Iris Pro Graphics 580 vs Radeon HD 6850

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 Pro Graphics 580 vs Radeon HD 6850 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Iris Pro Graphics 580 vs Radeon HD 6850: 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 Pro Graphics 580

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 127W, a 82W 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 1 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 10.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $179 MSRP).

Radeon HD 6850

2010

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 10.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs Unknown).
✅Iris Pro Graphics 580 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 6850 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌2010 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌182.2% higher power demand at 127W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Iris Pro Graphics 580 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.4% in PassMark G3D (1,985 vs 1,938), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon HD 6850 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 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 HD 6850 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Iris Pro Graphics 580 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Iris Pro Graphics 580 vs Radeon HD 6850 Technical Specifications

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

Iris Pro Graphics 580

The Iris Pro Graphics 580 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in September 1 2015. It features the Generation 9.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 350 MHz to 950 MHz. It has 576 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 14 nm+ process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,985 points.

Radeon HD 6850

The Radeon HD 6850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 21 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. It has 960 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 127W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,938 points. Launch price was $179.

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Graphics Performance

The Iris Pro Graphics 580 scores 1,985 and the Radeon HD 6850 reaches 1,938 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Iris Pro Graphics 580 is built on Generation 9.0 while the Radeon HD 6850 uses TeraScale 2, both on 14 nm+ vs 40 nm. Shader units: 576 (Iris Pro Graphics 580) vs 960 (Radeon HD 6850). Raw compute: 1.094 TFLOPS (Iris Pro Graphics 580) vs 1.488 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6850).

Feature	Iris Pro Graphics 580	Radeon HD 6850
G3D Mark Score	1,985+2%	1,938
Architecture	Generation 9.0	TeraScale 2
Process Node	14 nm+	40 nm
Shading Units	576	960+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.094 TFLOPS	1.488 TFLOPS+36%
ROPs	9	32+256%
TMUs	72+50%	48

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Iris Pro Graphics 580	Radeon HD 6850
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Iris Pro Graphics 580 has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6850 carries 1 GB. Radeon HD 6850 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 Pro Graphics 580 and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6850.

Feature	Iris Pro Graphics 580	Radeon HD 6850
VRAM Capacity	Shared System RAM	1 GB
Memory Type	Shared	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	System	Unknown
Bus Width	System	128-bit

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Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9 (Iris Pro Graphics 580) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 6850).

Feature	Iris Pro Graphics 580	Radeon HD 6850
Encoder	Quick Sync Video	—
Decoder	Quick Sync Video	—
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP8,VP9	H.264

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Power & Dimensions

The Iris Pro Graphics 580 draws 45W versus the Radeon HD 6850's 127W — a 95.3% difference. The Iris Pro Graphics 580 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 0W (Iris Pro Graphics 580) vs 500W (Radeon HD 6850). Power connectors: None vs 2x 6-pin.

Feature	Iris Pro Graphics 580	Radeon HD 6850
TDP	45W-65%	127W
Recommended PSU	0W-100%	500W
Power Connector	None	2x 6-pin
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	80	—
Perf/Watt	44.1+188%	15.3

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Iris Pro Graphics 580 came in at $0, while the Radeon HD 6850 launched at $179. On MSRP, Iris Pro Graphics 580 was 100+% cheaper ($179 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Iris Pro Graphics 580) vs 10.8 (Radeon HD 6850) — the Iris Pro Graphics 580 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Iris Pro Graphics 580 (2015 vs 2010).

Feature	Iris Pro Graphics 580	Radeon HD 6850
MSRP	$0-100%	$179
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	10.8
Codename	Skylake GT4e	Barts
Release	September 1 2015	October 21 2010
Ranking	#707	#692

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