GeForce GTX 680M vs Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 680M

2012Core: 719 MHzBoost: 758 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs

2020Core: 400 MHzBoost: 1350 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 680M vs Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs 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 680M vs Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs: 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 680M

2012

Why buy it

  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
  • Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 680M is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2012 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 257.1% higher power demand at 100W vs 28W.

Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs

2020

Why buy it

  • Draws 28W instead of 100W, a 72W reduction.
  • More future proof: Gen. 11 Ice Lake (2019−2022) on 10nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2020 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 Xe Graphics G7 96EUs is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1% in PassMark G3D (3,311 vs 3,277), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 680M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 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 Xe Graphics G7 96EUs makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 680M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 680M vs Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 680M

The GeForce GTX 680M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 4 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 719 MHz to 758 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,277 points. Launch price was $310.50.

Intel

Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs

The Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs is manufactured by Intel. It was released in August 15 2020. It features the Gen. 11 Ice Lake architecture. The core clock ranges from 400 MHz to 1350 MHz. It has 96 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 28W. Manufactured using 10 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,311 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 680M scores 3,277 and the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs reaches 3,311 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 680M is built on Kepler while the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs uses Gen. 11 Ice Lake, both on 28 nm vs 10 nm. Shader units: 1,344 (GeForce GTX 680M) vs 96 (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs). Boost clocks: 758 MHz vs 1350 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
G3D Mark Score
3,277
3,311+1%
Architecture
Kepler
Gen. 11 Ice Lake
Process Node
28 nm
10 nm
Shading Units
1344+1300%
96
Boost Clock
758 MHz
1350 MHz+78%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 680M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
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 680M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 680M 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 680M and System on the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
VRAM Capacity
4 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 680M) vs 12.1 (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12.1
Vulkan
1.2
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) (GeForce GTX 680M) vs QuickSync (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs QuickSync. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 680M) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs).

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
Encoder
1st Gen NVENC (Kepler)
QuickSync
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP5
QuickSync
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264,HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 680M draws 100W versus the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs's 28W — a 112.5% difference. The Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 680M) vs 1W (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated. Typical load temperature: 81°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
TDP
100W
28W-72%
Recommended PSU
350W
1W-100%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
Integrated
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
81°C-5%
85°C
Perf/Watt
32.8
118.3+261%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (2020 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
MSRP
$0
Codename
GK104
Tiger Lake Xe
Release
June 4 2012
August 15 2020
Ranking
#561
#536

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