GeForce RTX 4060 vs Iris Graphics 540

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

2023Core: 1830 MHzBoost: 2460 MHz

Popular choices:

β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’β€’
VS
Intel

Iris Graphics 540

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 4060β€’β€’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 4060

2023

Why buy it

  • βœ…+1439.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • βœ…Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • βœ…Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • βœ…100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
  • βœ…More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022βˆ’2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • ❌666.7% higher power demand at 115W vs 15W.

Iris Graphics 540

2015

Why buy it

  • βœ…Draws 15W instead of 115W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,270 vs 19,548).
  • ❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • ❌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 65.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 better than Iris Graphics 540?
Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 19,548 vs 1,270 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, 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 4060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2015, 1439.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of Unknown, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) 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 4060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $299 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 1439.2% 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 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 4060 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 4060Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low167 FPS16 FPS
medium152 FPS11 FPS
high134 FPS7 FPS
ultra115 FPS4 FPS
1440p
low137 FPS11 FPS
medium114 FPS6 FPS
high99 FPS3 FPS
ultra90 FPS1 FPS
4K
low86 FPS4 FPS
medium74 FPS2 FPS
high62 FPS1 FPS
ultra55 FPS1 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low392 FPS57 FPS
medium334 FPS46 FPS
high268 FPS32 FPS
ultra211 FPS23 FPS
1440p
low240 FPS43 FPS
medium209 FPS28 FPS
high169 FPS20 FPS
ultra137 FPS15 FPS
4K
low119 FPS23 FPS
medium98 FPS15 FPS
high82 FPS12 FPS
ultra63 FPS8 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low812 FPS57 FPS
medium642 FPS46 FPS
high551 FPS38 FPS
ultra440 FPS29 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS43 FPS
medium443 FPS34 FPS
high379 FPS29 FPS
ultra329 FPS21 FPS
4K
low365 FPS29 FPS
medium297 FPS23 FPS
high234 FPS19 FPS
ultra186 FPS14 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
1080p
low746 FPS57 FPS
medium613 FPS46 FPS
high536 FPS37 FPS
ultra440 FPS24 FPS
1440p
low594 FPS11 FPS
medium486 FPS8 FPS
high421 FPS6 FPS
ultra330 FPS5 FPS
4K
low358 FPS7 FPS
medium308 FPS5 FPS
high285 FPS4 FPS
ultra220 FPS3 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 and Iris Graphics 540

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

Intel

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 4060 scores 19,548 versus the Iris Graphics 540's 1,270 β€” the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 1439.2%. The GeForce RTX 4060 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Iris Graphics 540 uses Generation 9.0, both on 5 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 384 (Iris Graphics 540). Raw compute: 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 540). Boost clocks: 2460 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
G3D Mark Score
19,548+1439%
1,270
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
Generation 9.0
Process Node
5 nm
14 nm+
Shading Units
3072+700%
384
Compute (TFLOPS)
15.11 TFLOPS+1867%
0.768 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
2460 MHz+146%
1000 MHz
ROPs
48+700%
6
TMUs
96+100%
48
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Iris Graphics 540 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 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.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
πŸ’Ύ

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Graphics 540 has 0 MB. The GeForce RTX 4060 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs System.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR6
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
272 GB/s
System
Bus Width
128-bit
System
πŸ–₯️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060) 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.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (FL 12_1)
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060) vs Quick Sync (Iris Graphics 540). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs Quick Sync. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs H.264,HEVC,VP8 (Iris Graphics 540).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
Encoder
NVENC 8th gen
Quick Sync
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
Quick Sync
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
H.264,HEVC,VP8
πŸ”Œ

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 draws 115W versus the Iris Graphics 540's 15W β€” a 153.8% difference. The Iris Graphics 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 1W (Iris Graphics 540). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
TDP
115W
15W-87%
Recommended PSU
550W
1W-100%
Power Connector
8-pin
Integrated
Length
240mm
β€”
Height
111mm
β€”
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
73Β°C
β€”
Perf/Watt
170.0+101%
84.7
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299 MSRP, while the Iris Graphics 540 launched at $0. The Iris Graphics 540 costs 100+% less ($299 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs Infinity (Iris Graphics 540) β€” the Iris Graphics 540 offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Iris Graphics 540
MSRP
$299
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
65.4
Infinity
Codename
AD107
Skylake GT3e
Release
May 18 2023
September 1 2015
Ranking
#84
#808