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GeForce GTX 280 vs Iris Graphics 540

CPUCPUGPUGPU
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 280

2008Core: 602 MHz
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VS
Intel

Iris Graphics 540

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz
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GeForce GTX 280 vs Iris Graphics 540 Performance Spectrum

GeForce GTX 280
1 GB 236
1,285
+1.2%
brand logoGeForce 920M
brand logoGeForce 920A
brand logoGeForce GT 1010
brand logoGeForce 940M
brand logoGeForce GTX 1050 Ti (Mobile)
brand logoGeForce GTX 1070 (móvel)
brand logoRTX 2000 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
brand logoGeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU
Iris Graphics 540
Shared System RAM 15
1,270
0.0%
brand logoArc Graphics 130T
brand logoArc A770M
brand logoArc 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.

GeForce GTX 280 vs Iris Graphics 540: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 280

2008

Why buy it

  • ✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • ✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs Unknown).
  • ✅Iris Graphics 540 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 280 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • ❌2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • ❌1473.3% higher power demand at 236W vs 15W.

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

  • ✅Draws 15W instead of 236W, a 221W reduction.
  • ✅More future proof: Generation 9.0 (2015−2016) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌2015 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 2.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $649 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 280 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.2% in PassMark G3D (1,285 vs 1,270), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 280 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs Unknown of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 280 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 280 vs Iris Graphics 540 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 280

The GeForce GTX 280 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 16 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 602 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 236W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,285 points. Launch price was $649.

Intel

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

The GeForce GTX 280 scores 1,285 and the Iris Graphics 540 reaches 1,270 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 280 is built on Tesla 2.0 while the Iris Graphics 540 uses Generation 9.0, both on 65 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 240 (GeForce GTX 280) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 540). Raw compute: 0.6221 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 280) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 540).

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Iris Graphics 540
G3D Mark Score
1,285+1%
1,270
Architecture
Tesla 2.0
Generation 9.0
Process Node
65 nm
14 nm+
Shading Units
240
384+60%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.6221 TFLOPS
0.768 TFLOPS+23%
ROPs
32+433%
6
TMUs
80+67%
48
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 280 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Iris Graphics 540 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Iris 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 280 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 540 carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 280 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 280 and System on the Iris Graphics 540.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Iris Graphics 540
VRAM Capacity
1 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
System
Bus Width
128-bit
System
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 280) vs 12 (FL 12_1) (Iris Graphics 540). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.3. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Iris Graphics 540
DirectX
11.1 (10_0)
12 (FL 12_1)+8%
Vulkan
N/A
1.3
OpenGL
3.3
4.6+39%
Max Displays
2
3+50%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GTX 280) vs Quick Sync (Iris Graphics 540). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP2) vs Quick Sync. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 280) vs H.264,HEVC,VP8 (Iris Graphics 540).

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Iris Graphics 540
Encoder
None
Quick Sync
Decoder
PureVideo HD (VP2)
Quick Sync
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264,HEVC,VP8
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 280 draws 236W versus the Iris Graphics 540's 15W — a 176.1% difference. The Iris Graphics 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 280) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 540). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin vs Integrated.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Iris Graphics 540
TDP
236W
15W-94%
Recommended PSU
550W
1W-100%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
Integrated
Length
267mm
—
Height
111mm
—
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
85
—
Perf/Watt
5.4
84.7+1469%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 280 came in at $649, while the Iris Graphics 540 launched at $0. On MSRP, Iris Graphics 540 was 100+% cheaper ($649 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.0 (GeForce GTX 280) vs Infinity (Iris Graphics 540) — the Iris Graphics 540 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Iris Graphics 540 (2015 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Iris Graphics 540
MSRP
$649
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
2.0
Infinity
Codename
GT200
Skylake GT3e
Release
June 16 2008
September 1 2015
Ranking
#802
#808
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