GeForce RTX 3060 vs Iris Pro Graphics 580

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’
VS
Intel

Iris Pro Graphics 580

2015Core: 350 MHzBoost: 950 MHz

Popular choices:

β€’RTX 3060β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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

2021

Why buy it

  • βœ…+756.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • βœ…Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • βœ…Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • βœ…100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs Unknown).
  • βœ…More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • ❌277.8% higher power demand at 170W vs 45W.

Iris Pro Graphics 580

2015

Why buy it

  • βœ…Draws 45W instead of 170W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,985 vs 16,995).
  • ❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 12 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 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Iris Pro Graphics 580?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 1,985 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Iris Pro Graphics 580 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 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2015, 756.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 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 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $329 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 756.2% 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 Pro Graphics 580 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Iris Pro Graphics 580 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 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
1080p
low149 FPS22 FPS
medium131 FPS15 FPS
high118 FPS9 FPS
ultra99 FPS5 FPS
1440p
low126 FPS16 FPS
medium104 FPS9 FPS
high92 FPS4 FPS
ultra80 FPS2 FPS
4K
low67 FPS5 FPS
medium58 FPS3 FPS
high39 FPS2 FPS
ultra32 FPS1 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
1080p
low354 FPS83 FPS
medium310 FPS56 FPS
high249 FPS37 FPS
ultra195 FPS25 FPS
1440p
low222 FPS56 FPS
medium196 FPS32 FPS
high160 FPS23 FPS
ultra128 FPS17 FPS
4K
low110 FPS25 FPS
medium94 FPS16 FPS
high77 FPS13 FPS
ultra60 FPS9 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
1080p
low765 FPS89 FPS
medium612 FPS71 FPS
high510 FPS60 FPS
ultra382 FPS45 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS67 FPS
medium432 FPS54 FPS
high366 FPS45 FPS
ultra287 FPS33 FPS
4K
low367 FPS45 FPS
medium298 FPS36 FPS
high221 FPS30 FPS
ultra176 FPS22 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
1080p
low523 FPS89 FPS
medium452 FPS71 FPS
high383 FPS60 FPS
ultra319 FPS45 FPS
1440p
low428 FPS67 FPS
medium371 FPS54 FPS
high298 FPS43 FPS
ultra245 FPS29 FPS
4K
low279 FPS41 FPS
medium259 FPS30 FPS
high225 FPS22 FPS
ultra186 FPS15 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Iris Pro Graphics 580

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

Intel

Iris Pro Graphics 580

The Iris Pro Graphics 580 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in September 1 2015. It features the Generation 9.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 350 MHz to 950 MHz. It has 576 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 14 nm+ process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,985 points.

⚑

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Iris Pro Graphics 580's 1,985 β€” the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 756.2%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Iris Pro Graphics 580 uses Generation 9.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 576 (Iris Pro Graphics 580). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1.094 TFLOPS (Iris Pro Graphics 580). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 950 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
G3D Mark Score
16,995+756%
1,985
Architecture
Ampere
Generation 9.0
Process Node
8 nm
14 nm+
Shading Units
3584+522%
576
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+1065%
1.094 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+87%
950 MHz
ROPs
48+433%
9
TMUs
112+56%
72
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Iris Pro Graphics 580 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
πŸ’Ύ

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Pro Graphics 580 has 0 MB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs System.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
VRAM Capacity
12 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR6
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
360 GB/s
System
Bus Width
192-bit
System
πŸ–₯️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (12_1) (Iris Pro Graphics 580). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (12_1)
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs Quick Sync Video (Iris Pro Graphics 580). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs Quick Sync Video. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9 (Iris Pro Graphics 580).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
Quick Sync Video
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
Quick Sync Video
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9
πŸ”Œ

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Iris Pro Graphics 580's 45W β€” a 116.3% difference. The Iris Pro Graphics 580 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0W (Iris Pro Graphics 580). Power connectors: 8-pin vs None. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
TDP
170W
45W-74%
Recommended PSU
550W
0W-100%
Power Connector
8-pin
None
Length
242mm
0mm
Height
112mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75-6%
80
Perf/Watt
100.0+127%
44.1
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Iris Pro Graphics 580 launched at $0. The Iris Pro Graphics 580 costs 100+% less ($329 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs Infinity (Iris Pro Graphics 580) β€” the Iris Pro Graphics 580 offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Iris Pro Graphics 580
MSRP
$329
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
51.7
Infinity
Codename
GA106
Skylake GT4e
Release
January 12 2021
September 1 2015
Ranking
#114
#707