GeForce GTX 960M vs Iris Graphics 550

GeForce GTX 960M vs Iris Graphics 550 Performance Spectrum

GeForce GTX 960M

4 GB 75

3,375

+1.9%

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER

GeForce RTX 5060

Iris Graphics 550

Shared System RAM 15

3,311

0.0%

Arc A530M

Arc A580

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 960M vs Iris Graphics 550 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 960M vs Iris Graphics 550: 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 960M

2015

Why buy it

✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
✅Iris Graphics 550 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 960M is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌2015 hardware with 4 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 550

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 75W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 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 960M is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.9% in PassMark G3D (3,375 vs 3,311), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 960M 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?

GeForce GTX 960M makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 960M vs Iris Graphics 550 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 960M

The GeForce GTX 960M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1096 MHz to 1176 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,375 points.

Iris Graphics 550

The Iris Graphics 550 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: 3,311 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 960M scores 3,375 and the Iris Graphics 550 reaches 3,311 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 960M is built on Maxwell while the Iris Graphics 550 uses Generation 9.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 550). Raw compute: 1.505 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 550). Boost clocks: 1176 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Iris Graphics 550
G3D Mark Score	3,375+2%	3,311
Architecture	Maxwell	Generation 9.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm+
Shading Units	640+67%	384
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.505 TFLOPS+96%	0.768 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1176 MHz+18%	1000 MHz
ROPs	16+167%	6
TMUs	40	48+20%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 960M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Iris Graphics 550 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Iris Graphics 550
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 960M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 550 carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 960M 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 960M and System on the Iris Graphics 550.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Iris Graphics 550
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 960M) vs 12 (12_1) (Iris Graphics 550). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Iris Graphics 550
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (12_1)
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (4th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960M) vs Quick Sync Video (Iris Graphics 550). Decoder: NVDEC (1st Gen) vs Quick Sync Video. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9,JPEG (Iris Graphics 550).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Iris Graphics 550
Encoder	NVENC (4th Gen)	Quick Sync Video
Decoder	NVDEC (1st Gen)	Quick Sync Video
Codecs	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265	H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9,JPEG

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960M draws 75W versus the Iris Graphics 550's 15W — a 133.3% difference. The Iris Graphics 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 550). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated.