Intel HD Graphics 530 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M Comparison

# The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a tight contest between two aging integrated and discrete-class graphics solutions. In the sole head-to-head benchmark available, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M edges out the Intel HD Graphics 530 by 5.4% in Geekbench OpenCL, scoring 3740 against 3550. However, the broader picture is more nuanced. The Intel part posts a higher peak score in a different API test, achieving 5025 in Geekbench Metal, while its average benchmark score across all tests falls to 3332, dragged down by a 1422 Vulkan result. The NVIDIA GPU, with a single OpenCL score of 3740, maintains an average of 3740, placing it in the 22nd percentile of all GPUs, slightly above Intel's 20th percentile.

For users prioritizing raw compute in OpenCL workloads, the GT 635M is the safer pick based on the direct comparison. Its 5.4% advantage is modest but consistent, and its higher percentile ranking suggests it sits slightly better among the broader GPU landscape. The HD 530, despite having double the shading units (192 vs 96) and nearly double the FP32 throughput (364.8 GFLOPS vs 182.4 GFLOPS), underperforms in OpenCL, likely due to driver overhead or architectural inefficiencies in that specific test. However, the HD 530's Metal score of 5025 indicates it can outperform the GT 635M in Apple-centric compute environments, though no direct Metal comparison exists for the NVIDIA part. The GT 635M's nearest rival, the Intel UHD Graphics 710, scores 3792, just 1.4% higher, meaning the GT 635M is competitive with much newer integrated graphics. The HD 530, by contrast, trails the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 by 2.9% (3431 vs 3332 average), showing it sits slightly below a desktop-class discrete card from the same era. Ultimately, the GT 635M wins on consistency and the direct OpenCL matchup, while the HD 530 offers broader API support and higher peak performance in Metal, making it the better choice for users in macOS environments or those needing Vulkan support.

# FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the direct benchmark comparison?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M wins the only head-to-head test, beating the Intel HD Graphics 530 by 5.4% in Geekbench OpenCL with scores of 3740 and 3550, respectively.

Q: Does the Intel HD Graphics 530 have any benchmark advantage?

A: Yes. The HD 530 achieves a Geekbench Metal score of 5025, which is substantially higher than the GT 635M's OpenCL score of 3740, though these are different APIs and not directly comparable. The HD 530 also supports Vulkan 1.3, scoring 1422 in Geekbench Vulkan, a feature the GT 635M lacks entirely.

Q: How do these GPUs rank against all other GPUs?

A: The GT 635M sits in the 22nd percentile of all GPUs, while the HD 530 ranks in the 20th percentile. This indicates the GT 635M is marginally better positioned globally, despite both being entry-level performers.

Q: What are the closest rivals to each GPU?

A: For the GT 635M, the closest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro 3000M with an average score of 3718, just 0.6% lower, and the Intel UHD Graphics 710 at 3792, which is 1.4% higher. For the HD 530, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M is nearest at 3316 (0.5% lower), while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 is 2.9% higher at 3431.

Q: Which GPU has better API support?

A: The Intel HD Graphics 530 is more modern in this regard, supporting DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The NVIDIA GT 635M supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6 but has no Vulkan support listed.

Q: What do the average benchmark scores indicate?

A: The GT 635M has an average benchmark score of 3740 from a single OpenCL test. The HD 530's average is 3332, computed from three tests (Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan), with the low Vulkan score of 1422 significantly pulling down its average despite the strong Metal result.

# Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is stark. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M is built on the Fermi architecture, a design dating back to the GF108 chip, manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC. This older node yields a transistor count of 585 million packed into a 116 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 5.0 million transistors per square millimeter. Fermi was designed for a generation of discrete mobile graphics that prioritized raw shader throughput over power efficiency, and the GT 635M reflects that with a 35 W TDP.

In contrast, the Intel HD Graphics 530 employs the Generation 9.0 architecture, built on the Skylake GT2 chip, fabricated on Intel's 14 nm+ process. This is a massive leap in manufacturing technology, though the die size is slightly larger at 123 mm². Intel does not disclose a transistor count for this chip, but the 14 nm+ node allows for significantly denser integration. The architectural differences manifest in the compute units: the HD 530 has 192 shading units and 24 texture mapping units, exactly double the 96 shading units and 16 TMUs of the GT 635M. However, the GT 635M has 4 ROPs versus the HD 530's 3 ROPs, a counterintuitive advantage for the older chip in pixel output.

The memory architecture is fundamentally different. The GT 635M uses dedicated 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 530 uses system-shared memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent," meaning performance scales with the host system's RAM configuration and speed. This is a critical difference: dedicated VRAM ensures consistent bandwidth, while shared memory introduces latency and competition with CPU workloads. The GT 635M also features a PCIe 2.0 x16 bus interface, while the HD 530 connects via a Ring Bus, reflecting its integration into the CPU package. The GT 635M's FP32 throughput is 182.4 GFLOPS, while the HD 530 more than doubles that at 364.8 GFLOPS, and also supports FP16 at 729.6 GFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, a feature absent from the Fermi chip.

# Specification Differences

The specification table reveals several key divergences. The most obvious is the process node: the GT 635M uses 40 nm, while the HD 530 uses 14 nm+. The chip designs differ entirely, with the GF108 versus Skylake GT2. The GT 635M has a transistor count of 585 million, while the HD 530 lists none, and the die sizes are close at 116 mm² and 123 mm², respectively. Clock speeds differ substantially: the GT 635M has no listed base or boost clock, while the HD 530 has a base clock of 350 MHz and a boost clock of 950 MHz. Memory configurations are incompatible: the GT 635M has 2 GB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth, while the HD 530 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth.

Shading units, TMUs, and ROPs differ as noted: 96 vs 192 shading units, 16 vs 24 TMUs, and 4 vs 3 ROPs. Pixel rates reflect this: the GT 635M outputs 1.900 GPixel/s, while the HD 530 outputs 2.850 GPixel/s. Texture rates are also disparate, with the GT 635M at 7.600 GTexel/s and the HD 530 at 22.80 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 182.4 GFLOPS for NVIDIA and 364.8 GFLOPS for Intel, with the latter also offering FP16 at 729.6 GFLOPS. TDP is a major difference: the GT 635M draws 35 W, while the HD 530 draws only 15 W, making the Intel part more than twice as power-efficient on paper. Both are IGP slot width, but the GT 635M has no power connectors, and the HD 530 lists none either. The bus interface differs: PCIe 2.0 x16 for NVIDIA versus Ring Bus for Intel. Display outputs are portable device dependent for the GT 635M and motherboard dependent for the HD 530. API support shows the HD 530 with DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3, while the GT 635M has DirectX 12 (11_0) and no Vulkan. Release dates are March 2012 for NVIDIA and August 2015 for Intel, with both marked as end-of-life.

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single head-to-head benchmark is Geekbench OpenCL, where the NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M scores 3740 against the Intel HD Graphics 530's 3550. This gives NVIDIA a 5.4% victory, a meaningful margin in the context of these entry-level parts. The GT 635M's closest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro 3000M, scores 3718, just 0.6% behind, while the Intel UHD Graphics 710 sits at 3792, 1.4% ahead. This means the GT 635M is competitive with integrated graphics released several generations later, though it trails the UHD 710 slightly. The HD 530's OpenCL score of 3550 places it near its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M at 3316 (0.5% behind), but it falls 2.9% short of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740's 3431.

The HD 530's performance is more variable across APIs. Its Metal score of 5025 is its strongest result, suggesting that in Metal-optimized workloads, it would likely beat the GT 635M, though no direct Metal test exists for the NVIDIA part. The Vulkan score of 1422 is dramatically lower, indicating poor Vulkan optimization or driver maturity issues. This variability is reflected in its average benchmark score of 3332, which is 10.9% lower than the GT 635M's average of 3740. The GT 635M's single-test average is stable, but it lacks the breadth of API coverage. The wins tally favors NVIDIA: 1 win in the head-to-head versus 0 for Intel. The data suggests that for OpenCL compute tasks, the GT 635M is the consistent choice, while the HD 530 offers higher peak performance in Metal but with significant downside risk in Vulkan. The GT 635M's 5.4% OpenCL advantage is enough to recommend it for users running compute-heavy workloads that rely on that API, but the HD 530's superior TDP and modern architecture make it a better fit for systems where power draw and API versatility are priorities.