GeForce RTX 4070 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

2023Core: 1920 MHzBoost: 2475 MHz
RTX family
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VS
Intel

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

2020Boost: 1650 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070 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 4070

2023

Why buy it

  • +1265.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 25.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 35.9 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $55 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs Unknown).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 700% higher power demand at 200W vs 25W.

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

2020

Why buy it

  • Costs $544 less on MSRP ($55 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • Draws 25W instead of 200W, a 175W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,972 vs 26,919).
  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 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 44.9 G3D/$ ($55 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4070 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1265.1% in PassMark G3D (26,919 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 4070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs Unknown of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Iris Xe Graphics MAX is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm 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 4070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $544 more expensive on MSRP at $599 vs $55, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 25.3% (44.9 vs 35.9), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 4070 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

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 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Iris Xe Graphics MAX's 1,972 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 1265.1%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Iris Xe Graphics MAX uses Generation 12.1, both on 5 nm vs 10 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 768 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 2.534 TFLOPS (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 1650 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
G3D Mark Score
26,919+1265%
1,972
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
Generation 12.1
Process Node
5 nm
10 nm
Shading Units
5888+667%
768
Compute (TFLOPS)
29.15 TFLOPS+1050%
2.534 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
2475 MHz+50%
1650 MHz
ROPs
64+167%
24
TMUs
184+283%
48

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Iris Xe Graphics MAX does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
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
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Iris Xe Graphics MAX carries 0 MB. GeForce RTX 4070 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 4070 and System on the Iris Xe Graphics MAX.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
VRAM Capacity
12 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR6X
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
504 GB/s
System
Bus Width
192-bit
System
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 12.1 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.0. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
DirectX
12.2
12.1
Vulkan
1.3+30%
1.0
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs QuickSync (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs QuickSync. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC (2x)
QuickSync
Decoder
5th Gen NVDEC
QuickSync
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
H.264,HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Iris Xe Graphics MAX's 25W — a 155.6% difference. The Iris Xe Graphics MAX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1W (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
TDP
200W
25W-88%
Recommended PSU
650W
1W-100%
Power Connector
8-pin
Integrated
Length
304mm
Height
137mm
Slots
3
Temp (Load)
80°C-6%
85°C
Perf/Watt
134.6+71%
78.9
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 4070 came in at $599, while the Iris Xe Graphics MAX launched at $55. On MSRP, Iris Xe Graphics MAX was 90.8% cheaper ($544 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 35.9 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 25.1% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4070 (2023 vs 2020).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Iris Xe Graphics MAX
MSRP
$599
$55-91%
Performance per Dollar
44.9+25%
35.9
Codename
AD104
DG1
Release
April 12 2023
October 31 2020
Ranking
#32
#685

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