Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile vs NVIDIA N1 16SM Comparison

Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile and NVIDIA N1 16SM represent two fundamentally different approaches to integrated graphics. The recorded data shows a clear performance hierarchy, with the NVIDIA part holding a decisive advantage in raw compute and memory throughput. The Intel solution, built on older Generation 12.2 architecture with a 10 nm process, delivers modest integrated graphics capabilities suited for basic workloads. The NVIDIA N1 16SM, using the Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, offers substantially higher throughput across every measured metric.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark scores for these two GPUs. However, the recorded specifications allow for a direct comparison of theoretical peak performance. The most significant gap appears in FP32 floating-point performance. The NVIDIA N1 16SM delivers 9.609 TFLOPS, which is approximately 5.2 times the 1.856 TFLOPS produced by the Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile. This five-fold advantage in single-precision compute means the NVIDIA part can handle significantly more complex shader workloads and compute tasks per frame.

Texture fill rate shows an even larger disparity. The NVIDIA N1 16SM achieves 300.3 GTexel/s, while the Intel part manages 58.00 GTexel/s. That represents a 5.18x advantage for the NVIDIA solution. Higher texture rates directly translate to better performance in games and applications that rely heavily on textured geometry, where the NVIDIA part can sample and apply textures at a much faster pace.

Pixel fill rates also favor the NVIDIA N1 16SM, though by a smaller margin. The NVIDIA part records 56.30 GPixel/s versus 29.00 GPixel/s for the Intel Iris Xe. This 1.94x advantage in pixel throughput affects resolution scaling and fill-rate-bound scenarios, such as high-resolution rendering with heavy overdraw.

The memory subsystem presents another substantial difference. The NVIDIA N1 16SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory across a 256-bit bus, delivering 273.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel part uses System Shared memory with bandwidth described as System Dependent. In practice, the NVIDIA part's dedicated memory pool removes contention with the CPU and provides predictable, high-bandwidth access. The Intel solution must share system memory, which typically results in lower effective bandwidth and higher latency under load.

Clock speeds also differ significantly. The Intel Iris Xe has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1450 MHz. The NVIDIA N1 16SM operates at a 741 MHz base clock and boosts to 2346 MHz. The NVIDIA part sustains a higher minimum clock and reaches a substantially higher maximum clock, contributing to its compute advantage.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and manufacturing processes. Intel's Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile uses the Generation 12.2 architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. This architecture represents Intel's Xe-LP graphics family, designed primarily for power-efficient integrated graphics in mobile processors. The chip is based on Raptor Lake, indicating it is the integrated GPU portion of a Raptor Lake mobile processor.

NVIDIA's N1 16SM uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process. The chip is designated GB20B, and it belongs to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation. This is a newer, more advanced architecture designed for integrated graphics in NVIDIA's N1 platform.

The execution resources differ substantially. The Intel part contains 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 render output units. The NVIDIA N1 16SM has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The NVIDIA part offers 3.2x more shaders, 3.2x more TMUs, and 1.2x more ROPs.

The NVIDIA N1 16SM also includes hardware features absent from the Intel part. It has 16 ray tracing cores and 64 tensor cores. The Intel Iris Xe has no dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores. This means the NVIDIA part can accelerate ray-traced effects and AI-based workloads, such as denoising and upscaling, directly in hardware. The Intel part would rely on software implementations, which carry significant performance penalties.

Memory architecture differs completely. The Intel Iris Xe uses System Shared memory, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and borrows from the system's main memory. The NVIDIA N1 16SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus, offering dedicated bandwidth of 273.2 GB/s. The bus interface also differs: Intel uses Ring Bus, while NVIDIA uses PCIe 5.0 x16.

The FP16 capabilities show another architectural distinction. The Intel part achieves 3.712 TFLOPS FP16 using a 2:1 ratio relative to FP32. The NVIDIA part reaches 9.609 TFLOPS FP16 at a 1:1 ratio, meaning it does not sacrifice FP16 throughput. This indicates the NVIDIA architecture handles half-precision workloads at full rate, which benefits machine learning inference and certain compute tasks.

API support also diverges. The Intel Iris Xe supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The NVIDIA N1 16SM lists DirectX as N/A, OpenGL as N/A, and Vulkan as N/A. This suggests the NVIDIA part may rely on proprietary or alternate APIs rather than standard graphics APIs, which could limit its compatibility with traditional PC games and applications.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA N1 16SM wins in virtually every performance category recorded in the database. Its FP32 compute of 9.609 TFLOPS is 5.2x higher than the Intel part's 1.856 TFLOPS. For any workload that scales with raw shader throughput, such as modern game rendering, GPU compute, or machine learning inference, the NVIDIA part holds a massive advantage.

Texture-heavy workloads strongly favor the NVIDIA part. With 300.3 GTexel/s versus 58.00 GTexel/s, the NVIDIA N1 16SM can process 5.18x more texels per second. Games with complex material systems, high-resolution textures, or anisotropic filtering will see proportionally better performance on the NVIDIA part.

Memory bandwidth is another clear win for NVIDIA. The 273.2 GB/s dedicated LPDDR5X bandwidth versus Intel's System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth means the NVIDIA part can feed its shaders without memory contention. This helps maintain stable frame rates in memory-intensive scenarios, including high-resolution textures, large open worlds, and compute workloads that stream data.

Ray tracing and tensor operations are exclusive to the NVIDIA part. With 16 ray tracing cores and 64 tensor cores, the NVIDIA N1 16SM can accelerate effects and AI tasks that the Intel Iris Xe cannot handle in hardware. This includes hardware-accelerated ray-traced lighting, DLSS-style upscaling, and AI denoising.

The NVIDIA part also has a higher pixel rate at 56.30 GPixel/s versus 29.00 GPixel/s. This benefits resolution scaling and fill-rate-bound scenarios. The Intel part wins only in the narrow sense of compatibility with standard graphics APIs, where it supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the NVIDIA part lists N/A for all three.

The Verdict

The data makes the choice straightforward. The NVIDIA N1 16SM outperforms the Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile across every recorded performance metric. FP32 throughput, texture rate, pixel rate, and memory bandwidth all favor the NVIDIA part by margins ranging from 1.94x to 5.18x. The inclusion of 16 ray tracing cores and 64 tensor cores further separates the two, as the Intel part lacks dedicated hardware for these workloads.

The Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile uses a 10 nm process, while the NVIDIA N1 16SM uses a 5 nm process. The newer process node allows for higher clock speeds and greater efficiency, which is reflected in the boost clock of 2346 MHz versus 1450 MHz.

For users who need standard graphics API compatibility, the Intel part supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The NVIDIA N1 16SM lists N/A for these APIs, which may limit its use in traditional PC gaming environments. However, for raw compute performance, the NVIDIA part is the clear choice.

The NVIDIA N1 16SM also offers a dedicated memory pool of 128 GB LPDDR5X, which eliminates the performance variability of system-shared memory. The Intel part's System Shared memory and System Dependent bandwidth make its performance dependent on the rest of the system configuration.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA N1 16SM delivers 9.609 TFLOPS, which is 5.2x higher than the Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile's 1.856 TFLOPS.

Q: Does either GPU support ray tracing in hardware?

A: The NVIDIA N1 16SM has 16 ray tracing cores. The Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile has no ray tracing cores listed.

Q: What memory configuration does each GPU use?

A: The NVIDIA N1 16SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Iris Xe uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA N1 16SM has 2048 shading units, while the Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile has 640 shading units.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds?

A: The NVIDIA N1 16SM boosts to 2346 MHz. The Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile boosts to 1450 MHz.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: The Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile supports DirectX 12 (12_1). The NVIDIA N1 16SM lists DirectX as N/A.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU Mobile | NVIDIA N1 16SM |

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

| Architecture | Generation 12.2 | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 5 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Base Clock | 300 MHz | 741 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1450 MHz | 2346 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 128 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 273.2 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 640 | 2048 |

| TMUs | 40 | 128 |

| ROPs | 20 | 24 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | None | 16 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 64 |

| Pixel Rate | 29.00 GPixel/s | 56.30 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 58.00 GTexel/s | 300.3 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 1.856 TFLOPS | 9.609 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 3.712 TFLOPS (2:1) | 9.609 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| Power Connectors | None listed | None |

| Bus Interface | Ring Bus | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x HDMI |

| DirectX Support | 12 (12_1) | N/A |

| OpenGL Support | 4.6 | N/A |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | N/A |

| Release Date | 2023-01-03 | 2026-05-31 |

| Production Status | Active | Active |

| Die Size | Not listed | 382 mm² |