GeForce GTX 960M vs Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 960M

2015Core: 1096 MHzBoost: 1176 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 960M 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 960M 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 960M

2015

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 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.
  • 167.9% higher power demand at 75W vs 28W.

Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs

2020

Why buy it

  • Draws 28W instead of 75W, a 47W 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?
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 Xe Graphics G7 96EUs 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 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 960M scores 3,375 and the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs 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 96EUs uses Gen. 11 Ice Lake, both on 28 nm vs 10 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 96 (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs). Boost clocks: 1176 MHz vs 1350 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
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
Boost Clock
1176 MHz
1350 MHz+15%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 960M 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 960MIris 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 960M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs 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 96EUs.

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris 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 960M) vs 12.1 (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
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 96EUs). 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 96EUs).

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
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 96EUs's 28W — a 91.3% difference. The Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 1W (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated. Typical load temperature: 82 vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
TDP
75W
28W-63%
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
118.3+163%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (2020 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce GTX 960MIris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
MSRP
$0
Codename
GM107
Tiger Lake Xe
Release
March 13 2015
August 15 2020
Ranking
#552
#536

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