GeForce RTX 3070 vs Iris Graphics 540

CPU

GPU

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Iris Graphics 540

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz

Popular choices:

•••RTX 3070••••••

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce RTX 3070

8 GB 220

22,172

+1645.8%

GeForce RTX 2070 (Mobile)

GeForce GTX 1070 Ti

RTX 2000 Ada Generation

GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU

GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

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 3070

2020

Why buy it

✅+1645.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 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

❌1366.7% higher power demand at 220W vs 15W.

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 220W, a 205W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,270 vs 22,172).
❌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 44.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

✅+1645.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 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 220W, a 205W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌1366.7% higher power demand at 220W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,270 vs 22,172).
❌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 44.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than Iris Graphics 540?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 1,270 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 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 3070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2015, 1645.8% 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 3070 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3070 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $499 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 1645.8% 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 3070 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 3070 Benchmark Check

Iris Graphics 540 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	158 FPS	16 FPS
medium	140 FPS	11 FPS
high	123 FPS	7 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	4 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	11 FPS
medium	109 FPS	6 FPS
high	96 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	1 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	4 FPS
medium	67 FPS	2 FPS
high	52 FPS	1 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	1 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open Iris Graphics 540

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	470 FPS	57 FPS
medium	405 FPS	46 FPS
high	327 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	23 FPS
1440p
low	294 FPS	43 FPS
medium	246 FPS	28 FPS
high	213 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	15 FPS
4K
low	141 FPS	23 FPS
medium	120 FPS	15 FPS
high	105 FPS	12 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	8 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open Iris Graphics 540

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	885 FPS	57 FPS
medium	712 FPS	46 FPS
high	619 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	499 FPS	29 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	43 FPS
medium	557 FPS	34 FPS
high	473 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	374 FPS	21 FPS
4K
low	479 FPS	29 FPS
medium	388 FPS	23 FPS
high	330 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open Iris Graphics 540

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low	600 FPS	57 FPS
medium	527 FPS	46 FPS
high	433 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	385 FPS	24 FPS
1440p
low	489 FPS	11 FPS
medium	433 FPS	8 FPS
high	339 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	297 FPS	5 FPS
4K
low	292 FPS	7 FPS
medium	270 FPS	5 FPS
high	238 FPS	4 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	3 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open Iris Graphics 540

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and Iris Graphics 540

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

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 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Iris Graphics 540's 1,270 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 1645.8%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Iris Graphics 540 uses Generation 9.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 540). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 540). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Iris Graphics 540
G3D Mark Score	22,172+1646%	1,270
Architecture	Ampere	Generation 9.0
Process Node	8 nm	14 nm+
Shading Units	5888+1433%	384
Compute (TFLOPS)	20.31 TFLOPS+2545%	0.768 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1725 MHz+73%	1000 MHz
ROPs	96+1500%	6
TMUs	184+283%	48

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 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 3070	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 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 540 has 0 MB. The GeForce RTX 3070 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	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 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12 (FL 12_1) (Iris Graphics 540). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Iris Graphics 540
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (FL 12_1)
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs Quick Sync (Iris Graphics 540). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs Quick Sync. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs H.264,HEVC,VP8 (Iris Graphics 540).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Iris Graphics 540
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	Quick Sync
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	Quick Sync
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9	H.264,HEVC,VP8

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Iris Graphics 540's 15W — a 174.5% difference. The Iris Graphics 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 540). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Iris Graphics 540
TDP	220W	15W-93%
Recommended PSU	650W	1W-100%
Power Connector	8-pin	Integrated
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	100.8+19%	84.7

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the Iris Graphics 540 launched at $0. The Iris Graphics 540 costs 100+% less ($499 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs Infinity (Iris Graphics 540) — the Iris Graphics 540 offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2015).