Great software makes great hardware truly shine, and it seems like Intel graphics chief Raja Koduri knows it. Shortly after Koduri assumed control of the Radeon Technologies Group at his last job at AMD, the company rolled out a long-overdue revamp of its Radeon Settings application. On Wednesday, at GDC 2019, Intel revealed an overhauled Graphics Command Center app ahead of the hotly anticipated 2020 launch of its “Xe” discrete graphics cards.
The company didn’t disclose any additional information about Xe graphics card hardware itself at its GDC event, the kickoff for its new “ The Odyssey” community-building initiative. But Intel provided PCWorld with an early build of its modernized Graphics Command Center app, and it shows that the team is serious about laying the groundwork for a bigger graphics push.
The Intel Graphics Command Center isn’t all about the future, though. Over 1 billion users already have Intel’s HD integrated graphics in their computers, and those gamers can start taking advantage of the new app right away. The Early Access version we tried is expected to be available immediately in Windows 10’s Microsoft store—but note that you’ll need a 6th-gen (2015) or newer Intel processor to use it.
Meet the new Intel Graphics Command Center
Rather than waxing poetic about every minute detail of the new app, we’ll simply show you what it looks like. To start, let’s take a moment to appreciate just how much of an upgrade this is. The current Intel Graphics Control Panel functions well enough, but it definitely feels dated:
Now feast your eyes on every inch of the overhauled Intel Graphics Command Center. These images were all taken by my colleague Mark Hachman, and you can click any picture to enlarge it:
Intel’s graphics app can optimize your games to best fit your hardware’s capabilities. A nice touch: If you hover over the question-mark tooltip next to the graphics options listed in the Advanced Settings for a game, the app explains what that option actually means, using illustrated examples of the feature when it’s on and off. Nvidia’s rival GeForce Experience offers similar guidance, and it’s a great help for gamers who aren’t graphics geeks.
Unfortunately, only 30 games currently support the Intel app’s optimization feature, though the company says that more will be added “constantly.” Intel’s gameplay site lists graphics optimizations for a vast swath of games that could probably be added to the app in fairly short order.
Let’s continue with the display and video portions of the app, the other sections most likely to interest gamers:
The Intel Graphics Command Center also includes sections devoted to your system configuration, support, and preferences for the app itself. Pro tip: You probably want to disable promotions.
The future
Those newfangled Xe GPUs aren’t even close to launching yet, and this is just the beginning of Intel’s odyssey with the Graphics Command Center.
While it sure is pretty, the app can’t yet match the robust functionality of established software by AMD and Nvidia, which offer extras like video capture tools, performance monitoring, and per-app overclocking. Those sorts of tools seem better suited for powerful discrete graphics, though, so they could be added closer to Xe’s release in 2020. And while offering auto-optimization options is a huge bonus for gamers playing on integrated graphics, supporting a mere 30 games won’t cut it for long, especially in the face of GeForce Experience’s deep library. Here’s hoping those promised additions start flying fast, furiously, and soon.
Intel’s pledged to keep improving the app. The future will bring community-created skins to the Graphics Command Center, joining the “Nebula” skin shown above. The company plans to host dedicated community support threads and a Reddit AMA on April 25 for feedback from early adopters. “Expect new features and continued improvements over time,” the final slide of Intel’s press deck declared.
Is there still room for improvement? Sure. But you get only one chance to make a first impression. The modernized Graphics Command Center is starting Intel’s graphics odyssey off on the right foot.
两个鬼故事大排档起名邪恶触手怪学校广播系统副市长是什么级别方姓女孩起名字吗330路公交车新生儿起名测试方法鼠宝宝起名字免费女孩起名姓张 张姓名字大全公司名字起名测分10086人工服务大百科全书最美的乡村演员表濮怎么读秋天的图画作文给男宝宝起什么名字好网游起名字低调有内涵一个男生说想日死你什么意思常姓女孩起名及寓意汉十高速程之房地产企业起名隋唐演义裴翠云国庆祝福语杨红樱用诗经楚辞起名称陶弘景简介闻名遐迩的意思蔬菜水果公司起名大全2020杨氏起名少年生前被连续抽血16次?多部门介入两大学生合买彩票中奖一人不认账让美丽中国“从细节出发”淀粉肠小王子日销售额涨超10倍高中生被打伤下体休学 邯郸通报单亲妈妈陷入热恋 14岁儿子报警何赛飞追着代拍打雅江山火三名扑火人员牺牲系谣言张家界的山上“长”满了韩国人?男孩8年未见母亲被告知被遗忘中国拥有亿元资产的家庭达13.3万户19岁小伙救下5人后溺亡 多方发声315晚会后胖东来又人满为患了张立群任西安交通大学校长“重生之我在北大当嫡校长”男子被猫抓伤后确诊“猫抓病”测试车高速逃费 小米:已补缴周杰伦一审败诉网易网友洛杉矶偶遇贾玲今日春分倪萍分享减重40斤方法七年后宇文玥被薅头发捞上岸许家印被限制高消费萧美琴窜访捷克 外交部回应联合利华开始重组专访95后高颜值猪保姆胖东来员工每周单休无小长假男子被流浪猫绊倒 投喂者赔24万小米汽车超级工厂正式揭幕黑马情侣提车了西双版纳热带植物园回应蜉蝣大爆发当地回应沈阳致3死车祸车主疑毒驾恒大被罚41.75亿到底怎么缴妈妈回应孩子在校撞护栏坠楼外国人感慨凌晨的中国很安全杨倩无缘巴黎奥运校方回应护栏损坏小学生课间坠楼房客欠租失踪 房东直发愁专家建议不必谈骨泥色变王树国卸任西安交大校长 师生送别手机成瘾是影响睡眠质量重要因素国产伟哥去年销售近13亿阿根廷将发行1万与2万面值的纸币兔狲“狲大娘”因病死亡遭遇山火的松茸之乡“开封王婆”爆火:促成四五十对奥巴马现身唐宁街 黑色着装引猜测考生莫言也上北大硕士复试名单了德国打算提及普京时仅用姓名天水麻辣烫把捣辣椒大爷累坏了