Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M has an average benchmark score of 8040, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 scores 7170. The GTX 880M sits at the 42nd percentile of all GPUs, whereas the Intel part is at the 39th percentile.

Q: In the OpenCL benchmark, which GPU is faster?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 scores 9082 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 38.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M's score of 5622. This is the only direct head-to-head benchmark recorded.

Q: What are the nearest rivals of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M?

A: The closest competitors are the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 with an average score of 8039 (a 0% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti at 8053 (0.2% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost at 8067 (0.3% lower), and the NVIDIA GRID K2 at 8080 (0.5% lower).

Q: What are the nearest rivals of the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580?

A: The nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE with an average score of 7171 (a 0% delta), followed by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 at 7157 (0.2% higher), the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile at 7203 (0.5% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 at 7222 (0.7% lower).

Q: What is the difference in process node between the two GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M is built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 uses a 14 nm+ process at Intel. The Intel part uses a smaller manufacturing node.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel rate?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M achieves a pixel rate of 31.78 GPixel/s, which is significantly higher than the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580's 9.000 GPixel/s.

Architecture Differences

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M is built on the Kepler architecture with the GK104 chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It contains 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.0 million transistors per mm². This is a mature discrete GPU design aimed at high-performance notebooks.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 uses the Generation 9.0 architecture based on the Skylake GT4e chip, manufactured on a 14 nm+ process at Intel. Unlike the NVIDIA part, the Intel GPU is an integrated processor graphics solution that shares system memory. The die size and transistor count are not recorded in the database for this part.

The NVIDIA GPU has 1,536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 render output units (ROPs). The Intel GPU has 576 shading units, 72 TMUs, and only 9 ROPs. This structural difference explains why the NVIDIA part delivers much higher raw throughput rates: 127.1 GTexel/s for texture fill versus 72.00 GTexel/s for the Intel part, and 31.78 GPixel/s versus 9.000 GPixel/s for pixel fill.

The NVIDIA GPU's FP32 performance is 3.050 TFLOPS, while the Intel part delivers 1,152.0 GFLOPS (1.152 TFLOPS) in FP32. The Intel GPU does have a separate FP16 rate of 2.304 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, a capability not listed for the NVIDIA part.

Memory architecture differs fundamentally. The GTX 880M uses 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Iris Pro uses system-shared memory with a system-dependent bandwidth, making its effective memory performance dependent on the host platform's memory configuration rather than a dedicated memory interface.

The NVIDIA chip is a discrete MXM module with an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface and no power connectors, drawing 122 W. The Intel GPU is an integrated part with a Ring Bus interface and a 15 W TDP, reflecting its far lower power envelope.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records one direct comparison between these two GPUs: the Geekbench OpenCL test. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 scores 9082, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M scores 5622. This represents a 38.1% advantage for the Intel part. This is a significant margin, and it comes from the Intel GPU's OpenCL execution characteristics rather than its raw pixel or texture throughput, where the NVIDIA part is clearly ahead.

The NVIDIA GPU does not have a recorded Geekbench Metal score, but it does have a strong Metal result of 10458, which is notably higher than its OpenCL score. The Intel GPU has a Vulkan score of 5258, which is lower than its OpenCL score of 9082. These results suggest that the Intel part is particularly well optimized for OpenCL workloads, while its Vulkan performance is more modest.

In terms of average benchmark score, the NVIDIA GTX 880M leads with 8040 versus 7170 for the Intel Iris Pro, a difference of about 12%. This places the NVIDIA GPU in a higher overall performance tier, despite losing the single OpenCL comparison. The percentile ranking confirms this: the GTX 880M is at the 42nd percentile, while the Intel part is at the 39th.

The nearest rival data contextualizes these results. The GTX 880M's average score of 8040 is essentially tied with the Quadro P5000 at 8039, and it trails the GRID K2 by only 0.5%. The Intel part's 7170 average is bracketed by the GTX 560 SE at 7171 and the GTX 970 at 7157, with the GTX 750 trailing by 0.7%. These figures show that the Intel Iris Pro P580 competes with older mid-range discrete GPUs, while the GTX 880M sits closer to professional-class workstation parts.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every recorded specification category. The process node is 28 nm for NVIDIA versus 14 nm+ for Intel. The NVIDIA chip has 3,540 million transistors and a 294 mm² die, while the Intel part has no recorded transistor count or die size. The NVIDIA GPU's base clock is 954 MHz with a 993 MHz boost, while the Intel part runs at 350 MHz base and 1000 MHz boost.

Memory configuration differs completely: the GTX 880M has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the Iris Pro uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth. The NVIDIA GPU's memory clock is 1250 MHz with 5 Gbps effective speed; the Intel part has no dedicated memory clock.

The shading unit count is 1,536 versus 576, TMUs are 128 versus 72, and ROPs are 32 versus 9. This leads to pixel rates of 31.78 GPixel/s versus 9.000 GPixel/s and texture rates of 127.1 GTexel/s versus 72.00 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 3.050 TFLOPS versus 1,152.0 GFLOPS. The Intel part has an FP16 rate of 2.304 TFLOPS, while no FP16 figure is listed for the NVIDIA part.

Thermal design power is 122 W for the NVIDIA GPU versus 15 W for the Intel part. The slot width is MXM Module for NVIDIA versus IGP for Intel. The NVIDIA part uses an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface and has no power connectors; the Intel part uses a Ring Bus and has no listed power connectors. Display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent" for NVIDIA and "Motherboard Dependent" for Intel.

API support differs in DirectX and Vulkan versions. The NVIDIA GPU supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175, while the Intel part supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The NVIDIA GPU was released on 2014-03-11, while the Intel part was released on 2015-08-31. The NVIDIA GPU has a predecessor (GeForce 700M) and successor (GeForce 900M), while the Intel part has neither listed.

The Verdict

The benchmark data shows two GPUs with opposite strengths. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M has the higher average score at 8040 versus 7170, placing it 12% ahead overall and in the 42nd percentile versus the 39th for the Intel part. Its raw compute capabilities are far higher: 3.050 TFLOPS FP32, 127.1 GTexel/s texture rate, and 31.78 GPixel/s pixel rate. This makes it the stronger choice for tasks that depend on traditional graphics throughput, such as high-resolution rendering or pixel-heavy workloads.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 wins the only recorded head-to-head benchmark, the Geekbench OpenCL test, by a margin of 38.1% (9082 versus 5622). This is a decisive victory in that specific workload and suggests the Intel part has superior OpenCL optimization. However, its overall average score is lower, and its Vulkan score of 5258 is modest.

For users prioritizing raw graphics throughput and higher overall benchmark standing, the data favors the NVIDIA GTX 880M. For users whose primary workload is OpenCL compute, the Intel Iris Pro P580 demonstrates a clear advantage in the recorded measurement. The NVIDIA part also has the benefit of dedicated GDDR5 memory with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the Intel part depends on system memory, which is typically slower and shared with the CPU.

The power envelope is a major differentiator: 122 W versus 15 W. This means the Intel part is far more suitable for power-constrained environments, while the NVIDIA part is a high-performance discrete solution for larger notebook chassis. The choice depends on whether the priority is overall performance and memory bandwidth or OpenCL compute efficiency and low power draw.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M wins in scenarios that demand high raw graphics throughput. Its pixel rate of 31.78 GPixel/s and texture rate of 127.1 GTexel/s are roughly 3.5 times and 1.8 times higher than the Intel part's respective figures. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth provides a dedicated, high-speed memory pool that the Intel part cannot match with system-shared memory. The NVIDIA GPU also leads in average benchmark score and percentile ranking.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 wins in OpenCL compute workloads. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 9082 is 38.1% higher than the NVIDIA part's 5622, which is the single largest performance gap recorded between these two GPUs. The Intel part also supports a newer DirectX version (12_1 versus 11_0) and a newer Vulkan version (1.3 versus 1.2.175), which may matter for modern API compatibility. Its 15 W TDP is dramatically lower than the NVIDIA part's 122 W, making it the appropriate choice for fanless or low-power designs.

The NVIDIA GPU's Metal score of 10458 is its strongest recorded benchmark, though no comparable Metal result exists for the Intel part. The Intel GPU's Vulkan score of 5258 is lower than its OpenCL score, indicating that its compute strengths are workload-specific rather than universal. The data therefore supports a clear split: choose the NVIDIA GTX 880M for general graphics performance and memory bandwidth, choose the Intel Iris Pro P580 for OpenCL compute efficiency and low power consumption.