GeForce GTX 560M vs Iris Graphics 540

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 560M

2011Core: 775 MHz
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VS
Intel

Iris Graphics 540

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz
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GeForce GTX 560M vs Iris Graphics 540 Performance Spectrum

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 560M 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 560M

2011

Why buy it

  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs Unknown).
  • Iris Graphics 540 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 560M is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2011 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 400% higher power demand at 75W vs 15W.

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 75W, a 60W 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 3 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.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 560M is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.9% in PassMark G3D (1,281 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 560M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 3 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 560M makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 560M vs Iris Graphics 540 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 560M

The GeForce GTX 560M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 30 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 775 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,281 points.

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 560M scores 1,281 and the Iris Graphics 540 reaches 1,270 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 560M is built on Fermi 2.0 while the Iris Graphics 540 uses Generation 9.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 192 (GeForce GTX 560M) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 540). Raw compute: 0.5952 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 560M) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 540).

FeatureGeForce GTX 560MIris Graphics 540
G3D Mark Score
1,281
1,270
Architecture
Fermi 2.0
Generation 9.0
Process Node
40 nm
14 nm+
Shading Units
192
384+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.5952 TFLOPS
0.768 TFLOPS+29%
ROPs
24+300%
6
TMUs
32
48+50%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 560M 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 560MIris 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 560M has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 540 carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 560M 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 560M and System on the Iris Graphics 540.

FeatureGeForce GTX 560MIris Graphics 540
VRAM Capacity
3 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
System
Bus Width
128-bit
System
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 560M) vs 12 (FL 12_1) (Iris Graphics 540). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.0 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce GTX 560MIris Graphics 540
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12 (FL 12_1)
Vulkan
1.2
1.3+8%
OpenGL
4.0
4.6+15%
Max Displays
2
3+50%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 560M) vs Quick Sync (Iris Graphics 540). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs Quick Sync. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 560M) vs H.264,HEVC,VP8 (Iris Graphics 540).

FeatureGeForce GTX 560MIris Graphics 540
Encoder
PureVideo HD VP4
Quick Sync
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP4
Quick Sync
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP
H.264,HEVC,VP8
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 560M draws 75W versus the Iris Graphics 540's 15W — a 133.3% difference. The Iris Graphics 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 560M) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 540). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated.

FeatureGeForce GTX 560MIris Graphics 540
TDP
75W
15W-80%
Recommended PSU
350W
1W-100%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
Integrated
Slots
0
0
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
17.1
84.7+395%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Iris Graphics 540 (2015 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GTX 560MIris Graphics 540
MSRP
$0
Codename
GF116
Skylake GT3e
Release
May 30 2011
September 1 2015
Ranking
#804
#808

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