Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 Comparison

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 represent two fundamentally different approaches to graphics processing, and their aggregate benchmark scores reflect a rare statistical near-tie. The Iris Pro P580 has an average benchmark score of 7170, while the GTX 970 scores 7157, a difference of merely 0.2% in favor of the Intel part. Both GPUs occupy the 39th percentile of all GPUs, placing them in the same performance tier according to the aggregate data. However, this equivalence in overall average masks a dramatic divergence in specific workloads, where the GTX 970 asserts overwhelming dominance in compute-oriented tasks. The data indicates that the GTX 970 is the clear choice for users prioritizing raw compute performance, while the Iris Pro P580 is the only option for those constrained to an integrated graphics solution within a 15 W power envelope.

The Verdict

The choice between these two parts is dictated by system form factor and workload priority, not by overall performance parity. The aggregate scores are virtually identical, with the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 averaging 7170 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 averaging 7157, a delta of just 0.2%. This places both at the 39th percentile of all GPUs, suggesting that, on average, they deliver comparable frame rates across a broad suite of mixed workloads. However, the head-to-head benchmark data shows a decisive split. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 970 scores 29982 against the Iris Pro’s 9082, representing a 69.7% advantage for the NVIDIA part. In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the GTX 970 scores 20005 against 5258, a 73.7% lead. These are not minor differences; they indicate that the GTX 970 is in a different performance class for parallel compute and modern graphics APIs.

Consequently, the verdict is straightforward. The GTX 970 is the superior choice for any desktop system where a dual-slot, 148 W discrete card with 2x 6-pin power connectors and a 300 W suggested PSU can be accommodated. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 224.4 GB/s bandwidth provides a level of memory subsystem performance that the Iris Pro cannot approach, as the latter relies on system shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth. The GTX 970’s 3.920 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is more than triple the Iris Pro’s 1,152.0 GFLOPS. For gaming, GPU compute, or any application leveraging Vulkan or OpenCL, the GTX 970 is unequivocally the stronger part.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580, conversely, is the only viable option in a specific niche: an integrated GPU within a 15 W TDP. It is an IGP with a Ring Bus interface, meaning it requires no separate slot, power connectors, or PSU upgrade. Its performance, while matching the GTX 970 in aggregate, is achieved at a fraction of the power draw. The data shows its 72.00 GTexel/s texture rate is lower than the GTX 970’s 122.5 GTexel/s, and its 9.000 GPixel/s pixel rate is drastically lower than the 65.97 GPixel/s of the NVIDIA card. This indicates that the Intel part will struggle with fill-rate-bound scenarios. Therefore, the Iris Pro P580 is for users who must have GPU acceleration without the physical space or power budget for a discrete card. No other conclusion is supported by the data.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 has an average benchmark score of 7170, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 has an average score of 7157. The Intel part leads by 0.2%, a statistical tie.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The GTX 970 scores 29982, while the Iris Pro P580 scores 9082. The GTX 970 is 69.7% faster in this test, indicating a massive advantage in OpenCL compute workloads.

Q: What is the difference in Vulkan performance between the two?

A: In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the GTX 970 scores 20005 versus the Iris Pro’s 5258. The NVIDIA part leads by 73.7%, showing a dominant advantage in this modern graphics API.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 has a pixel rate of 65.97 GPixel/s, which is significantly higher than the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580’s 9.000 GPixel/s.

Q: What are the memory specifications for each GPU?

A: The GTX 970 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 224.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 uses System Shared memory with a System Shared bus width and System Dependent bandwidth.

Q: Are both GPUs at the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 are in the 39th percentile of all GPUs, confirming their similar aggregate performance ranking.

Architecture Differences

The two processors stem from entirely different design philosophies and manufacturing processes. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 is built on Intel’s 14 nm+ process at Intel’s foundry, utilizing the Generation 9.0 architecture with a chip codenamed Skylake GT4e. It is part of the HD Graphics-W (Skylake) generation. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 is fabricated on TSMC’s 28 nm process, employing the Maxwell 2.0 architecture with the GM204 chip, belonging to the GeForce 900 generation. This process node difference is significant, though the data does not directly quantify its performance impact. The Intel part’s architecture is designed for integration, featuring a Ring Bus interface to connect with the CPU, whereas the GTX 970 uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 bus interface for discrete installation.

The compute resource allocation differs fundamentally. The Iris Pro P580 has 576 shading units, 72 texture mapping units (TMUs), and only 9 raster output units (ROPs). This configuration yields a pixel rate of 9.000 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 72.00 GTexel/s. The GTX 970, on the other hand, packs 1664 shading units, 104 TMUs, and 56 ROPs, resulting in a pixel rate of 65.97 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 122.5 GTexel/s. The GTX 970’s 56 ROPs versus the Intel part’s 9 ROPs explains the massive fill-rate disparity. Furthermore, the GTX 970’s FP32 performance is 3.920 TFLOPS, while the Intel part achieves 1,152.0 GFLOPS. The Intel part does support FP16 at 2.304 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, a feature that is not listed for the GTX 970.

Memory architecture is another major differentiator. The GTX 970 has dedicated 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, achieving 224.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Iris Pro P580 has no dedicated memory; it relies on System Shared memory with a System Shared bus width and System Dependent bandwidth. This means the Intel GPU must share the system’s memory bandwidth with the CPU, which is a significant bottleneck for memory-intensive workloads. The transistor counts also reflect the design gulf: the GTX 970 contains 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die with a transistor density of 13.1M / mm², while the Intel part’s transistor count and die size are not specified in the data.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two parts, based solely on the provided data:

• Process Node: Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 is on 14 nm+, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 is on 28 nm.
• Foundry: Intel for the Iris Pro, TSMC for the GTX 970.
• Transistors: The GTX 970 has 5,200 million transistors; the Iris Pro’s count is not listed.
• Die Size: The GTX 970 has a 398 mm² die; the Iris Pro’s size is not listed.
• Transistor Density: The GTX 970 has 13.1M / mm²; the Iris Pro’s density is not listed.
• Base Clock: The Iris Pro runs at 350 MHz, while the GTX 970 runs at 1050 MHz.
• Boost Clock: The Iris Pro boosts to 1000 MHz, while the GTX 970 boosts to 1178 MHz.
• Memory Size: The Iris Pro uses System Shared memory, while the GTX 970 has 4 GB of GDDR5.
• Memory Type: System Shared for the Intel part, GDDR5 for the NVIDIA part.
• Memory Bus Width: System Shared for the Intel part, 256 bit for the NVIDIA part.
• Memory Bandwidth: System Dependent for the Intel part, 224.4 GB/s for the NVIDIA part.
• Shading Units: 576 for the Iris Pro, 1664 for the GTX 970.
• TMUs: 72 for the Iris Pro, 104 for the GTX 970.
• ROPs: 9 for the Iris Pro, 56 for the GTX 970.
• Pixel Rate: 9.000 GPixel/s for the Iris Pro, 65.97 GPixel/s for the GTX 970.
• Texture Rate: 72.00 GTexel/s for the Iris Pro, 122.5 GTexel/s for the GTX 970.
• FP32 Performance: 1,152.0 GFLOPS for the Iris Pro, 3.920 TFLOPS for the GTX 970.
• FP16 Performance: 2.304 TFLOPS (2:1) for the Iris Pro, not listed for the GTX 970.
• TDP: 15 W for the Iris Pro, 148 W for the GTX 970.
• Slot Width: IGP for the Iris Pro, Dual-slot for the GTX 970.
• Power Connectors: None for the Iris Pro, 2x 6-pin for the GTX 970.
• Suggested PSU: Not listed for the Iris Pro, 300 W for the GTX 970.
• Bus Interface: Ring Bus for the Iris Pro, PCIe 3.0 x16 for the GTX 970.
• Display Outputs: Motherboard Dependent for the Iris Pro, 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2 for the GTX 970.
• Vulkan API Version: 1.3 for the Iris Pro, 1.4 for the GTX 970.
• Release Date: 2015-08-31 for the Iris Pro, 2014-09-18 for the GTX 970.
• Launch MSRP: The GTX 970 has a launch MSRP of 329 USD; the Iris Pro has no listed launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data available for direct comparison is limited to two compute-focused tests, and the results are strikingly one-sided. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 scores 29982, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 scores 9082. This yields a deltaPct of -69.7% from the perspective of the Intel part, meaning the GTX 970 is 69.7% faster. This is a decisive victory for the NVIDIA card, reflecting its 3.920 TFLOPS FP32 throughput against the Intel part’s 1,152.0 GFLOPS. The OpenCL test is a measure of general-purpose GPU compute, and the GTX 970’s 1664 shading units versus 576 for the Intel part provide a massive parallel processing advantage.

The second head-to-head test, Geekbench Vulkan, shows an even larger gap. The GTX 970 scores 20005, while the Iris Pro P580 scores 5258, resulting in a deltaPct of -73.7% for the Intel part. Vulkan is a low-overhead, modern graphics API, and the GTX 970’s advantage here suggests superior driver optimization and architectural efficiency for this workload. The GTX 970’s support for Vulkan 1.4, compared to the Iris Pro’s Vulkan 1.3, may also contribute to this performance differential, though the data does not explicitly link the API version to the score.

The aggregate benchmark scores, however, tell a more nuanced story. The Iris Pro P580 has an average benchmark score of 7170, which is slightly higher than the GTX 970’s 7157. This 0.2% difference is within the margin of error and is supported by the nearest rivals data, which lists the GTX 970 as having a deltaPct of 0.2% relative to the Iris Pro. This suggests that in other, non-compute benchmarks (such as the GTX 970’s Passmark G3D score of 9638 or its Passmark DirectX 9 score of 143), the Intel part may perform comparatively better. However, the direct head-to-head tests show that the GTX 970 is the dominant performer in the areas where it matters most for modern workloads: OpenCL and Vulkan. The data shows that the GTX 970 wins both head-to-head comparisons, with a total of 2 wins against 0 for the Intel part.