
Apple MacBook Air 13 2017 Laptop (1.8 GHz) Review
Intel Core i5-5350U | Intel HD Graphics 6000 | 13.30" | 1.4 kg
The Intel HD Graphics 6000 (GT3) is an integrated Broadwell graphics card revealed in Q1 2015. It can be found in several ULV SoCs (15 W TDP) such as the Core i5-5250U or i7-5650U. The so-called GT3 GPU offers 48 EUs (Execution Units) and therefore somewhat more shader power than the previous HD 5000 (40 EUs). Depending on the specific CPU, the maximum GPU frequency varies between 950 and 1000 MHz.
Architecture and Features
Broadwell features a GPU based on the Intel Gen8 architecture, which has been optimized in various aspects compared to the previous Gen7.5 (Haswell). Inter alia, the shader arrays called "subslice" have been reorganized and now offer 8 Execution Units (EUs) each. Three subslices form a "slice" for a total of 24 EUs. Combined with other improvements such as larger L1 caches and an optimized frontend, the integrated GPU has become faster and more efficient than its predecessor.
The HD Graphics 6000 represents the top-end version of the Broadwell GPU family and consists of two slices with 48 EUs. Beyond that, there is also a low-end (GT1, 12 EUs), a mid-range (GT2, 24 EUs) and a high-end variant (GT3e, 48 EUs + eDRAM).
All Broadwell GPUs support OpenCL 2.0 and DirectX 12 (FL 11_1). The video engine can now decode H.265 using both fixed function hardware as well as available GPU shaders. Up to three displays can be connected via DP 1.2/eDP 1.3 (max. 3840 x 2160 @ 60 Hz) or HDMI 1.4a (max. 3840 x 2160 @ 24 Hz). HDMI 2.0, however, is not supported.
Performance
Depending on the specific CPU, the maximum GPU frequency varies between 950 and 1000 MHz. Due to the low TDP, however, the average clock in 3D applications will be significantly lower. Overall, the HD Graphics 6000 outperforms the previous HD 5000 by 20 - 25 percent and offers a performance slightly below a dedicated GeForce 820M.
Games as of 2014/2015 will usually run fluently only at (very) low settings.
Power Consumption
Utilizing a new 14 nm process, the Broadwell ULV chips are specified at just 15 W TDP and therefore suited for thin ultrabooks. The TDP is flexible and can be further reduced (9.5 W), which has a significant impact on performance.
HD Graphics Series
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Codename | Broadwell GT3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Architecture | Gen. 8 Broadwell | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pipelines | 48 - unified | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Core Speed | 300 - 1000 (Boost) MHz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Memory Bus Width | 64/128 Bit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shared Memory | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
API | DirectX 12 (FL 11_1), OpenGL 4.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Transistor Count | 1.9 Billion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
technology | 14 nm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Features | QuickSync | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of Announcement | 05.01.2015 |
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The following benchmarks stem from our benchmarks of review laptops. The performance depends on the used graphics memory, clock rate, processor, system settings, drivers, and operating systems. So the results don't have to be representative for all laptops with this GPU. For detailed information on the benchmark results, click on the fps number.
For more games that might be playable and a list of all games and graphics cards visit our Gaming List
Apple MacBook Air 13.3" 1.8 GHz (2017): Intel Core i5-5350U, 13.30", 1.4 kg
External Review » Apple MacBook Air 13.3" 1.8 GHz (2017)
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03: Intel Core i5-5250U, 11.00", 1.1 kg
External Review » Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03: Intel Core i5-5250U, 13.30", 1.4 kg
External Review » Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
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Playable games for each graphics card and their average FPS results.
* Approximate position of the graphics adapter
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