Intel HD Graphics 530 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 Comparison

The benchmark data presents a clear split: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 wins two of three head-to-head tests decisively, while the Intel HD Graphics 530 takes a surprising victory in one API. The average benchmark scores are close — 3431 for the GT 740 versus 3332 for the HD 530 — but that overall similarity masks wildly different performance profiles across the three workloads. The GT 740’s average is 3% higher than the HD 530’s, yet the per-test deltas range from a 53% deficit to a 187.1% advantage, making the choice between these two entirely dependent on the target application.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic result is in Geekbench Vulkan, where the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 scores 4083 against the Intel HD Graphics 530’s 1422. That is a 187.1% advantage for the discrete card, the largest margin in any test. The GT 740 also wins Geekbench OpenCL, scoring 3847 versus 3550, an 8.4% lead. These two victories give the GT 740 a 2–1 win count in the head-to-head suite.

The Intel HD Graphics 530’s sole win is in Geekbench Metal, where it scores 5025 against the GT 740’s 2363. That is a 53% deficit for the NVIDIA part — the single biggest swing in the entire comparison. The Metal score is also the highest individual benchmark number recorded by either GPU, exceeding the GT 740’s best result (4083 in Vulkan) by 942 points. This suggests the Intel integrated solution has a particular strength in Apple’s Metal API that does not carry over to other compute frameworks.

Context from the nearest rival lists reinforces the split. The GT 740’s average of 3431 sits 3% above the HD 530’s 3332, but both GPUs occupy nearly identical percentile positions: the GT 740 is in the 21st percentile of all GPUs, while the HD 530 is in the 20th. Looking at the rival lists, the GT 740 is 1.2% ahead of the Intel HD Graphics P4600 (3389) and 2.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce 920MX (3528), while the HD 530 is 0.5% ahead of the GeForce GT 730M (3316) and 1.4% ahead of the GeForce 920M (3287). The HD 530’s average is 1.7% below the P4600 and 2.9% below the GT 740, placing these two parts effectively in the same performance tier despite their architectural differences.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward verdict: pick the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 for Vulkan and OpenCL workloads, and pick the Intel HD Graphics 530 for Metal-specific applications. The GT 740 is the better all-around compute GPU in this comparison, winning two of three tests and posting a higher average benchmark score. Its Vulkan result is transformative — more than double the Intel part — and its OpenCL lead of 8.4% is solid enough to matter in real-world compute tasks.

However, the HD 530’s Metal score cannot be dismissed. A 5025 result versus 2363 is not a marginal edge; it is a 53% swing that flips the comparison entirely. For any workflow that runs through Metal — common in macOS environments — the Intel GPU is the clear choice. The GT 740’s OpenCL and Vulkan strengths are irrelevant if the software stack uses Metal exclusively.

For users who need a single GPU for mixed workloads, the GT 740 is the safer pick. Its average score is higher, its worst result (2363 in Metal) is still within striking distance of the HD 530’s OpenCL score (3550), and it dominates in two of three APIs. The HD 530 is a specialist: excellent in one API, mediocre in Vulkan, and merely competitive in OpenCL. Neither GPU ranks high globally — 21st and 20th percentiles — so expectations should be modest, but within this pairing, the GT 740 wins the overall comparison.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from opposite ends of the hardware spectrum. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 is a discrete card built on the GK107 chip, using the Kepler architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,270 million transistors into a 118 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 10.8 million per mm². The Intel HD Graphics 530 is an integrated processor built on the Skylake GT2 chip, using Intel’s Generation 9.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm+ process at Intel. Its die size is 123 mm², slightly larger than the GT 740’s, but Intel does not report transistor counts or density for this part.

The compute resources differ sharply. The GT 740 has 384 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The HD 530 has 192 shading units, 24 TMUs, and just 3 ROPs. That 2:1 ratio in shading units and the 5.3:1 ratio in ROPs explain much of the GT 740’s raw throughput advantage. The GT 740’s pixel rate is 7.944 GPixel/s versus 2.850 GPixel/s for the HD 530, and its texture rate is 31.78 GTexel/s versus 22.80 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 762.6 GFLOPS for the GT 740 and 364.8 GFLOPS for the HD 530 — again a 2.1:1 ratio. The Intel part does have FP16 capability at 729.6 GFLOPS (2:1), a feature the GT 740 lacks entirely.

Memory architecture is another fundamental divide. The GT 740 uses 1024 MB of dedicated GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 80.19 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 530 uses system-shared memory with a system-dependent bus width and bandwidth. The GT 740’s memory clock is 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective). The HD 530’s base clock is 350 MHz with a boost of 950 MHz; the GT 740’s base and boost clocks are not listed. The GT 740 is a single-slot card requiring one 6-pin power connector and a 250 W suggested PSU, with a 64 W TDP. The HD 530 is an IGP with a 15 W TDP, no power connectors, and no PSU requirement. The GT 740 connects via PCIe 3.0 x16; the HD 530 uses a Ring Bus interface.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740, with an average benchmark score of 3431, is 3% higher than the Intel HD Graphics 530’s 3332.

Q: How large is the Vulkan performance gap?

A: The GT 740 scores 4083 in Geekbench Vulkan versus 1422 for the HD 530, a 187.1% advantage for the NVIDIA part.

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

A: Yes, it wins Geekbench Metal with a score of 5025, which is 53% higher than the GT 740’s 2363 in the same test.

Q: What are the memory configurations?

A: The GT 740 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 80.19 GB/s bandwidth. The HD 530 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth.

Q: How do their global percentile rankings compare?

A: The GT 740 is in the 21st percentile of all GPUs, and the HD 530 is in the 20th percentile.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The GT 740 has 384 shading units, exactly double the HD 530’s 192.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 wins in any workload that leverages Vulkan or OpenCL. Its Vulkan score of 4083 is more than enough to crush the HD 530’s 1422, and its OpenCL result of 3847 beats the Intel part’s 3550 by 8.4%. The GT 740 also wins on raw compute specifications: 762.6 GFLOPS FP32 versus 364.8 GFLOPS, 31.78 GTexel/s versus 22.80 GTexel/s, and 7.944 GPixel/s versus 2.850 GPixel/s. The dedicated 80.19 GB/s of GDDR5 bandwidth avoids the system-shared bottleneck of the HD 530. For gaming or compute applications that use Vulkan, the GT 740 is the only rational choice.

The Intel HD Graphics 530 wins exclusively in Metal-based workflows. Its 5025 Metal score is the single highest benchmark result in this comparison, and it beats the GT 740’s Metal score by 53%. The HD 530 also offers a more modern API feature set: DirectX 12 (12_1) versus DirectX 12 (11_0) for the GT 740, and Vulkan 1.3 versus Vulkan 1.2.175. Its 14 nm+ process node is smaller than the GT 740’s 28 nm, and its 15 W TDP makes it far more power-efficient for integrated use cases. For macOS users or developers targeting Metal, the HD 530 is the better part despite its lower raw compute numbers.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measurable specification. The GT 740 uses a 28 nm TSMC process with a 118 mm² die and 1,270 million transistors; the HD 530 uses a 14 nm+ Intel process with a 123 mm² die and no reported transistor count. The GT 740 has 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs; the HD 530 has 192 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 3 ROPs. FP32 performance is 762.6 GFLOPS versus 364.8 GFLOPS, with the HD 530 adding 729.6 GFLOPS FP16 capability that the GT 740 lacks.

Memory is the biggest differentiator: the GT 740 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 80.19 GB/s bandwidth, while the HD 530 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth. The GT 740’s memory clock is 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective); the HD 530’s base clock is 350 MHz with a 950 MHz boost. The GT 740 has a 64 W TDP, a single-slot form factor, a 6-pin power connector, a 250 W suggested PSU, and a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. The HD 530 has a 15 W TDP, is an IGP, requires no power connector or PSU, and uses a Ring Bus interface. Display outputs are 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.4a for the GT 740 versus motherboard-dependent outputs for the HD 530. API support also differs: the GT 740 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175, while the HD 530 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The GT 740 has a launch MSRP of 89 USD; the HD 530 has no listed MSRP.