GeForce RTX 3060 Ti vs Iris Graphics 540

CPU

GPU

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020Core: 1410 MHzBoost: 1665 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Iris Graphics 540

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••RTX 3060 Ti••••

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

8 GB 200

20,312

+1499.4%

GeForce RTX 2060 (Mobile)

GeForce RTX 2080 Super with Max-Q Design

GeForce GTX 1080 (móvel)

GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

GeForce RTX 5060 Ti

GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile

GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile

RTX 5000 Ada Generation

Iris Graphics 540

Shared System RAM 15

1,270

0.0%

Arc Graphics 130T

Arc A770M

Arc B580

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 RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅+1499.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌1233.3% higher power demand at 200W vs 15W.

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 200W, a 185W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,270 vs 20,312).
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 50.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

✅+1499.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 200W, a 185W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌1233.3% higher power demand at 200W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,270 vs 20,312).
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 50.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti better than Iris Graphics 540?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 20,312 vs 1,270 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Iris Graphics 540 is a 2015 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?

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2015, 1499.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of Unknown, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $399 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 1499.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Iris Graphics 540 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Iris Graphics 540 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still fine for 1080p, but 1440p and especially 4K require more compromise. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 RTX 3060 Ti Benchmark Check

Iris Graphics 540 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	152 FPS	16 FPS
medium	137 FPS	11 FPS
high	118 FPS	7 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	4 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	11 FPS
medium	107 FPS	6 FPS
high	91 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	1 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	4 FPS
medium	65 FPS	2 FPS
high	50 FPS	1 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	1 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open Iris Graphics 540

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	425 FPS	57 FPS
medium	366 FPS	46 FPS
high	296 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	23 FPS
1440p
low	272 FPS	43 FPS
medium	229 FPS	28 FPS
high	190 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	15 FPS
4K
low	133 FPS	23 FPS
medium	114 FPS	15 FPS
high	96 FPS	12 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	8 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open Iris Graphics 540

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	859 FPS	57 FPS
medium	693 FPS	46 FPS
high	602 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	457 FPS	29 FPS
1440p
low	658 FPS	43 FPS
medium	529 FPS	34 FPS
high	452 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	21 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	29 FPS
medium	346 FPS	23 FPS
high	275 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open Iris Graphics 540

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	580 FPS	57 FPS
medium	514 FPS	46 FPS
high	424 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	24 FPS
1440p
low	478 FPS	11 FPS
medium	427 FPS	8 FPS
high	335 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	5 FPS
4K
low	285 FPS	7 FPS
medium	266 FPS	5 FPS
high	234 FPS	4 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	3 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open Iris Graphics 540

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and Iris Graphics 540

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

Iris Graphics 540

The Iris Graphics 540 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: 1,270 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 20,312 versus the Iris Graphics 540's 1,270 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 1499.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on Ampere while the Iris Graphics 540 uses Generation 9.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 540). Raw compute: 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 540). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
G3D Mark Score	20,312+1499%	1,270
Architecture	Ampere	Generation 9.0
Process Node	8 nm	14 nm+
Shading Units	4864+1167%	384
Compute (TFLOPS)	16.2 TFLOPS+2009%	0.768 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1665 MHz+67%	1000 MHz
ROPs	80+1233%	6
TMUs	152+217%	48

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Iris Graphics 540 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 540 has 0 MB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s	System
Bus Width	256-bit	System

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 12 (FL 12_1) (Iris Graphics 540). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_2)	12 (FL 12_1)
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs Quick Sync (Iris Graphics 540). Decoder: NVDEC (Ampere) vs Quick Sync. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs H.264,HEVC,VP8 (Iris Graphics 540).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
Encoder	NVENC (Ampere)	Quick Sync
Decoder	NVDEC (Ampere)	Quick Sync
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1	H.264,HEVC,VP8

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti draws 200W versus the Iris Graphics 540's 15W — a 172.1% difference. The Iris Graphics 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 540). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Iris Graphics 540
TDP	200W	15W-93%
Recommended PSU	600W	1W-100%
Power Connector	8-pin	Integrated
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	101.6+20%	84.7

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti launched at $399 MSRP, while the Iris Graphics 540 launched at $0. The Iris Graphics 540 costs 100+% less ($399 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 50.9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs Infinity (Iris Graphics 540) — the Iris Graphics 540 offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2015).