Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear overall winner in the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost, which takes both head-to-head benchmark victories. The most lopsided result comes in the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the NVIDIA part scores 10041 against 5258 for the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580. That is a 91% advantage, a massive gap that indicates the GTX 650 Ti Boost delivers far stronger performance in Vulkan-based workloads. The Geekbench OpenCL test is much closer, with the NVIDIA card scoring 9302 versus 9082 for Intel, a 2.4% difference. Both results favor NVIDIA, but the Vulkan result is the one that defines this comparison.

Looking at the broader benchmark averages, the GTX 650 Ti Boost holds an average score of 8067 across all recorded tests, while the Iris Pro P580 averages 7170. That puts the NVIDIA part roughly 12.5% ahead in aggregate performance, though the head-to-head data shows the gap is not uniform across all APIs. The OpenCL result suggests the Intel iGPU can compete when the workload leverages that API, but the Vulkan result shows a stark separation in modern graphics workloads.

The percentile rankings reinforce this picture. The GTX 650 Ti Boost sits at the 42nd percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the Iris Pro P580 lands at the 39th percentile. Both are mid-pack parts, but the NVIDIA card is positioned higher in the overall distribution. The nearest rival data for the GTX 650 Ti Boost shows it trading blows with the NVIDIA GRID K2 (0.2% behind), the GeForce GTX 650 Ti (0.2% ahead), the GeForce GTX 880M (0.3% ahead), and the Quadro P5000 (0.3% ahead). This is a tightly contested cluster, meaning the GTX 650 Ti Boost sits in a very competitive performance band.

For the Intel Iris Pro P580, the nearest rivals include the GeForce GTX 560 SE (0% delta), the GeForce GTX 970 (0.2% ahead), the Radeon Vega 8 Mobile (0.5% behind), and the GeForce GTX 750 (0.7% behind). The Intel part is essentially tied with the GTX 560 SE, slightly behind the GTX 970 and GTX 750, and slightly ahead of the Vega 8 Mobile. This tells a different story: the Iris Pro P580 is competitive with older discrete GPUs from the same era, but it is not in the same league as the GTX 650 Ti Boost in Vulkan performance.

The win count is decisive: 2 wins for the GTX 650 Ti Boost, 0 for the Iris Pro P580. No benchmark in the head-to-head set favors the Intel part. The closest margin is the OpenCL test, but even there NVIDIA leads. The data does not show any scenario where the Iris Pro P580 outperforms the GTX 650 Ti Boost in the recorded tests.

Architecture Differences

The two parts come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost uses the GK106 chip built on the Kepler architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The die size is 221 mm² with 2,540 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 11.5 million per square millimeter. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 uses the Skylake GT4e chip on Intel's Generation 9.0 architecture, built on a 14 nm+ process at Intel's own foundry. Intel does not disclose transistor count or die size for this part in the database, so those figures cannot be compared directly.

The process node difference is significant: 28 nm versus 14 nm+. Intel's newer process allows for a much smaller physical footprint, but the NVIDIA part packs substantially more transistors into its dedicated die. The GTX 650 Ti Boost is a discrete graphics card with its own memory subsystem, while the Iris Pro P580 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) that shares system memory.

Clock speeds differ sharply. The GTX 650 Ti Boost runs at a base clock of 980 MHz with a boost clock of 1032 MHz. The Iris Pro P580 runs at a base clock of 350 MHz and boosts to 1000 MHz. The NVIDIA part has a much higher base clock, which contributes to its performance advantage in sustained workloads, though the Intel boost clock is not far behind.

Shader configuration also differs. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 768 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. The Iris Pro P580 has 576 shading units, 72 TMUs, and only 9 ROPs. The higher TMU count on the Intel part does not translate into better texture throughput, as the texture rates show: the NVIDIA card achieves 66.05 GTexel/s, while the Intel part reaches 72.00 GTexel/s. That is one of the few metrics where Intel leads. Pixel rate, however, favors NVIDIA decisively: 16.51 GPixel/s versus 9.00 GPixel/s for Intel.

Memory architecture is a major differentiator. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 144.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Iris Pro P580 uses system shared memory, with the bus width and bandwidth listed as system dependent. This means the Intel part's memory performance varies with the host system, whereas the NVIDIA card has a fixed, dedicated memory subsystem. The NVIDIA card's memory clock is 1502 MHz with 6 Gbps effective data rate, while the Intel part simply lists system shared.

FP32 compute performance favors NVIDIA: 1.585 TFLOPS versus 1,152.0 GFLOPS for Intel. The Intel part does have an FP16 capability at 2.304 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, which the NVIDIA card does not list, but FP32 workloads show NVIDIA ahead. Power consumption is dramatically different: the GTX 650 Ti Boost has a TDP of 134 W, while the Iris Pro P580 draws only 15 W. The NVIDIA card requires a dual-slot cooler and a 1x 6-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 300 W. The Intel part is an IGP with no power connectors and no suggested PSU, as it relies on the motherboard's power delivery.

API support differs in the details. Both support DirectX 12, but the GTX 650 Ti Boost is rated at 12 (11_0) while the Iris Pro P580 is rated at 12 (12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6. For Vulkan, the NVIDIA card supports version 1.2.175, while the Intel part supports version 1.3. The Intel part has a newer Vulkan version, which is notable given its much lower Vulkan benchmark score.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost scores 9302 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 scores 9082. The NVIDIA card leads by 2.4%.

Q: How large is the Vulkan performance gap between these two?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost scores 10041 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the Iris Pro P580 scores 5258. That is a 91% advantage for the NVIDIA card.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost has an average benchmark score of 8067, while the Iris Pro P580 averages 7170.

Q: Which GPU has a higher memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 144.2 GB/s of bandwidth from its 2 GB GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus. The Iris Pro P580 uses system shared memory, with bandwidth listed as system dependent.

Q: What are the power requirements for each part?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost has a TDP of 134 W and requires a 1x 6-pin power connector with a 300 W suggested PSU. The Iris Pro P580 has a 15 W TDP and uses no power connectors, as it is an integrated processor.

Q: How do these GPUs rank among all GPUs in the database?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost sits at the 42nd percentile, while the Iris Pro P580 sits at the 39th percentile.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost | Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | GK106 | Skylake GT4e |

| Architecture | Kepler | Generation 9.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 14 nm+ |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 2,540 million | Not disclosed |

| Die Size | 221 mm² | Not disclosed |

| Transistor Density | 11.5M / mm² | Not disclosed |

| Base Clock | 980 MHz | 350 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1032 MHz | 1000 MHz |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | System Shared |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | System Shared |

| Memory Bus Width | 192 bit | System Shared |

| Memory Bandwidth | 144.2 GB/s | System Dependent |

| Shading Units | 768 | 576 |

| TMUs | 64 | 72 |

| ROPs | 24 | 9 |

| Pixel Rate | 16.51 GPixel/s | 9.00 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 66.05 GTexel/s | 72.00 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1.585 TFLOPS | 1,152.0 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | Not listed | 2.304 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 134 W | 15 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | IGP |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 300 W | None |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | Ring Bus |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 | Motherboard Dependent |

| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan | 1.2.175 | 1.3 |

| Release Date | 2013-03-25 | 2015-08-31 |

| Launch MSRP | 169 USD | None |

The Verdict

The data points to a single conclusion: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost is the stronger performer in every recorded benchmark. It wins both head-to-head tests, holds a higher average score, and ranks higher in the overall percentile distribution. The Vulkan result is particularly decisive, with the NVIDIA card scoring 91% higher than the Intel part. The OpenCL result is closer, but still favors NVIDIA by 2.4%.

The Iris Pro P580 does have advantages in specific areas: it draws far less power (15 W versus 134 W), supports a newer Vulkan version (1.3 versus 1.2.175), has a higher DirectX feature level (12_1 versus 11_0), and achieves a higher texture rate (72.00 GTexel/s versus 66.05 GTexel/s). It also supports FP16 compute, which the NVIDIA card does not list. However, none of these advantages translate into benchmark wins.

For a user prioritizing raw graphics performance, the GTX 650 Ti Boost is the clear choice. Its dedicated 2 GB GDDR5 memory with 144.2 GB/s bandwidth provides a fixed performance baseline, whereas the Intel part depends on system memory. The NVIDIA card's higher pixel rate (16.51 GPixel/s versus 9.00 GPixel/s) and higher FP32 throughput (1.585 TFLOPS versus 1,152.0 GFLOPS) align with its benchmark dominance.

For a user prioritizing power efficiency and integration, the Iris Pro P580 is the sensible option. Its 15 W TDP is a fraction of the NVIDIA card's 134 W requirement, and it needs no additional power connectors or PSU headroom. As an IGP, it occupies no expansion slot and uses motherboard-dependent display outputs. But the performance trade-off is substantial, particularly in Vulkan workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost wins in Vulkan-based applications and workloads. The 91% lead in Geekbench Vulkan indicates that this GPU is far better suited for modern graphics APIs that rely on low-level hardware access. It also wins in OpenCL, though by a narrow margin of 2.4%, suggesting that OpenCL workloads will show only a slight edge for NVIDIA. The card's dedicated memory subsystem and higher pixel rate make it the better choice for resolution-heavy rendering tasks. Its 42nd percentile ranking versus 39th for Intel positions it higher in the overall GPU landscape.

The Intel Iris Pro P580 wins in power efficiency and integration scenarios. Its 15 W TDP means it can operate in systems that cannot accommodate a 134 W discrete card. It supports Vulkan 1.3, a newer API version than the NVIDIA card's 1.2.175, which could matter for future software compatibility. Its DirectX 12 (12_1) feature level is higher than the NVIDIA card's 12 (11_0). The Intel part also achieves a higher texture rate, 72.00 GTexel/s versus 66.05 GTexel/s, which could benefit texture-heavy workloads despite the overall performance deficit.

The use-case split is straightforward: the GTX 650 Ti Boost is for users who need discrete GPU performance with dedicated memory and are willing to supply a 300 W PSU. The Iris Pro P580 is for users who need a zero-footprint graphics solution within a 15 W power envelope, accepting lower benchmark scores in exchange for integration. The data does not suggest any scenario where the Intel part outperforms the NVIDIA card in the recorded benchmarks, so any selection of the Iris Pro P580 must be driven by power, space, or system constraints rather than raw performance.