About integrated video on Intel-based Mac computers

Learn about integrated Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) in Intel-based Mac computers and the amount of system memory that they share.

Integrated GPUs in Mac computers

Mac computers use these integrated GPUs:

• Intel UHD Graphics

• Intel Iris Plus

• Intel Iris Pro Graphics

• Intel Iris Graphics

• Intel HD Graphics

• NVIDIA GeForce

Intel UHD Graphics

Mac computers using Intel UHD Graphics as the primary GPU dynamically allocate memory depending on the task.

Models with Intel UHD Graphics 630:

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

• Mac mini (2018)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)

Models with Intel UHD Graphics 617:

• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)

Intel Iris Plus

Mac computers using Intel Iris Plus Graphics as the primary GPU dynamically allocate memory depending on the task.

Models with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)

Models with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640:

• iMac (21.5-inch, 2017)

Intel Iris Pro Graphics

Mac computers using Intel Iris Pro Graphics as the primary GPU dynamically allocate memory depending on the task.

Models with Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200:

• iMac (Retina, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)

Models with Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6000:

• iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)

Models with Intel Iris Pro Graphics:

• iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013)

• iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2014)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)

Intel Iris Graphics

Mac computers using Intel Iris Graphics as the primary GPU dynamically allocate memory depending on the task.

Models with Intel Iris Graphics 550:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) and later

Models with Intel Iris Graphics 540:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) and later

Models with Intel Iris Graphics 530:

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016) and later

Models with Intel Iris Graphics 6100:

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)

Models with Intel Iris Graphics:

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014)

• Mac mini (Late 2014) with 2.6GHz, 2.8GHz, or 3.0GHz processor

Intel HD Graphics

Mac computers using newer Intel HD Graphics as the primary GPU dynamically allocate memory depending on the task.

Models with Intel HD Graphics 615:

• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)

Models with Intel HD Graphics 530:

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)

Models with Intel HD Graphics 515:

• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)

Models with Intel HD Graphics 6000:

• MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2015)

• MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015) and later

Models with Intel HD Graphics 5300:

• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)

Models with Intel HD Graphics 5000:

• MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2013 and later)

• iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2014)

• Mac mini (Late 2014) with 1.4GHz processor

Models with Intel HD Graphics 4000:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early, 2013)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012)

• MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012)

• MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012)

• Mac mini (Late 2012)

Mac computers using the Intel HD Graphics 4000 as the primary or secondary GPU reserve 384MB–1024MB of system memory.

Models with Intel HD Graphics 4000:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early, 2013)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early, 2013)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012)

• MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012)

• MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012)

• Mac mini (Late 2012)

Intel HD Graphics 3000 allocates a base amount of memory to the integrated GPU based on how much system memory is installed:

• 2GB of RAM: 256MB allocated

• 4GB of RAM: 384MB allocated

• 8GB of RAM: 512MB allocated.

  • Exception: 384MB is allocated on 15-inch and 17-inch systems

Models with Intel HD Graphics 3000:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2011)

• MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2011)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011)

• MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2011)

• MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2011)

• MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2011)

• Mac mini (Mid 2011)

• Mac mini Server (Mid 2011)

Intel HD Graphics allocates a base amount of 256MB for video and boot processes at startup.

Models with Intel HD Graphics include:

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010)

• MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010)

NVIDIA GeForce

The NVIDIA GeForce 320M allocates a base amount of 256MB for video and boot processes at startup.

Models with NVIDIA 320M:

• MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010)

• MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2010)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010)

• MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010)

• Mac mini (Mid 2010)

The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M allocates a base amount of 256MB for video and boot processes at startup.

Products with NVIDIA 9400M:

• MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008)

• MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009)

• MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009)

• MacBook (13-inch Late 2009)

• MacBook Air (Late 2008)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) when "Better battery life" is turned on

• MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009) when "Better battery life" is turned on

• Mac mini (Early 2009)

• iMac (20-inch, Early 2009)

• iMac (24-inch, Early 2009) with 2.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor

• iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53 GHz, Mid 2009)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009) when "Better battery life" is turned on

• MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009) when "Better battery life" is turned on

About shared memory

Some Intel-based Mac computers feature both an integrated and a discrete Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). Others may feature only one GPU, which can be either an integrated or discrete GPU.

A discrete GPU provides high-performance graphics support using discrete video memory. An integrated GPU provides effective graphics support and shares video memory with the main system.

For Mac computers with both integrated and discrete GPUs, some models allow you to use macOS to decide which GPU to use for rendering graphics. Other models automatically switch between discrete and integrated graphics depending on the task. For more information on models that switch between integrated and discrete GPUs, see:

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008), (17-inch, Early 2009), (15-inch and 17-inch, Mid 2009): How to set graphics performance

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010 and later), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010 and later), and MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012): How to set graphics performance

Graphics performance

For best graphics performance, your computer should have two same-size SO-DIMMs installed, one in each slot. When memory is installed in your Mac in same-size pairs, the computer gains some performance benefits from the memory being interleaved.

If you upgrade the memory in your Mac, make sure you have matching SO-DIMMs (both in memory size and speed) in each slot for the best graphics performance. Systems with integrated memory already benefit from having matched pairs of memory installed.