GPU Comparison

The Intel HD Graphics 530 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M represent two very different approaches to mobile graphics, and the benchmark data shows they end up in a statistical dead heat overall. The Intel part averages 3332 points, while the NVIDIA GPU posts 3316, a razor-thin 0.5% margin that places both at the 20th percentile of all GPUs. Their nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce 920M (3287), Intel HD Graphics P4600 (3389), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 (3431), confirming that this is a tightly clustered performance tier. However, the head-to-head test results reveal a stark split: Intel wins OpenCL by a commanding 14.3%, while NVIDIA dominates Vulkan by an even larger 59.6% margin.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result in this comparison comes from the Vulkan API, where the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M absolutely crushes the Intel HD Graphics 530. The GT 730M scores 3524 points against Intel's 1422, a staggering 59.6% advantage that places this contest firmly in NVIDIA's corner. This is not a marginal win; it is a generational gap in graphics API performance. The data suggests that for any workload leveraging Vulkan, the GT 730M is in a completely different league, making the Intel IGP effectively non-competitive in that specific scenario.

Conversely, the OpenCL benchmark flips the script decisively in Intel's favor. The HD Graphics 530 scores 3550, while the GT 730M manages only 3107, giving Intel a 14.3% lead. This is a meaningful margin, indicating that Intel's compute-oriented performance under OpenCL is substantially stronger than NVIDIA's Kepler-based part. For users running OpenCL-accelerated applications, the Intel solution holds a clear edge, and the 443-point difference is significant enough to affect real-world compute workloads.

With one win apiece, the head-to-head record is a 1–1 tie, but the magnitude of those victories is wildly asymmetric. NVIDIA's Vulkan win is nearly four times larger (in percentage points) than Intel's OpenCL win. This asymmetry means that the choice between these two GPUs hinges almost entirely on the API or workload type. In aggregate, the average benchmark scores are nearly identical, but that average hides the fact that these GPUs excel in entirely different environments. The GT 730M also has a Vulkan score (3524) that outpaces its own OpenCL result (3107), whereas Intel's Vulkan score (1422) is less than half of its OpenCL score (3550), highlighting a fundamental architectural divergence in API efficiency.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel HD Graphics 530 edges out the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M with an average score of 3332 versus 3316, a difference of only 0.5%. Both GPUs sit at the 20th percentile of all GPUs, making them functionally equivalent in aggregate performance.

Q: How large is the Vulkan performance gap?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M scores 3524 in the Vulkan benchmark, which is 59.6% higher than the Intel HD Graphics 530's score of 1422. This is the single biggest performance differential in the entire comparison.

Q: Does the Intel HD Graphics 530 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Intel part wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by a 14.3% margin, scoring 3550 versus the GT 730M's 3107. This is a substantial lead in compute-oriented OpenCL workloads.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two chips?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M contains 1,270 million transistors on its GK107 chip, while the Intel HD Graphics 530's transistor count is not listed in the data. Intel's die size is 123 mm², compared to NVIDIA's 118 mm².

Q: What are the memory specifications for each GPU?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus with 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel HD Graphics 530 uses System Shared memory with a System Dependent bandwidth, meaning it relies on the main system RAM.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M has 384 shading units, exactly double the 192 shading units found in the Intel HD Graphics 530. However, this hardware advantage does not translate to a universal performance lead, as Intel wins the OpenCL test despite having half the shading units.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural divide is stark. Intel's HD Graphics 530 is built on a 14 nm+ process at Intel's foundry, using the Skylake GT2 chip and Generation 9.0 architecture. NVIDIA's GT 730M, by contrast, uses the 28 nm GK107 chip fabricated by TSMC, based on the older Kepler architecture. This process node difference is substantial: 14 nm+ versus 28 nm means Intel has a significant manufacturing advantage in terms of density and power efficiency, although the GT 730M packs 1,270 million transistors into a 118 mm² die, while Intel's 123 mm² die has an unspecified transistor count.

The shading unit counts are dramatically different, with NVIDIA fielding 384 shading units against Intel's 192, a 2:1 ratio. Similarly, NVIDIA has 32 texture mapping units (TMUs) versus Intel's 24, and 16 render output units (ROPs) versus Intel's mere 3. This ROP disparity is enormous and partially explains why NVIDIA achieves a 5.800 GPixel/s pixel rate versus Intel's 2.850 GPixel/s. However, the texture rates are much closer: NVIDIA's 23.20 GTexel/s versus Intel's 22.80 GTexel/s, a nearly identical figure that shows Intel's architecture extracts more texture throughput per unit.

Compute performance also favors NVIDIA in raw numbers: 556.8 GFLOPS FP32 versus Intel's 364.8 GFLOPS. Yet the benchmark results show Intel winning OpenCL, suggesting that raw FLOP counts do not tell the full story. Intel also lists FP16 performance at 729.6 GFLOPS (2:1 ratio), while NVIDIA does not provide an FP16 figure. The API support differs as well: both support DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6, but Intel supports Vulkan 1.3 while NVIDIA only supports Vulkan 1.2.175. The TDP is a major differentiator, with Intel drawing only 15 W compared to NVIDIA's 33 W, more than double the power envelope.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs diverge across nearly every core specification. The process node is 14 nm+ for Intel versus 28 nm for NVIDIA, representing two full generations of manufacturing technology. Memory configurations are fundamentally different: the GT 730M has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 on a 128-bit bus with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth, while the HD Graphics 530 uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth. Clock speeds also differ sharply, with the GT 730M running at a flat 725 MHz base and boost, while the HD Graphics 530 boosts from 350 MHz to 950 MHz.

Shading units are 192 versus 384, TMUs are 24 versus 32, and ROPs are 3 versus 16, all favoring NVIDIA. The pixel rate is 2.850 GPixel/s for Intel versus 5.800 GPixel/s for NVIDIA, and the texture rate is nearly tied at 22.80 versus 23.20 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 364.8 GFLOPS versus 556.8 GFLOPS in NVIDIA's favor. The TDP is 15 W versus 33 W, and the slot width is IGP versus MXM Module. The bus interface is Ring Bus for Intel versus PCIe 3.0 x16 for NVIDIA. Display outputs are Motherboard Dependent versus Portable Device Dependent. The release dates are over two years apart, with Intel launching on 2015-08-31 and NVIDIA on 2013-01-19. NVIDIA's predecessor is GeForce 600M with a successor of GeForce 800M, while Intel lists no predecessor or successor. The GT 730M has no power connectors, and memory clocks are 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) for NVIDIA versus System Shared for Intel.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split verdict. If the workload is Vulkan-based, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M is the only rational choice. Its 3524 Vulkan score is 59.6% higher than Intel's 1422, a margin so large that no other factor in the comparison can compensate. Gamers or applications using Vulkan will see dramatically better performance on the NVIDIA part, and the GT 730M's dedicated 2 GB memory and 128-bit bus provide a foundation for consistent frame delivery.

For OpenCL compute workloads, the Intel HD Graphics 530 is the superior option. Its 3550 OpenCL score beats the GT 730M by 14.3%, and this advantage is achieved despite a significantly lower TDP of 15 W versus 33 W. The Intel part also supports Vulkan 1.3 versus NVIDIA's 1.2.175, offering a more modern API specification. The nearly identical texture rates (22.80 versus 23.20 GTexel/s) and the fact that Intel wins OpenCL with half the shading units indicates that Intel's architecture is more efficient per unit of hardware.

For a neutral buyer, the 0.5% average score difference means these GPUs are interchangeable in aggregate. However, the asymmetry in API performance suggests that the decision should be workload-driven. The NVIDIA GT 730M is the pick for Vulkan-heavy usage, while the Intel HD Graphics 530 is the pick for OpenCL compute and power-constrained systems, given its 15 W TDP versus 33 W. The GT 730M's 2 GB dedicated memory is also a concrete advantage for texture-heavy applications, but the Intel part's newer process node and lower power draw make it the more modern solution. Ultimately, the data shows a tie in overall benchmarks, but a decisive split in specific application domains.