Iris Graphics 6100 vs Radeon 520

Intel

Iris Graphics 6100

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

Radeon 520

2017Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz
Similar parts
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Iris Graphics 6100 vs Radeon 520 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 6100 vs Radeon 520: 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 6100

2015

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 50W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 512 MB 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 11.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $78 MSRP).

Radeon 520

2017

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 11.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($78 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs Unknown).
  • Iris Graphics 6100 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon 520 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2017 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 233.3% higher power demand at 50W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Iris Graphics 6100 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.9% in PassMark G3D (899 vs 874), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon 520 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 512 MB vs Unknown of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a newer 2017 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 520 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Iris Graphics 6100 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Iris Graphics 6100 vs Radeon 520 Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Iris Graphics 6100

The Iris Graphics 6100 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in January 5 2015. It features the Generation 8.0 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: 899 points.

AMD

Radeon 520

The Radeon 520 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1100 MHz to 1183 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 874 points. Launch price was $79.

Graphics Performance

The Iris Graphics 6100 scores 899 and the Radeon 520 reaches 874 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Iris Graphics 6100 is built on Generation 8.0 while the Radeon 520 uses GCN 4.0, both on a 14 nm process. Shader units: 384 (Iris Graphics 6100) vs 512 (Radeon 520). Raw compute: 0.768 TFLOPS (Iris Graphics 6100) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon 520). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1183 MHz.

FeatureIris Graphics 6100Radeon 520
G3D Mark Score
899+3%
874
Architecture
Generation 8.0
GCN 4.0
Process Node
14 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
384
512+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.768 TFLOPS
1.211 TFLOPS+58%
Boost Clock
1000 MHz
1183 MHz+18%
ROPs
6
16+167%
TMUs
48+50%
32

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureIris Graphics 6100Radeon 520
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 6100 has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon 520 carries 512 MB. Radeon 520 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 6100 and 64-bit on the Radeon 520.

FeatureIris Graphics 6100Radeon 520
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
0.5 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Bus Width
System
64-bit
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Iris Graphics 6100 draws 15W versus the Radeon 520's 50W — a 107.7% difference. The Iris Graphics 6100 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Iris Graphics 6100) vs 250W (Radeon 520). Power connectors: Integrated vs None.

FeatureIris Graphics 6100Radeon 520
TDP
15W-70%
50W
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
250W
Power Connector
Integrated
None
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
85
Perf/Watt
59.9+242%
17.5
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Iris Graphics 6100 came in at $0, while the Radeon 520 launched at $78. On MSRP, Iris Graphics 6100 was 100+% cheaper ($78 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Iris Graphics 6100) vs 11.2 (Radeon 520) — the Iris Graphics 6100 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon 520 (2017 vs 2015).

FeatureIris Graphics 6100Radeon 520
MSRP
$0-100%
$78
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
11.2
Codename
Broadwell GT3
Lexa
Release
January 5 2015
April 20 2017
Ranking
#913
#668

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