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GeForce GTX 960M vs Iris Xe Graphics G7

CPUCPUGPUGPU
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 960M

2015Core: 1096 MHzBoost: 1176 MHz
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VS
Intel

Iris Xe Graphics G7

2020
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GeForce GTX 960M vs Iris Xe Graphics G7 Performance Spectrum

GeForce GTX 960M
4 GB 75
3,375
+1.9%
brand logoGeForce GTX 570M
brand logoGeForce MX150
brand logoGeForce GTX 950A
brand logoGeForce GTX 675MX
brand logoGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design
brand logoGeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
brand logoGeForce RTX 2060 SUPER
brand logoGeForce RTX 5060
Iris Xe Graphics G7
Shared System RAM 30
3,311
0.0%
brand logoArc A530M
brand logoArc 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 Xe Graphics G7: 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 Xe Graphics G7 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.
  • ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 16.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
  • ❌150% higher power demand at 75W vs 30W.

Iris Xe Graphics G7

2020

Why buy it

  • ✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 16.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • ✅Draws 30W instead of 75W, a 45W 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?
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?
Iris Xe Graphics G7 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 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 960M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 960M vs Iris Xe Graphics G7 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

Intel

Iris Xe Graphics G7

The Iris Xe Graphics G7 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in August 15 2020. It features the Gen. 11 Ice Lake architecture. It has 96 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 10 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,311 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 960M scores 3,375 and the Iris Xe Graphics G7 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 Xe Graphics G7 uses Gen. 11 Ice Lake, both on 28 nm vs 10 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 96 (Iris Xe Graphics G7).

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7
G3D Mark Score
3,375+2%
3,311
Architecture
Maxwell
Gen. 11 Ice Lake
Process Node
28 nm
10 nm
Shading Units
640+567%
96
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 960M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Iris Xe Graphics G7 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7
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 Xe Graphics G7 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 Xe Graphics G7.

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7
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 12.1 (Iris Xe Graphics G7). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12.1
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (4th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960M) vs QuickSync (Iris Xe Graphics G7). Decoder: NVDEC (1st Gen) vs QuickSync. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Iris Xe Graphics G7).

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7
Encoder
NVENC (4th Gen)
QuickSync
Decoder
NVDEC (1st Gen)
QuickSync
Codecs
MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265
H.264,HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960M draws 75W versus the Iris Xe Graphics G7's 30W — a 85.7% difference. The Iris Xe Graphics G7 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 1W (Iris Xe Graphics G7). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated. Typical load temperature: 82 vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7
TDP
75W
30W-60%
Recommended PSU
350W
1W-100%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
Integrated
Length
0mm
—
Height
0mm
—
Slots
0
—
Temp (Load)
82-4%
85°C
Perf/Watt
45.0
110.4+145%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Iris Xe Graphics G7 (2020 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7
MSRP
—
$200
Codename
GM107
Tiger Lake Xe
Release
March 13 2015
August 15 2020
Ranking
#552
#493
Search GeForce GTX 960M on AmazonSearch Iris Xe Graphics G7 on Amazon

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