Could we be approaching the end of dedicated graphics cards? It might sound far-fetched, but ETA Prime, a popular YouTuber with over 1.28 million subscribers, has just demonstrated that it’s entirely possible to run Cyberpunk 2077—and other high-demand games—on ultra-high settings, all without a GPU.
Integrated Graphics That Pack a Punch
When most people think of computers without a graphics card, they probably envision basic machines designed only for tasks like office work or streaming. But with AMD’s new Strix Halo APU, that’s about to change. This new-generation chip, unveiled at CES 2025, comes packed with up to 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units, coupled with a Zen 5 processor that boasts 16 cores and 32 threads. Essentially, this chip brings performance close to that of a mid-range dedicated graphics card—without the need for one at all.
I first stumbled across this revelation while watching ETA Prime’s YouTube channel, where he put this mini-PC to the test. To my surprise, this compact machine—consuming just 130 watts of power—delivered impressive graphics performance that could easily rival some more traditional gaming setups.
Cyberpunk 2077 on Ultra… and Beyond!
To prove just how capable this machine really is, ETA Prime subjected it to a series of tests, and the results speak volumes. Here’s a breakdown of the performance:
- Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p Ultra ran at 58 frames per second (fps), and it surpassed 60 fps at High settings.
- Marvel Rivals at 1440p High reached an average of 65 fps.
- Grand Theft Auto V (Enhanced Edition) at 1440p Very High hovered around 90 fps.
- And it wasn’t just these titles—demanding games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and DOOM Eternal also ran smoothly, showcasing that this machine can hang with high-end gaming PCs.
With performance like this, it’s hard not to imagine a future where gaming PCs—especially laptops—no longer require dedicated graphics cards. While it’s still early days, this prototype proves that integrated graphics technology could be the way forward for more portable and energy-efficient systems.
But there’s still one big question left: while this Strix Halo APU shows incredible potential, how accessible will it be to consumers, and at what price? Time will tell whether this game-changing technology will be available to the masses, and whether it can compete with traditional gaming setups in terms of price and performance.
In the meantime, ETA Prime’s findings offer a glimpse of the future of gaming hardware—one where the need for a massive, power-hungry GPU might be a thing of the past.
