Iris Graphics 550 vs Radeon E8870PCIe

Intel

Iris Graphics 550

2015Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon E8870PCIe

2014Core: 575 MHzBoost: 625 MHz
Similar parts
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Iris Graphics 550 vs Radeon E8870PCIe 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.

Iris Graphics 550 vs Radeon E8870PCIe: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Iris Graphics 550

2015

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 37W, a 22W reduction.
  • More future proof: Generation 9.0 (2015−2016) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2015 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 0 vs 13.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $250 MSRP).

Radeon E8870PCIe

2014

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 13.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($250 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
  • Iris Graphics 550 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon E8870PCIe is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 146.7% higher power demand at 37W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon E8870PCIe is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.7% in PassMark G3D (3,368 vs 3,311), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon E8870PCIe is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs Unknown of VRAM and the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon E8870PCIe makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

Iris Graphics 550 vs Radeon E8870PCIe Technical Specifications

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

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.

AMD

Radeon E8870PCIe

The Radeon E8870PCIe is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 25 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 575 MHz to 625 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 37W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,368 points.

Graphics Performance

The Iris Graphics 550 scores 3,311 and the Radeon E8870PCIe reaches 3,368 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Iris Graphics 550 is built on Generation 9.0 while the Radeon E8870PCIe uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm+ vs 28 nm. Shader units: 384 (Iris Graphics 550) vs 640 (Radeon E8870PCIe). Raw compute: 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 550) vs 0.8 TFLOPS (Radeon E8870PCIe). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 625 MHz.

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon E8870PCIe
G3D Mark Score
3,311
3,368+2%
Architecture
Generation 9.0
GCN 1.0
Process Node
14 nm+
28 nm
Shading Units
384
640+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.768 TFLOPS
0.8 TFLOPS+4%
Boost Clock
1000 MHz+60%
625 MHz
ROPs
6
16+167%
TMUs
48+20%
40

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon E8870PCIe
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Iris Graphics 550 has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon E8870PCIe carries 2 GB. Radeon E8870PCIe gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Iris Graphics 550 and 64-bit on the Radeon E8870PCIe.

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon E8870PCIe
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
2 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Bus Width
System
64-bit
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Iris Graphics 550 draws 15W versus the Radeon E8870PCIe's 37W — a 84.6% difference. The Iris Graphics 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Iris Graphics 550) vs 350W (Radeon E8870PCIe). Power connectors: Integrated vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon E8870PCIe
TDP
15W-59%
37W
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
350W
Power Connector
Integrated
PCIe-powered
Perf/Watt
220.7+143%
91.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Iris Graphics 550 came in at $0, while the Radeon E8870PCIe launched at $250. On MSRP, Iris Graphics 550 was 100+% cheaper ($250 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Iris Graphics 550) vs 13.5 (Radeon E8870PCIe) — the Iris Graphics 550 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Iris Graphics 550 (2015 vs 2014).

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon E8870PCIe
MSRP
$0-100%
$250
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
13.5
Codename
Skylake GT3e
Venus
Release
September 1 2015
January 25 2014
Ranking
#775
#734

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