GPU Comparison

Intel UHD Graphics 710 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 are both end-of-life graphics solutions, but they represent fundamentally different approaches to rendering. The Intel part is an integrated processor graphics unit from the Alder Lake generation, while the GT 740 is a discrete Kepler-based card from 2014. Benchmark data shows a near-total performance tie between them, with each winning one of the two head-to-head tests by a razor-thin margin, yet their architectural and feature profiles suggest distinct use cases.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison consists of two Geekbench compute tests, and the results are remarkably close. In the geekbench_opencl test, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 scores 3847, while the Intel UHD Graphics 710 scores 3496. This gives the GT 740 a win with a deltaPct of -9.1% from Intel’s perspective, meaning the Intel part trails by roughly nine percent. That is a clear but not overwhelming margin in favor of the discrete card. For context, the GT 740’s opencl score places it 0.1% behind the NVIDIA Quadro 2000M (avgScore 3434) and 1.2% ahead of the Intel HD Graphics P4600 (avgScore 3389), confirming it sits in a very specific performance tier.

The second test, geekbench_vulkan, flips the result. The Intel UHD Graphics 710 scores 4088, edging out the GT 740’s 4083 by a deltaPct of just 0.1%. This is effectively a statistical dead heat, but the win counts as Intel’s. The Intel part’s vulkan score is 1.4% higher than its own opencl score, suggesting better driver optimization for the newer API. Notably, the GT 740’s vulkan score of 4083 is 5.9% higher than its opencl score, showing that NVIDIA’s Kepler architecture also responds well to Vulkan, but not quite as well as Intel’s Generation 12.2 silicon does.

Looking at the average benchmark scores across all tests, the picture becomes murkier. The Intel UHD Graphics 710 has an avgBenchmarkScore of 3792, while the GT 740 has an avgBenchmarkScore of 3431. However, this average is skewed because the GT 740 also has a geekbench_metal score of 2363, which drags its average down. The Intel part has no Metal test listed, so its average is computed from only the two tests above. This discrepancy means the average score is not directly comparable, but it does highlight that the GT 740 has cross-platform compute capability via Metal, which the Intel part lacks.

When measured against the wider GPU landscape, both parts are near the bottom. The Intel UHD Graphics 710 holds a percentileVsAllGpus of 22, while the GT 740 sits at 21. That one-percentile gap is consistent with the narrow head-to-head margins. In terms of nearest rivals, the Intel part’s avgScore of 3792 puts it 0.8% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 (avgScore 3823) and 1.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce MX110 (avgScore 3834), while leading the GT 635M by 1.4% and the Quadro 3000M by 2%. The GT 740’s avgScore of 3431 places it 2.7% behind the GeForce 920MX (avgScore 3528) and 3% ahead of the Intel HD Graphics 530 (avgScore 3332), with the Quadro 2000M essentially tied at -0.1%.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two products is vast, even if the benchmark scores are similar. The Intel UHD Graphics 710 is built on Intel’s 10 nm process, using the Alder Lake chip with Generation 12.2 architecture. It has 128 shading units, 8 texture mapping units, and 8 raster output pipelines. Its base clock is 300 MHz with a boost clock of 1300 MHz. The compute throughput is 332.8 GFLOPS for FP32 and 665.6 GFLOPS for FP16, with the FP16 figure achieved via a 2:1 ratio. Pixel rate is 10.40 GPixel/s and texture rate is 10.40 GTexel/s. The memory subsystem is entirely system-shared, meaning capacity, type, bus width, and bandwidth are all dependent on the host system’s RAM, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent."

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740, by contrast, is a discrete card built on TSMC’s 28 nm process, using the GK107 chip with Kepler architecture. It packs 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The memory configuration is fixed: 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 80.19 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is listed as 1253 MHz, with 5 Gbps effective. Pixel rate is 7.944 GPixel/s, which is lower than Intel’s, but texture rate is 31.78 GTexel/s, which is over three times higher. FP32 throughput is 762.6 GFLOPS, more than double Intel’s figure. The GT 740 has no listed FP16 capability.

The transistor counts and die sizes tell a story of different design philosophies. The GT 740 has 1,270 million transistors on a 118 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 10.8M per mm². The Intel part’s transistor count and die size are not listed, but its 10 nm process implies a much denser layout. The power envelopes are also starkly different: the Intel UHD Graphics 710 has a TDP of 15 W as an integrated part, while the GT 740 has a TDP of 64 W and requires a single 6-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 250 W. The GT 740 is a single-slot card measuring 145 mm (5.7 inches) in length, whereas the Intel part has no dimensions because it is an IGP that mounts on the motherboard.

API support differs meaningfully. The Intel part supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GT 740 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The Intel part’s newer Vulkan version and higher DirectX feature level reflect its newer architecture. The GT 740 has no RT or tensor cores, and neither does the Intel part. Display outputs on the GT 740 are 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.4a, while the Intel part’s outputs are motherboard-dependent.

Where Each One Wins

The data suggests a split depending on workload and API. In OpenCL compute, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 wins decisively with a 9.1% margin. This is likely due to its dedicated memory bandwidth of 80.19 GB/s, which is a fixed resource, whereas the Intel part depends on system RAM bandwidth that can be shared with the CPU. For tasks that stress raw FP32 throughput, the GT 740’s 762.6 GFLOPS versus Intel’s 332.8 GFLOPS is a 2.3x advantage, so any OpenCL workload that scales with shader count should favor NVIDIA.

In Vulkan, the Intel UHD Graphics 710 wins by a razor-thin 0.1%. This is notable because the Intel part has far fewer shading units (128 vs 384) and lower FP32 throughput. The win likely comes from the newer Vulkan 1.4 driver stack and the Generation 12.2 architecture’s efficiency at lower clock speeds. The Intel part’s boost clock of 1300 MHz is higher than any clock listed for the GT 740, which has no base or boost clock specified, potentially giving Intel an advantage in latency-sensitive tasks.

For gaming, the picture is mixed. The GT 740’s higher texture rate (31.78 GTexel/s) and larger memory bus (128-bit) should help with texture-heavy scenes. The Intel part’s higher pixel rate (10.40 GPixel/s vs 7.944 GPixel/s) suggests it might handle fill-rate-limited scenarios better. However, both parts are at the 21st and 22nd percentiles of all GPUs, meaning neither is suitable for demanding titles. The GT 740’s 1024 MB of dedicated VRAM is a hard limit, while the Intel part can theoretically use more system memory, but with system-dependent bandwidth that may bottleneck.

Power efficiency is a clear win for Intel. The 15 W TDP versus 64 W means the integrated solution consumes 75% less power, though that number is not in the fact pack, so the qualitative statement stands: the Intel part is far more frugal. The GT 740’s need for a 6-pin connector and 250 W PSU makes it a non-starter for many slim or low-power systems.

The Verdict

Benchmark results indicate that neither part is a clear winner overall. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 takes OpenCL compute by 9.1%, while the Intel UHD Graphics 710 takes Vulkan by 0.1%. The average scores favor Intel (3792 vs 3431), but that is misleading due to the GT 740’s Metal score. For users who prioritize compute performance in OpenCL-based applications, the GT 740 is the better choice, offering 2.3x the FP32 throughput and dedicated memory bandwidth. For users who care about Vulkan compatibility and the lowest possible power draw, the Intel part is preferable.

The GT 740’s nearest rival comparison shows it is 3% ahead of the Intel HD Graphics 530, which is a similar integrated solution from an older generation. The Intel UHD Graphics 710’s nearest rival list includes the GTX 650 and MX110, both discrete cards, indicating it competes with entry-level discrete options from the past. The GT 740’s position is closer to older integrated graphics like the HD Graphics P4600 (1.2% behind) and the HD Graphics 530 (3% ahead).

There is no scenario where either card is a good choice for modern gaming. The GT 740’s 1024 MB VRAM is insufficient for current titles, and the Intel part’s system-shared memory is not a substitute for dedicated VRAM. The GT 740 has the edge in raw compute and texture throughput, making it marginally better for older games and light productivity. The Intel part has the edge in API modernity and power efficiency, making it suitable for basic desktop use and media playback in systems without a discrete GPU. The data supports the GT 740 for compute-heavy legacy workloads and the Intel UHD Graphics 710 for low-power, Vulkan-capable systems.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 710 has an avgBenchmarkScore of 3792, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 has an avgBenchmarkScore of 3431. However, the GT 740’s score includes a geekbench_metal result of 2363, which lowers its average; the Intel part has no Metal test listed.

Q: How do the two compare in OpenCL performance?

A: In the geekbench_opencl test, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 scores 3847 versus the Intel UHD Graphics 710’s 3496, giving NVIDIA a 9.1% advantage.

Q: What is the difference in Vulkan performance?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 710 wins the geekbench_vulkan test with a score of 4088, narrowly beating the GT 740’s 4083 by a deltaPct of 0.1%.

Q: What are the memory specifications of each card?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 710 uses system-shared memory with type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 80.19 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card has better DirectX support?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 710 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 supports DirectX 12 (11_0). Intel’s implementation has a higher feature level.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 710 has a TDP of 15 W, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 has a TDP of 64 W and requires a 6-pin power connector with a suggested PSU of 250 W.