GeForce GTX 660M vs Iris Plus Graphics 650

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 660M

2012Core: 835 MHzBoost: 950 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Iris Plus Graphics 650

2017Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1150 MHz
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GeForce GTX 660M vs Iris Plus Graphics 650 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 660M vs Iris Plus Graphics 650: 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 660M

2012

Why buy it

  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
  • Iris Plus Graphics 650 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 660M is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 233.3% higher power demand at 50W vs 15W.

Iris Plus Graphics 650

2017

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 50W, a 35W reduction.
  • More future proof: Generation 9.5 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2017 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?
Iris Plus Graphics 650 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 3.3% in PassMark G3D (1,500 vs 1,452), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 660M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 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?
Iris Plus Graphics 650 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, Iris Plus Graphics 650 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 660M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 660M vs Iris Plus Graphics 650 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 660M

The GeForce GTX 660M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 22 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 835 MHz to 950 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,452 points.

Intel

Iris Plus Graphics 650

The Iris Plus Graphics 650 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in January 3 2017. It features the Generation 9.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1150 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 14 nm++ process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,500 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 660M scores 1,452 and the Iris Plus Graphics 650 reaches 1,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 660M is built on Kepler while the Iris Plus Graphics 650 uses Generation 9.5, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm++. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GTX 660M) vs 384 (Iris Plus Graphics 650). Raw compute: 0.7296 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 660M) vs 0.8832 TFLOPS (Iris Plus Graphics 650). Boost clocks: 950 MHz vs 1150 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 660MIris Plus Graphics 650
G3D Mark Score
1,452
1,500+3%
Architecture
Kepler
Generation 9.5
Process Node
28 nm
14 nm++
Shading Units
384
384
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.7296 TFLOPS
0.8832 TFLOPS+21%
Boost Clock
950 MHz
1150 MHz+21%
ROPs
16+167%
6
TMUs
32
48+50%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 660M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Iris Plus Graphics 650 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 660MIris Plus Graphics 650
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 660M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Plus Graphics 650 carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 660M 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 660M and System on the Iris Plus Graphics 650.

FeatureGeForce GTX 660MIris Plus Graphics 650
VRAM Capacity
2 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 660M) vs 12 (12_1) (Iris Plus Graphics 650). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce GTX 660MIris Plus Graphics 650
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12 (12_1)
Vulkan
1.2
1.3+8%
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 660M) vs QuickSync (Iris Plus Graphics 650). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs QuickSync. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 660M) vs H.264,H.265,VP9 (Iris Plus Graphics 650).

FeatureGeForce GTX 660MIris Plus Graphics 650
Encoder
NVENC 1st Gen
QuickSync
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP5
QuickSync
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP
H.264,H.265,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 660M draws 50W versus the Iris Plus Graphics 650's 15W — a 107.7% difference. The Iris Plus Graphics 650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 660M) vs 1W (Iris Plus Graphics 650). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated. Typical load temperature: 60°C vs 85.

FeatureGeForce GTX 660MIris Plus Graphics 650
TDP
50W
15W-70%
Recommended PSU
350W
1W-100%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
Integrated
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
0
Temp (Load)
60°C-29%
85
Perf/Watt
29.0
100.0+245%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Iris Plus Graphics 650 (2017 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce GTX 660MIris Plus Graphics 650
MSRP
$0
Codename
GK107
Kaby Lake GT3e
Release
March 22 2012
January 3 2017
Ranking
#774
#718

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