GeForce GTX 1650 vs Iris Graphics 550

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

2019Core: 1485 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz

Popular choices:

β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’
VS
Intel

Iris Graphics 550

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz

Popular choices:

β€’β€’β€’β€’GTX 1650β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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 1650

2019

Why buy it

  • βœ…+137.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • βœ…Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 52.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • βœ…100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
  • βœ…Less risky long-term buy than Iris Graphics 550: it remains the more sensible modern option while Iris Graphics 550 is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
  • ❌400% higher power demand at 75W vs 15W.

Iris Graphics 550

2015

Why buy it

  • βœ…Draws 15W instead of 75W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,311 vs 7,869).
  • ❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 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 52.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1650 better than Iris Graphics 550?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1650 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 7,869 vs 3,311 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1650 is a 2019 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Iris Graphics 550 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 1650 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2019 generation instead of 2015, 137.7% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 4 GB instead of Unknown, and a 12nm process instead of 14nm. 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 1650 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce GTX 1650 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $149 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 137.7% 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 550 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Iris Graphics 550 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 1650 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
1080p
low94 FPS16 FPS
medium83 FPS11 FPS
high70 FPS7 FPS
ultra58 FPS4 FPS
1440p
low87 FPS11 FPS
medium74 FPS6 FPS
high60 FPS3 FPS
ultra50 FPS1 FPS
4K
low41 FPS4 FPS
medium39 FPS2 FPS
high27 FPS1 FPS
ultra24 FPS1 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
1080p
low136 FPS75 FPS
medium113 FPS49 FPS
high94 FPS32 FPS
ultra71 FPS23 FPS
1440p
low79 FPS51 FPS
medium62 FPS28 FPS
high44 FPS20 FPS
ultra35 FPS15 FPS
4K
low36 FPS23 FPS
medium27 FPS15 FPS
high21 FPS12 FPS
ultra15 FPS8 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
1080p
low323 FPS149 FPS
medium283 FPS119 FPS
high205 FPS86 FPS
ultra169 FPS74 FPS
1440p
low225 FPS112 FPS
medium202 FPS89 FPS
high151 FPS60 FPS
ultra117 FPS51 FPS
4K
low130 FPS74 FPS
medium117 FPS60 FPS
high79 FPS40 FPS
ultra50 FPS32 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
1080p
low261 FPS74 FPS
medium211 FPS58 FPS
high191 FPS37 FPS
ultra166 FPS24 FPS
1440p
low201 FPS11 FPS
medium158 FPS8 FPS
high135 FPS6 FPS
ultra113 FPS5 FPS
4K
low99 FPS7 FPS
medium74 FPS5 FPS
high65 FPS4 FPS
ultra51 FPS3 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1650 and Iris Graphics 550

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1650

The GeForce GTX 1650 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 23 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1485 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,869 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Iris Graphics 550

The Iris Graphics 550 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: 3,311 points.

⚑

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7,869 versus the Iris Graphics 550's 3,311 β€” the GeForce GTX 1650 leads by 137.7%. The GeForce GTX 1650 is built on Turing while the Iris Graphics 550 uses Generation 9.0, both on 12 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 896 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 550). Raw compute: 2.984 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 550). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
G3D Mark Score
7,869+138%
3,311
Architecture
Turing
Generation 9.0
Process Node
12 nm
14 nm+
Shading Units
896+133%
384
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.984 TFLOPS+289%
0.768 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1665 MHz+67%
1000 MHz
ROPs
32+433%
6
TMUs
56+17%
48
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1650 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Iris Graphics 550 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
πŸ’Ύ

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1650 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 550 has 0 MB. The GeForce GTX 1650 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs System.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
128 GB/s
System
Bus Width
128-bit
System
πŸ–₯️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 12 (12_1) (Iris Graphics 550). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
DirectX
12
12 (12_1)
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
3
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th gen (Volta) (GeForce GTX 1650) vs Quick Sync Video (Iris Graphics 550). Decoder: NVDEC 4th gen vs Quick Sync Video. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9,JPEG (Iris Graphics 550).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
Encoder
NVENC 5th gen (Volta)
Quick Sync Video
Decoder
NVDEC 4th gen
Quick Sync Video
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9
H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9,JPEG
πŸ”Œ

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1650 draws 75W versus the Iris Graphics 550's 15W β€” a 133.3% difference. The Iris Graphics 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1650) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 550). Power connectors: None vs Integrated.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
TDP
75W
15W-80%
Recommended PSU
300W
1W-100%
Power Connector
None
Integrated
Length
229mm
β€”
Height
111mm
β€”
Slots
2
β€”
Temp (Load)
70Β°C
β€”
Perf/Watt
104.9
220.7+110%
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1650 launched at $149 MSRP, while the Iris Graphics 550 launched at $0. The Iris Graphics 550 costs 100+% less ($149 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 52.8 (GeForce GTX 1650) vs Infinity (Iris Graphics 550) β€” the Iris Graphics 550 offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce GTX 1650 is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1650Iris Graphics 550
MSRP
$149
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
52.8
Infinity
Codename
TU117
Skylake GT3e
Release
April 23 2019
September 1 2015
Ranking
#323
#775