Iris Graphics 550 vs Radeon RX 560X

Intel

Iris Graphics 550

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

Radeon RX 560X

2018Core: 1175 MHzBoost: 1275 MHz
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Iris Graphics 550 vs Radeon RX 560X 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 RX 560X: 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 75W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 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 25.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $129 MSRP).

Radeon RX 560X

2018

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 25.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
  • Iris Graphics 550 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 560X is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 400% higher power demand at 75W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon RX 560X is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.9% in PassMark G3D (3,340 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 RX 560X is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs Unknown of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) and FSR Frame Generation (2023), while Iris Graphics 550 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, and a newer 2018 generation instead of 2015. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon RX 560X makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

Iris Graphics 550 vs Radeon RX 560X 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 RX 560X

The Radeon RX 560X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 11 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1175 MHz to 1275 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,340 points.

Graphics Performance

The Iris Graphics 550 scores 3,311 and the Radeon RX 560X reaches 3,340 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Iris Graphics 550 is built on Generation 9.0 while the Radeon RX 560X uses GCN 4.0, both on 14 nm+ vs 14 nm. Shader units: 384 (Iris Graphics 550) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 560X). Raw compute: 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 550) vs 2.611 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 560X). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1275 MHz.

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon RX 560X
G3D Mark Score
3,311
3,340
Architecture
Generation 9.0
GCN 4.0
Process Node
14 nm+
14 nm
Shading Units
384
1024+167%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.768 TFLOPS
2.611 TFLOPS+240%
Boost Clock
1000 MHz
1275 MHz+28%
ROPs
6
16+167%
TMUs
48
64+33%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 560X is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Iris Graphics 550 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon RX 560X
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
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 RX 560X carries 4 GB. Radeon RX 560X 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 256-bit on the Radeon RX 560X.

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon RX 560X
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
4 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
System
Unknown
Bus Width
System
256-bit
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Iris Graphics 550 draws 15W versus the Radeon RX 560X's 75W — a 133.3% difference. The Iris Graphics 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Iris Graphics 550) vs 400W (Radeon RX 560X). Power connectors: Integrated vs None.

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon RX 560X
TDP
15W-80%
75W
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
400W
Power Connector
Integrated
None
Perf/Watt
220.7+396%
44.5
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Iris Graphics 550 came in at $0, while the Radeon RX 560X launched at $129. On MSRP, Iris Graphics 550 was 100+% cheaper ($129 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Iris Graphics 550) vs 25.9 (Radeon RX 560X) — the Iris Graphics 550 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 560X (2018 vs 2015).

FeatureIris Graphics 550Radeon RX 560X
MSRP
$0-100%
$129
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
25.9
Codename
Skylake GT3e
Polaris 21
Release
September 1 2015
April 11 2018
Ranking
#775
#556

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