Intel UHD Graphics 730 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M and the Intel UHD Graphics 730 represent two fundamentally different approaches to graphics processing: a dedicated mobile GPU from 2013 versus a modern integrated graphics solution from 2021. The benchmark data shows the GTX 765M holds a clear performance lead in every shared test, yet the UHD 730 counters with a higher overall percentile ranking. This analysis breaks down the head-to-head results, use-case strengths, specification differences, and architectural gaps between these two end-of-life graphics solutions.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two GPUs share exactly two benchmark results in the data: Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. In both tests, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M emerges as the winner, but the margins are not uniform. The largest gap appears in the OpenCL test, where the GTX 765M scores 7,176 points against the Intel UHD Graphics 730's 5,988 points. That translates to a 19.8% advantage for NVIDIA. The Vulkan test tells a similar story, with the GTX 765M scoring 6,714 versus 5,870 for the Intel part, a 14.4% delta.

These deltas are substantial, but the absolute scores matter too. A 19.8% lead in OpenCL means the GTX 765M is nearly one-fifth faster than the UHD 730 in that compute workload. The Vulkan gap of 14.4% is slightly narrower, suggesting the Intel integrated GPU closes some ground under the newer API. Still, the GTX 765M wins both head-to-head tests, giving it a 2-0 record in the direct comparison. The data shows no test where the Intel UHD Graphics 730 manages to outperform the NVIDIA part.

Interestingly, the average benchmark scores tell a different story. The GTX 765M has an average benchmark score of 5,501, while the Intel UHD Graphics 730 averages 5,929. That puts the Intel part roughly 7.8% higher on average, despite losing both head-to-head tests. This discrepancy arises because the averages include different test sets. The GTX 765M's average includes a Geekbench Metal score of 2,612, which drags its mean down significantly. The UHD 730 has no Metal score, so its average only reflects the OpenCL and Vulkan results, both of which are closer to its peak performance. This makes the average score a somewhat misleading metric for direct comparison, but it does explain why the Intel part holds a higher percentile rank.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M wins decisively in raw compute throughput. Its OpenCL score of 7,176 is 1,188 points higher than the UHD 730's 5,988, and its Vulkan score of 6,714 beats the Intel part by 844 points. For workloads that rely on sustained GPU compute — such as OpenCL-based rendering, physics simulation, or general-purpose GPU computing — the GTX 765M is the clear choice. The 19.8% OpenCL advantage is particularly meaningful for users who run compute-heavy applications that leverage this API.

The Intel UHD Graphics 730 does not win any benchmark test in the head-to-head data, but it holds advantages in other areas. Its percentile rank of 33 versus the GTX 765M's 32 indicates that, across the full spectrum of GPUs, the Intel part sits slightly higher in the distribution. This is largely a function of its higher average benchmark score of 5,929. For users who prioritize compatibility with modern APIs, the UHD 730 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the GTX 765M only reaches DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. That makes the Intel part more future-proof for newer game titles and applications that target these updated API versions.

The GTX 765M also wins on memory bandwidth. Its dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus delivers 64.13 GB/s of bandwidth. The UHD 730 relies on system shared memory with bandwidth described as "System Dependent," which in practice is almost always slower and shared with the CPU. For texture-heavy workloads and high-resolution rendering, the NVIDIA part's dedicated memory gives it a structural advantage that benchmarks alone may not fully capture.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has an average benchmark score of 5,929, which is 428 points higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M's average of 5,501. However, this is partly because the GTX 765M's average includes a low Metal score of 2,612, which the Intel part does not have.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two GPUs?

A: The largest gap is in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M leads by 19.8% with a score of 7,176 versus 5,988 for the Intel UHD Graphics 730.

Q: Does the Intel UHD Graphics 730 win any benchmark test?

A: No. In the head-to-head data, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 loses both shared tests. It wins zero benchmarks against the GTX 765M, which wins both the OpenCL and Vulkan tests.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in Vulkan performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M scores 6,714 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 14.4% higher than the Intel UHD Graphics 730's score of 5,870. The NVIDIA part wins this test.

Q: Which GPU supports a newer version of DirectX?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M only supports DirectX 12 (11_0). The Intel part also supports Vulkan 1.4, compared to Vulkan 1.2.175 for the NVIDIA GPU.

Q: How do the two GPUs rank among all GPUs?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 ranks at the 33rd percentile, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M ranks at the 32nd percentile. Despite losing head-to-head tests, the Intel part has a marginally higher percentile ranking.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs diverge sharply on nearly every hardware specification. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M has 768 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has 192 shading units, 12 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This means the NVIDIA part has four times the shading units, more than five times the TMUs, and double the ROPs of the Intel solution.

Clock speeds tell a different story. The GTX 765M runs at a base clock of 797 MHz with a boost of 863 MHz, while the UHD 730 has a lower base of 300 MHz but a much higher boost of 1,300 MHz. The Intel part's higher boost clock helps it compensate somewhat for its smaller execution footprint, but the raw throughput numbers still favor NVIDIA.

Memory is another major differentiator. The GTX 765M uses 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 64.13 GB/s of bandwidth. The UHD 730 uses system shared memory with a system-dependent bus width and bandwidth. The NVIDIA GPU's memory operates at 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective), while the Intel part's memory speed is listed simply as "System Shared."

The power envelope differs dramatically. The GTX 765M has a TDP of 75 W and uses an MXM Module slot width with an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface. The UHD 730 has a TDP of 15 W and is an IGP with a Ring Bus interface. The GTX 765M has no power connectors, while the UHD 730 lists none as well. Display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent" for the NVIDIA part and "Motherboard Dependent" for the Intel part.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide here is generational and philosophical. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M is built on the Kepler architecture, using the GK106 chip manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. It integrates 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die, giving it a transistor density of 11.5 million per square millimeter. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 uses the Rocket Lake chip with the Generation 12.1 architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm+++ process. Intel lists no transistor count, die size, or density for this part.

The NVIDIA GPU is a discrete, dedicated graphics processor. Its 768 shading units are organized in a Kepler configuration that prioritizes raw FP32 throughput, which the data shows at 1,325.6 GFLOPS. The Intel part's 192 shading units deliver 499.2 GFLOPS of FP32 performance, but it also supports FP16 at 998.4 GFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, a feature the GTX 765M does not list. The pixel rate of the GTX 765M is 13.81 GPixel/s, while the UHD 730 manages 10.40 GPixel/s. Texture rates are even more lopsided: 55.23 GTexel/s for NVIDIA versus 15.60 GTexel/s for Intel.

The Intel UHD Graphics 730 is integrated into the CPU die, sharing system memory and relying on the Ring Bus for connectivity. This makes it far more power-efficient at 15 W, but it limits memory bandwidth and capacity. The GTX 765M, as a discrete MXM module, has its own dedicated memory and higher power budget of 75 W. The release dates show the NVIDIA part launched on 2013-05-29, while the Intel part arrived on 2021-03-29, nearly eight years later. The GTX 765M has identifiable predecessors and successors in the GeForce 600M and GeForce 800M series, while the UHD 730 lists neither. Both are end-of-life products.