GeForce GTX 1060 vs Iris Graphics 540

CPU

GPU

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Iris Graphics 540

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 1060

6 GB 180

10,064

+692.4%

GeForce GTX 680

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

GeForce RTX 2050 Mobile

GeForce GTX TITAN Z

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile

Iris Graphics 540

Shared System RAM 15

1,270

0.0%

Arc Graphics 130T

Arc A770M

Arc B580

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅+692.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs Unknown).
✅Less risky long-term buy than Iris Graphics 540: it remains the more sensible modern option while Iris Graphics 540 is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌1100% higher power demand at 180W vs 15W.

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 180W, a 165W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,270 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

✅+692.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs Unknown).
✅Less risky long-term buy than Iris Graphics 540: it remains the more sensible modern option while Iris Graphics 540 is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 180W, a 165W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌1100% higher power demand at 180W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,270 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Iris Graphics 540?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 1,270 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Iris Graphics 540 is a 2015 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2016 generation instead of 2015, 692.4% more raw performance headroom, and more VRAM at 6 GB instead of Unknown. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce GTX 1060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $249 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 692.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Iris Graphics 540 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Iris Graphics 540 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still fine for 1080p, but 1440p and especially 4K require more compromise. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce GTX 1060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Iris Graphics 540 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	117 FPS	16 FPS
medium	105 FPS	11 FPS
high	91 FPS	7 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	4 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	11 FPS
medium	87 FPS	6 FPS
high	76 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	1 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	4 FPS
medium	49 FPS	2 FPS
high	41 FPS	1 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	1 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Iris Graphics 540

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	216 FPS	57 FPS
medium	181 FPS	46 FPS
high	148 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	23 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	43 FPS
medium	107 FPS	28 FPS
high	87 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	15 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	23 FPS
medium	51 FPS	15 FPS
high	49 FPS	12 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	8 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Iris Graphics 540

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	453 FPS	57 FPS
medium	362 FPS	46 FPS
high	302 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	29 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	43 FPS
medium	272 FPS	34 FPS
high	226 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	21 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	29 FPS
medium	181 FPS	23 FPS
high	151 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Iris Graphics 540

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	358 FPS	57 FPS
medium	302 FPS	46 FPS
high	260 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	24 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	11 FPS
medium	254 FPS	8 FPS
high	208 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	5 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	7 FPS
medium	133 FPS	5 FPS
high	123 FPS	4 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	3 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Iris Graphics 540

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Iris Graphics 540

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

Iris Graphics 540

The Iris Graphics 540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in September 1 2015. It features the Generation 9.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 14 nm+ process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,270 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Iris Graphics 540's 1,270 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 692.4%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Iris Graphics 540 uses Generation 9.0, both on 16 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 540). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 540). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
G3D Mark Score	10,064+692%	1,270
Architecture	Pascal	Generation 9.0
Process Node	16 nm	14 nm+
Shading Units	2560+567%	384
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+1055%	0.768 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+73%	1000 MHz
ROPs	64+967%	6
TMUs	160+233%	48

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Iris Graphics 540 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 540 has 0 MB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	System
Bus Width	192-bit	System

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (FL 12_1) (Iris Graphics 540). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
DirectX	12	12 (FL 12_1)
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs Quick Sync (Iris Graphics 540). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs Quick Sync. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,HEVC,VP8 (Iris Graphics 540).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	Quick Sync
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	Quick Sync
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,HEVC,VP8

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Iris Graphics 540's 15W — a 169.2% difference. The Iris Graphics 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 540). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Iris Graphics 540
TDP	180W	15W-92%
Recommended PSU	400W	1W-100%
Power Connector	6-pin	Integrated
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Perf/Watt	55.9	84.7+52%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Iris Graphics 540 launched at $0. The Iris Graphics 540 costs 100+% less ($249 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs Infinity (Iris Graphics 540) — the Iris Graphics 540 offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2015).