000 graphics, which is a little bit weaker than what this list considers the barebones benchmark.

7

Stardew Valley

RAM Requirement: 2 GB

Released

February 26, 2016

Developer(s)

ConcernedApe

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Another incredible experience in 2D comes with beautiful visuals and a sizeable open-world map split into multiple regions. Stardew Valley is one of those timeless experiences that is not tied to a certain era of gaming. Players can always have a lot of fun in this cozy and relaxing experience.

Stardew Valley is so optimized and lightweight that the requirement doesn’t even specify any GPU models. Suffice it to say that anything with 256 MB of video memory can run this game well enough to let the player enjoy the experience. It’s probably harder to find systems that cannot run this game!

6

Celeste

RAM Requirement: 2 GB

Released

January 25, 2018

Developer(s)

Extremely OK Games

Publisher(s)

Extremely OK Games

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

As a pixelated adventure, Celeste is not one of those demanding games out there, but it indeed delivers a more engaging and addictive gameplay loop than many sizey realistic games out there! The minimum requirement for this game is an Intel HD 4000 integrated GPU.

Knowing that HD 4000 is one of the lowest standards available for an integrated GPU, the game will run pretty well on any newer or better hardware. One other thing to note, however, is that the game requires 2 GB of RAM, and failing to meet this requirement could end up in sudden stutters while playing, especially in crowded levels.

5

Sea of Stars

RAM Requirement: 4 GB

Released

August 29, 2023

Developer(s)

Sabotage

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Sea of Stars has a lot going for it. The game offers crisp, pixelated graphics, taking gamers through several beautiful islands brimming with mysteries. Players must leverage the game’s dynamic turn-based combat during their playthrough. It is quite long, although it runs remarkably well on laptops with iGPUs.

While gamers won’t have many video settings to play with, the game should run seamlessly on most laptops from the get-go. Notably, the game caps the in-game FPS to the display’s refresh rate. So, it’ll run at 60FPS on a 60Hz screen and log 120FPS on a 120Hz screen.

4

Hollow Knight

RAM Requirement: 4 GB

Released

February 24, 2017

Developer(s)

Team Cherry

Franchise

Hollow Knight

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Hollow Knight is a challenging platformer with a riveting story. The game takes place in Hallownest, a fallen kingdom subdivided into different playable regions that can be explored freely.

The best part is that the game runs exceptionally well on low-powered systems. Gamers with an entry-level Intel HD graphics-backed laptop can expect over 40FPS at 1080p resolution. Those using a more modern laptop with Arc graphics will enjoy even more FPS. Rest assured, the game is superbly optimized, and it runs quite well with little to no frame drops. It can even be played on gaming handhelds, and players can enjoy the title at 90FPS on the Steam Deck OLED.

3

Dave the Diver

RAM Requirement: 8 GB

Systems

Released

June 28, 2023

Developer(s)

Mintrocket

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Dave the Diver combines exploratory and management-style games. Players take the role of Dave, a prolific diver by day and a restaurant manager at night. They can explore the depths of Blue Hole, an ever-changing biome with various fish, including deadly predators like sharks.

Thanks to its 2D, pixelated environments, the game will not tax most modern laptops. It is frame-locked at 60FPS, though, so gamers can expect similar performance on laptops with Arc graphics and those with Intel’s UHD graphics.

2

Hades

RAM Requirement: 4 GB

Released

September 17, 2020

Franchise

Hades

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Hades is a high-octane roguelike that leverages fast-paced, hack-and-slash combat and peppy visuals to keep gamers glued to their screen. It’s quite challenging and has its fair share of challenging boss fights.

Additionally, the game plays really well, even on older laptops with integrated GPUs. In fact, most laptops with an Intel UHD / Arc GPU should be able to get well over 60FPS in the game at the laptop’s native resolution.

1

BioShock Infinite

RAM Requirement: 2 GB

Systems

Released

March 26, 2013

Franchise

BioShock

BioShock Infinite is the third game in the BioShock series. That said, it is not a direct sequel to its predecessors and offers a brand-new campaign.

The game is of the FPS genre and offers tense fights where players must fight waves of combatants. Although almost a decade old, the game is still fairly demanding. As such, gamers looking to target 60FPS consistently should run it with all visual effects disabled. Laptops with Arc GPUs will undoubtedly fare better here.

7:22

More

Games With The Most Impressive Graphics

Graphics can make a good game look great. Regardless of the actual gameplay, here are the games with the most undeniably impressive graphics