Iris Plus Graphics 650 vs Radeon 550X

Intel

Iris Plus Graphics 650

2017Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1150 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon 550X

2019Core: 1082 MHzBoost: 1218 MHz
Similar parts
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Iris Plus Graphics 650 vs Radeon 550X 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 Plus Graphics 650 vs Radeon 550X: 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 Plus Graphics 650

2017

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.
  • 2017 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 $109 MSRP).

Radeon 550X

2019

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 13.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($109 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs Unknown).
  • Iris Plus Graphics 650 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon 550X is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 233.3% higher power demand at 50W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Iris Plus Graphics 650 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.7% in PassMark G3D (1,500 vs 1,475), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon 550X 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 2019 generation instead of 2017. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon 550X makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Iris Plus Graphics 650 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Iris Plus Graphics 650 vs Radeon 550X Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Iris Plus Graphics 650

The Iris Plus Graphics 650 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in January 3 2017. It features the Generation 9.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1150 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 14 nm++ process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,500 points.

AMD

Radeon 550X

The Radeon 550X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 27 2019. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1218 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,475 points.

Graphics Performance

The Iris Plus Graphics 650 scores 1,500 and the Radeon 550X reaches 1,475 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Iris Plus Graphics 650 is built on Generation 9.5 while the Radeon 550X uses GCN 4.0, both on 14 nm++ vs 14 nm. Shader units: 384 (Iris Plus Graphics 650) vs 512 (Radeon 550X). Raw compute: 0.8832 TFLOPS (Iris Plus Graphics 650) vs 1.247 TFLOPS (Radeon 550X). Boost clocks: 1150 MHz vs 1218 MHz.

FeatureIris Plus Graphics 650Radeon 550X
G3D Mark Score
1,500+2%
1,475
Architecture
Generation 9.5
GCN 4.0
Process Node
14 nm++
14 nm
Shading Units
384
512+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.8832 TFLOPS
1.247 TFLOPS+41%
Boost Clock
1150 MHz
1218 MHz+6%
ROPs
6
16+167%
TMUs
48+50%
32

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureIris Plus Graphics 650Radeon 550X
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 Plus Graphics 650 has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon 550X carries 512 MB. Radeon 550X 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 Plus Graphics 650 and 64-bit on the Radeon 550X.

FeatureIris Plus Graphics 650Radeon 550X
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
0.5 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Bus Width
System
64-bit
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Iris Plus Graphics 650 draws 15W versus the Radeon 550X's 50W — a 107.7% difference. The Iris Plus Graphics 650 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Iris Plus Graphics 650) vs 350W (Radeon 550X). Power connectors: Integrated vs None.

FeatureIris Plus Graphics 650Radeon 550X
TDP
15W-70%
50W
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
350W
Power Connector
Integrated
None
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
85
Perf/Watt
100.0+239%
29.5
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Iris Plus Graphics 650 came in at $0, while the Radeon 550X launched at $109. On MSRP, Iris Plus Graphics 650 was 100+% cheaper ($109 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Iris Plus Graphics 650) vs 13.5 (Radeon 550X) — the Iris Plus Graphics 650 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon 550X (2019 vs 2017).

FeatureIris Plus Graphics 650Radeon 550X
MSRP
$0-100%
$109
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
13.5
Codename
Kaby Lake GT3e
Lexa
Release
January 3 2017
March 27 2019
Ranking
#718
#772

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