GeForce RTX 3070 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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VS
Intel

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

2020Boost: 1650 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3070 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX 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 RTX 3070 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX: 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 RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • +1024.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 23.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 35.9 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $55 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 780% higher power demand at 220W vs 25W.

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

2020

Why buy it

  • Costs $444 less on MSRP ($55 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Draws 25W instead of 220W, a 195W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,972 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.
  • 2020 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.9 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($55 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1024.3% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 1,972), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs Unknown of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 10nm, and 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $444 more expensive on MSRP at $499 vs $55, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 23.9% (44.4 vs 35.9), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 Xe Graphics MAX

The Iris Xe Graphics MAX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in October 31 2020. It features the Generation 12.1 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1650 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 10 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,972 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Iris Xe Graphics MAX's 1,972 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 1024.3%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Iris Xe Graphics MAX uses Generation 12.1, both on 8 nm vs 10 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 768 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2.534 TFLOPS (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1650 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
G3D Mark Score
22,172+1024%
1,972
Architecture
Ampere
Generation 12.1
Process Node
8 nm
10 nm
Shading Units
5888+667%
768
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+701%
2.534 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1725 MHz+5%
1650 MHz
ROPs
96+300%
24
TMUs
184+283%
48

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Iris Xe Graphics MAX leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
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 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Xe Graphics MAX carries 0 MB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and System on the Iris Xe Graphics MAX.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
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 12.1 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.0. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.1
Vulkan
1.4+40%
1.0
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

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

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
QuickSync
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
QuickSync
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9
H.264,HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Iris Xe Graphics MAX's 25W — a 159.2% difference. The Iris Xe Graphics MAX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1W (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
TDP
220W
25W-89%
Recommended PSU
650W
1W-100%
Power Connector
8-pin
Integrated
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+28%
78.9
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the Iris Xe Graphics MAX launched at $55. On MSRP, Iris Xe Graphics MAX was 89% cheaper ($444 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 35.9 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 23.7% better value.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
MSRP
$499
$55-89%
Performance per Dollar
44.4+24%
35.9
Codename
GA104
DG1
Release
September 1 2020
October 31 2020
Ranking
#63
#685

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