GeForce RTX 3070 vs Iris Graphics 550

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’
VS
Intel

Iris Graphics 550

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz

Popular choices:

β€’β€’β€’RTX 3070β€’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 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • βœ…+569.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • βœ…Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • βœ…Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • βœ…100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
  • βœ…More future proof: Ampere (2020βˆ’2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

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

Iris Graphics 550

2015

Why buy it

  • βœ…Draws 15W instead of 220W, a 205W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,311 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 550?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 3,311 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Iris Graphics 550 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, 569.6% 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 569.6% 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 550 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Iris Graphics 550 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
1080p
low158 FPS16 FPS
medium140 FPS11 FPS
high123 FPS7 FPS
ultra104 FPS4 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS11 FPS
medium109 FPS6 FPS
high96 FPS3 FPS
ultra86 FPS1 FPS
4K
low80 FPS4 FPS
medium67 FPS2 FPS
high52 FPS1 FPS
ultra45 FPS1 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
1080p
low470 FPS75 FPS
medium405 FPS49 FPS
high327 FPS32 FPS
ultra277 FPS23 FPS
1440p
low294 FPS51 FPS
medium246 FPS28 FPS
high213 FPS20 FPS
ultra179 FPS15 FPS
4K
low141 FPS23 FPS
medium120 FPS15 FPS
high105 FPS12 FPS
ultra83 FPS8 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
1080p
low885 FPS149 FPS
medium712 FPS119 FPS
high619 FPS86 FPS
ultra499 FPS74 FPS
1440p
low692 FPS112 FPS
medium557 FPS89 FPS
high473 FPS60 FPS
ultra374 FPS51 FPS
4K
low479 FPS74 FPS
medium388 FPS60 FPS
high330 FPS40 FPS
ultra249 FPS32 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
1080p
low600 FPS74 FPS
medium527 FPS58 FPS
high433 FPS37 FPS
ultra385 FPS24 FPS
1440p
low489 FPS11 FPS
medium433 FPS8 FPS
high339 FPS6 FPS
ultra297 FPS5 FPS
4K
low292 FPS7 FPS
medium270 FPS5 FPS
high238 FPS4 FPS
ultra200 FPS3 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and Iris Graphics 550

NVIDIA

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.

Intel

Iris Graphics 550

The Iris Graphics 550 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: 3,311 points.

⚑

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Iris Graphics 550's 3,311 β€” the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 569.6%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Iris Graphics 550 uses Generation 9.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 550). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 550). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
G3D Mark Score
22,172+570%
3,311
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 550 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
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 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 550 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.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR6
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s
System
Bus Width
256-bit
System
πŸ–₯️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12 (12_1) (Iris Graphics 550). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (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 Video (Iris Graphics 550). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs Quick Sync Video. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9,JPEG (Iris Graphics 550).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
Quick Sync Video
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
Quick Sync Video
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9
H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9,JPEG
πŸ”Œ

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Iris Graphics 550's 15W β€” a 174.5% difference. The Iris Graphics 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 550). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
TDP
220W
15W-93%
Recommended PSU
650W
1W-100%
Power Connector
8-pin
Integrated
Length
242mm
β€”
Height
112mm
β€”
Slots
2
β€”
Temp (Load)
75Β°C
β€”
Perf/Watt
100.8
220.7+119%
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the Iris Graphics 550 launched at $0. The Iris Graphics 550 costs 100+% less ($499 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs Infinity (Iris Graphics 550) β€” the Iris Graphics 550 offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Graphics 550
MSRP
$499
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
44.4
Infinity
Codename
GA104
Skylake GT3e
Release
September 1 2020
September 1 2015
Ranking
#63
#775