GeForce GTX 680 vs Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

CPU

GPU

GeForce GTX 680

2012Core: 1006 MHzBoost: 1058 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

2023Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1950 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 680

4 GB 195

5,609

+2.0%

GeForce RTX 2070 Super Mobile

RTX 4000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

4 GB 15

5,500

0.0%

GeForce GTX 560 Ti

Radeon RX 560

Radeon R9 270 / R7 370

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 680

2012

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
66.3% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$300 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 11.2 vs 18.3 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
❌1200% higher power demand at 195W vs 15W.

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 63.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 18.3 vs 11.2 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅More future proof: Xe LPG (2023) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 15W instead of 195W, a 180W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

GeForce GTX 680

2012

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

2023

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 63.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 18.3 vs 11.2 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅More future proof: Xe LPG (2023) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 15W instead of 195W, a 180W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
66.3% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$300 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 11.2 vs 18.3 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
❌1200% higher power demand at 195W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 680 better than Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)?

Yes. GeForce GTX 680 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 5,609 vs 5,500 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 680 is a 2012 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) is a 2023 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?

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2012 and a 5nm process instead of 28nm. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.

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

GeForce GTX 680 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 680 is about 66.3% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and you are getting 2.0% higher G3D Mark. Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

When does Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) make more sense than GeForce GTX 680?

Yes. Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (15W vs 195W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $300 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 680. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 680 currently gives you 2.0% higher G3D Mark. Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

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 680 Benchmark Check

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
1080p
low	78 FPS	88 FPS
medium	66 FPS	76 FPS
high	53 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	36 FPS
1440p
low	68 FPS	70 FPS
medium	60 FPS	61 FPS
high	42 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	25 FPS
4K
low	25 FPS	27 FPS
medium	23 FPS	25 FPS
high	15 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	13 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 680 Open Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
1080p
low	116 FPS	119 FPS
medium	86 FPS	93 FPS
high	66 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	54 FPS
1440p
low	64 FPS	86 FPS
medium	44 FPS	65 FPS
high	32 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	23 FPS	41 FPS
4K
low	24 FPS	52 FPS
medium	17 FPS	39 FPS
high	13 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	9 FPS	23 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 680 Open Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
1080p
low	252 FPS	248 FPS
medium	202 FPS	198 FPS
high	168 FPS	165 FPS
ultra	126 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	189 FPS	186 FPS
medium	151 FPS	148 FPS
high	126 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	126 FPS	124 FPS
medium	101 FPS	99 FPS
high	84 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	63 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 680 Open Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
1080p
low	126 FPS	153 FPS
medium	101 FPS	119 FPS
high	86 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	97 FPS	112 FPS
medium	78 FPS	88 FPS
high	67 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	52 FPS	56 FPS
4K
low	57 FPS	69 FPS
medium	44 FPS	52 FPS
high	35 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	25 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 680 Open Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 680 and Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

GeForce GTX 680

The GeForce GTX 680 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 22 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 1006 MHz to 1058 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 195W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,609 points. Launch price was $499.

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

The Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in December 14 2023. It features the Xe LPG architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1950 MHz. It has 4 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,500 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 680 scores 5,609 and the Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) reaches 5,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 680 is built on Kepler while the Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) uses Xe LPG, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 680) vs 4 (Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)). Boost clocks: 1058 MHz vs 1950 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
G3D Mark Score	5,609+2%	5,500
Architecture	Kepler	Xe LPG
Process Node	28 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	1536+38300%	4
Boost Clock	1058 MHz	1950 MHz+84%
L1 Cache	128 KB	768 KB+500%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 680 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 4 GB of video memory. Bus width: 256-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	192.2 GB/s	System
Bus Width	256-bit	System

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FL 11_0) (GeForce GTX 680) vs 12 Ultimate (Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
DirectX	12 (FL 11_0)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st gen (GeForce GTX 680) vs Xe Media Engine (Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)). Decoder: PureVideo VP5 vs Xe Media Engine. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 680) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)).

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
Encoder	NVENC 1st gen	Xe Media Engine
Decoder	PureVideo VP5	Xe Media Engine
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 680 draws 195W versus the Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)'s 15W — a 171.4% difference. The Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 680) vs 350W (Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 256mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 98°C vs 85.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)
TDP	195W	15W-92%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	256mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	98°C	85-13%
Perf/Watt	28.8	366.7+1173%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 680 launched at $499 MSRP, while the Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) launched at $300. The Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) costs 39.9% less ($199 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 11.2 (GeForce GTX 680) vs 18.3 (Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)) — the Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) offers 63.4% better value. The Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake) is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2012).