Few things are as fun as putting together a specification for a new PC build. And it's interesting to observe the subtle shift in component choices over the years. In our own minds, optical drives are no longer a necessity, power supplies needn't carry massive capacity ratings, hard disks play second-fiddle to SSDs and small-and-quiet is preferable to big-and-loud.
But what about the graphics department? Historically speaking, a discrete graphics card has been the preferred option, largely due to the woeful ability of CPU-integrated alternatives. Is that still the case? Intel's IGPs have gradually moved forward, AMD's APUs are now carrying latest-generation Radeon cores, and with the rise of smartphones, tablets and games consoles, you have to ask: how much gaming potential will your next PC really need?
A couple of HEXUS team members have recently downsized to Intel NUCs, and they claim not to miss the dedicated horsepower of a larger machine. Though, they might think again when Titanfall is released.
But it's that time of the week where we put the question to you, our readers: will your next PC employ a discrete graphics card? Or do you see the IGP as being sufficient? Let us know your thoughts, for or against, using the comments facility below.
