Intel HD Graphics 630 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Comparison

The Intel HD Graphics 630 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 represent two fundamentally different approaches to graphics processing: one is an integrated solution embedded in a CPU, the other a discrete add-in card. The data shows the GTX 650 wins two of three head-to-head benchmark comparisons, yet the HD 630 delivers a decisive victory in the remaining test. The HD 630 posts an average benchmark score of 4075, placing it in the 24th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 650 averages 3823, sitting in the 22nd percentile. These percentile positions are close, but the underlying workload-specific behavior tells a more nuanced story about which card suits which task.

The Verdict

The benchmark results indicate that neither GPU is a universal winner, and the choice depends entirely on the application programming interface (API) in use. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 is the stronger performer in OpenCL and Vulkan workloads, delivering scores of 4545 and 4524, respectively. In these tests, it leads the Intel HD Graphics 630 by 21.1% and 21.8%, respectively. Conversely, the Intel HD Graphics 630 dominates the Metal benchmark, scoring 5099 against the GTX 650's 2400, a massive 112.5% advantage. This split suggests that users working within Apple's Metal ecosystem would find the integrated Intel solution markedly faster, while those relying on cross-platform compute or Vulkan-based titles would prefer the discrete NVIDIA card. The GTX 650 also offers a higher raw specification ceiling with 384 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units, versus the HD 630's 192 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 3 ROPs. For users who need consistent performance across modern cross-platform APIs, the GTX 650 is the data-backed choice. For those locked into Metal-specific applications, the HD 630 is surprisingly superior.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head benchmark data reveals a clear API-dependent split. The Intel HD Graphics 630 wins exclusively in the Geekbench Metal test, where its score of 5099 dwarfs the GTX 650's 2400. This 112.5% delta is the single largest margin in either direction across all tested workloads. The Metal API is Apple's low-level graphics interface, and the HD 630's Generation 9.5 architecture appears to handle it with exceptional efficiency. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650, in contrast, wins in both Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan tests. Its OpenCL score of 4545 beats the HD 630's 3587 by 21.1%, and its Vulkan score of 4524 beats the HD 630's 3540 by 21.8%. These two victories are consistent in magnitude, suggesting the GTX 650 offers a stable performance advantage in general-purpose GPU compute and modern cross-platform graphics. The GTX 650 also carries a higher peak FP32 throughput of 812.5 GFLOPS compared to the HD 630's 384.0 GFLOPS, which aligns with its OpenCL and Vulkan successes. The HD 630 counters with a higher FP16 rate of 768.0 GFLOPS (2:1), though this does not translate into wins in the benchmark suite. The GTX 650's 80.00 GB/s memory bandwidth and 128-bit bus provide a substantial data throughput advantage over the HD 630's system-shared memory, which is system dependent in bandwidth. This memory architecture difference likely underpins the GTX 650's dominance in compute-heavy tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different manufacturing generations and process nodes. The Intel HD Graphics 630 is built on a 14 nm++ process at Intel's foundry, using the Kaby Lake GT2 chip with Generation 9.5 architecture. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 uses a 28 nm process at TSMC, featuring the GK106 chip with Kepler architecture. The process node difference is significant: 14 nm++ versus 28 nm, with Intel's node being the more advanced. The GTX 650 integrates 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 11.5M per mm². The HD 630's transistor count and die size are not specified in the data, but its integrated nature means it shares the CPU package. Clock behavior also differs: the HD 630 has a base clock of 350 MHz and a boost clock of 1000 MHz, while the GTX 650 has no listed base or boost clocks, only a memory clock of 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). The GTX 650's memory configuration is a discrete 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, providing 80.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 630 uses system-shared memory with a system-dependent bandwidth, which is a fundamental architectural constraint. Shader resources favor the GTX 650 heavily: 384 shading units versus 192, 32 TMUs versus 24, and 16 ROPs versus 3. Pixel rate and texture rate follow suit, with the GTX 650 achieving 8.464 GPixel/s and 33.86 GTexel/s, while the HD 630 manages 3.000 GPixel/s and 24.00 GTexel/s. API support also diverges: the HD 630 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, while the GTX 650 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The GTX 650 requires a 1x 6-pin power connector and has a suggested PSU of 250 W, with a TDP of 65 W, whereas the HD 630 is an IGP with a 15 W TDP and no power connectors. Bus interface differs as well: the HD 630 uses a Ring Bus, while the GTX 650 uses PCIe 3.0 x16. The GTX 650 is a single-slot card measuring 147 mm (5.8 inches) in length, with display outputs of 1x DVI and 2x DisplayPort 1.2. The HD 630's display outputs are motherboard dependent. Release dates place the HD 630 in August 2016 and the GTX 650 in November 2013, with both marked end-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel HD Graphics 630 has an average benchmark score of 4075, which is 6.6% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650's 3823. The HD 630 also ranks in the 24th percentile of all GPUs, versus the GTX 650's 22nd percentile.

Q: Why does the Intel HD Graphics 630 win the Metal benchmark by such a large margin?

A: In the Geekbench Metal test, the HD 630 scores 5099, while the GTX 650 scores 2400. This represents a 112.5% delta in favor of the HD 630, which is the largest single-test margin in the head-to-head data. The HD 630's Generation 9.5 architecture appears to be substantially better optimized for the Metal API.

Q: What are the main memory differences between the two GPUs?

A: The GTX 650 has 1024 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 80.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 630 uses system-shared memory with a system-dependent bandwidth and a system-shared bus width. The GTX 650's dedicated memory is a clear architectural advantage for compute workloads.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: The GTX 650 has 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The HD 630 has 192 shading units, 24 TMUs, and only 3 ROPs. The GTX 650 also achieves a higher pixel rate of 8.464 GPixel/s versus 3.000 GPixel/s, and a higher texture rate of 33.86 GTexel/s versus 24.00 GTexel/s.

Q: Which GPU supports a newer version of Vulkan?

A: The Intel HD Graphics 630 supports Vulkan 1.3, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 supports Vulkan 1.2.175. Despite this newer API support, the GTX 650 wins the Vulkan benchmark with a score of 4524 versus the HD 630's 3540.

Q: What are the power and physical requirements of each GPU?

A: The GTX 650 has a TDP of 65 W, requires a 1x 6-pin power connector, and a suggested PSU of 250 W. It is a single-slot card measuring 147 mm (5.8 inches) in length. The HD 630 is an IGP with a 15 W TDP, no power connectors, and no physical dimensions listed, as it is integrated into the motherboard.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest victory in the head-to-head comparison belongs to the Intel HD Graphics 630 in the Geekbench Metal test. The HD 630 scores 5099, while the GTX 650 manages only 2400. This 112.5% delta is extraordinary and indicates that the HD 630 is more than twice as fast as the GTX 650 in Metal workloads. This result is surprising given the GTX 650's superior raw specifications, including double the shading units and over double the FP32 throughput (812.5 GFLOPS versus 384.0 GFLOPS). The HD 630's win suggests that architectural efficiency in a specific API context can outweigh raw compute resources. The GTX 650's two victories are more modest but consistent. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 650 scores 4545 against the HD 630's 3587, a 21.1% delta. In Geekbench Vulkan, the GTX 650 scores 4524 against the HD 630's 3540, a 21.8% delta. These margins are nearly identical, indicating a stable performance gap in cross-platform compute. The GTX 650's wins align with its memory bandwidth advantage: 80.00 GB/s of dedicated GDDR5 bandwidth versus the HD 630's system-dependent shared memory. The GTX 650 also has a higher FP32 peak of 812.5 GFLOPS, which is directly relevant to OpenCL and Vulkan compute shaders. The HD 630 counters with a higher FP16 rate of 768.0 GFLOPS (2:1), but this does not help in any of the tested APIs. The overall win count favors the GTX 650 at 2 wins versus 1 for the HD 630. However, the magnitude of the HD 630's single win is so large that the average benchmark scores still favor the Intel part: 4075 versus 3823. This discrepancy between average score and head-to-head wins highlights the importance of workload selection. The GTX 650 also shows consistency in its wins, with both deltas around 21%, whereas the HD 630's win is an outlier at 112.5%. For users prioritizing OpenCL or Vulkan, the GTX 650 is the clear choice. For Metal-specific environments, the HD 630 is overwhelmingly superior. The percentile rankings reflect this split: the HD 630 sits at the 24th percentile and the GTX 650 at the 22nd, a difference of just 2 percentage points that understates the API-level variance. The nearest rival data also contextualizes these scores: the HD 630's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB at 4093 (a -0.4% delta), while the GTX 650's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce MX110 at 3834 (a -0.3% delta). Both GPUs are positioned within 2% of their nearest competitors, indicating they are neither class leaders nor outliers in their respective performance tiers.