Intel Iris Graphics 540

The Intel Iris Graphics 540 (GT3e) is an integrated graphics unit of the Skylake generation. As successors of the HD Graphics 6000 (Broadwell), the Iris Graphics 540 can be found in CPUs of 15-watt series and offers 64 MB of dedicated eDRAM memory. Furthermore, the so-called GT3e-version features 48 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at up to 1050 MHz (depending on the CPU model). Besides the eDRAM cache, the Iris 540 is able to access the main memory (2x 64bit DDR3L-1600 / DDR4-2133).

Compared to the Iris Graphics 550 of the 28-watt series, the Iris Graphics 540 differs only by its slightly lower maximum clock and a nearly halved TDP, which limits the utilization of the Turbo Boost in certain situations.

Performance

The exact performance of the Iris Graphics 540 depends on various factors like memory configuration (DDR3/DDR4) and maximum clock rate of the specific model. The fastest versions (Core i7-6650U) should be slightly ahead of a dedicated GeForce 920M and will handle modern games (as of 2015) in low or medium settings.

Features

The revised video engine now decodes H.265/HEVC completely in hardware and thereby much more efficiently than before. Displays can be connected via DP 1.2 / eDP 1.3 (max. 3840 x 2160 @ 60 Hz), whereas HDMI is limited to the older version 1.4a (max. 3840 x 2160 @ 30 Hz). However, HDMI 2.0 can be added using a DisplayPort converter. Up to three displays can be controlled simultaneously.

Power Consumption

The Iris Graphics 540 can be found in mobile processors specified at 15 W TDP and is therefore suited for compact laptops and ultrabooks.

Manufacturer

Intel

Gen. 9 Series

Iris Pro Graphics P580 (compare)	72 @ 350 - 1100 (Boost) MHz	eDRAM + 64/128 Bit
Iris Pro Graphics 580 (compare)	72 @ 350 - 1050 (Boost) MHz	eDRAM + 64/128 Bit
Iris Graphics 550 (compare)	48 @ 300 - 1100 (Boost) MHz	eDRAM + 64/128 Bit
Iris Graphics 540	48 @ 300 - 1050 (Boost) MHz	eDRAM + 64/128 Bit
HD Graphics 530 (compare)	24 @ 350 - 1150 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit
HD Graphics 520 (compare)	24 @ 300 - 1050 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit
HD Graphics 515 (compare)	24 @ 300 - 1000 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit
HD Graphics 610 (compare)	12 @ 300 - 950 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit
HD Graphics 510 (compare)	12 @ 300 - 950 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit
UHD Graphics 605 (compare)	18 @ 300 - 750 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit
HD Graphics 505 (compare)	18 @ 300 - 750 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit
UHD Graphics 600 (compare)	12 @ 300 - 700 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit
HD Graphics 500 (compare)	12 @ 300 - 700 (Boost) MHz	64/128 Bit

Codename

Skylake GT3e

Architecture

Intel Gen. 9 (Skylake)

Pipelines

48 - unified

Core Speed

300 - 1050 (Boost) MHz

Memory Bus Width

eDRAM + 64/128 Bit

Memory Type

eDRAM

Max. Amount of Memory

64 MB

Shared Memory

yes

DirectX

DirectX 12 (FL 12_1)

technology

14 nm

Features

QuickSync

Date of Announcement

01.09.2015

CPU		GPU Base Speed	GPU Boost / Turbo
Intel Core i7-6650U	2 x 2200 MHz, 15 W	300 MHz	1050 MHz
Intel Core i7-6560U	2 x 2200 MHz, 15 W	300 MHz	1050 MHz
Intel Core i5-6360U	2 x 2000 MHz, 15 W	300 MHz	1000 MHz
Intel Core i5-6260U	2 x 1800 MHz, 15 W	300 MHz	950 MHz
min. - max.		300 - 300 MHz	950 - 1050 MHz

Benchmarks

3DMark - Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score 1280x720 offscreen

min: 116490 avg: 126223 median: 126078 (27%) max: 136248 Points

+ 4 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark - Ice Storm Extreme Graphics 1920x1080

min: 45185 avg: 56791.5 median: 56791.5 (8%) max: 68398 Points

+ 2 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark - Cloud Gate Standard Score 1280x720

min: 6730 avg: 7254.5 median: 7235 (15%) max: 7822 Points

+ 6 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark - Cloud Gate Standard Graphics 1280x720

min: 9392 avg: 10896.2 median: 11327 (6%) max: 11893 Points

+ 6 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark - Fire Strike Score 1920x1080

min: 1106 avg: 1268 median: 1354 (5%) max: 1395 Points

+ 5 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark - Fire Strike Graphics 1920x1080

min: 1193 avg: 1358.2 median: 1448 (4%) max: 1479 Points

+ 5 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark - Ice Storm Standard Graphics 1280x720

min: 67714 avg: 81160 median: 82680.5 (11%) max: 91565 Points

+ 4 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark 11 - Performance 1280x720

min: 2039 avg: 2339.8 median: 2364 (8%) max: 2624 points

+ 6 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark 11 - Performance GPU 1280x720

min: 1898 avg: 2186.5 median: 2211.5 (4%) max: 2450 points

+ 6 benchmarks and specifications - Hide comparison chart

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 3600

...

AMD Radeon HD 7750M -5%

NVIDIA Quadro 4000M -4%

NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M -4%

AMD Radeon HD 7770M -3%

AMD Radeon HD 7660G + HD 7670M Dual Graphics -3%

NVIDIA GeForce MX110 -3%

AMD Radeon R7 M460 -2%

NVIDIA GeForce 930M -2%

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M 0%

Intel Iris Graphics 540

AMD Radeon R6 M255DX 1%

AMD Radeon R7 M445 1%

NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M 1%

NVIDIA GeForce 930MX 1%

AMD FirePro W4190M 2%

AMD Radeon R7 M440 3%

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti 4%

Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 4%

NVIDIA GeForce 840M 5%

...

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 SLI (Desktop) 1852%

100%

3DMark Vantage
P Result 1280x1024 +

P GPU no PhysX 1280x1024 +

3DMark 06 Standard 1280x1024 +

Unigine Valley 1.0 - Extreme HD DirectX 1920x1080

6.5 fps (5%)

+ 1 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

SPECviewperf 12
Solidworks (sw-03) 1900x1060 +

Siemens NX (snx-02) 1900x1060 +

Showcase (showcase-01) 1900x1060 +

Medical (medical-01) 1900x1060 +

Maya (maya-04) 1900x1060 +

Energy (energy-01) 1900x1060 +

Creo (creo-01) 1900x1060 +

Catia (catia-04) 1900x1060 +

3ds Max (3dsmax-05) 1900x1060 +

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit +

Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit +

Cinebench R15
OpenGL 64Bit +

Ref. Match 64Bit +

GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex HD Offscreen C24Z16 1920x1080 +

T-Rex HD Onscreen C24Z16 +

GFXBench 3.0 - Manhattan Offscreen OGL off screen

86 fps (16%)

+ 1 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

GFXBench 3.0 - Manhattan Onscreen OGL on screen

58.7 fps (16%)

+ 1 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

GFXBench - Car Chase Offscreen off screen

42 fps (11%)

+ 1 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

GFXBench - Car Chase Onscreen on screen

38.2 fps (33%)

+ 1 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

LuxMark v2.0 64Bit - Room GPUs-only

min: 258 avg: 291.8 median: 301.5 (6%) max: 306 Samples/s

+ 4 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

LuxMark v2.0 64Bit - Sala GPUs-only

min: 614 avg: 700.3 median: 712.5 (7%) max: 762 Samples/s

+ 4 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

ComputeMark v2.1 - Normal, Score 1024x600

min: 1257 avg: 1483.3 median: 1525.5 (7%) max: 1625 Points

+ 4 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card

- Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance

Game Benchmarks

The following benchmarks stem from our benchmarks of review laptops. The performance depends on the used graphics memory, clock rate, processor, system settings, drivers, and operating systems. So the results don't have to be representative for all laptops with this GPU. For detailled information on the benchmark results, click on the fps number.

Dishonored 2

2016

17.3 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Call of Duty Infinite Warfare

2016

30 fps + Compare

27.3 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Titanfall 2

2016

55.3 fps + Compare

38.6 fps + Compare

14.3 fps + Compare

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings med..

Farming Simulator 17

2016

112 fps + Compare

76 fps + Compare

30.6 fps + Compare

19.1 fps + Compare

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings med..

Battlefield 1

2016

43.4 fps + Compare

25.3 fps + Compare

12.6 fps + Compare

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	6650U	8192 MB			116490
Dell XPS 13 9350 WQXGA	6560U	16384 MB		20.19.15.4312	122317
Intel NUC6i5SYH	6260U	8192 MB	847.9 / 1064 MHz	1024MB Intel Iris Grahpics 540 (Skylake-U GT3e) 20.19.15.4380	129838
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016	6360U	8192 MB	900 / 933 MHz		136248

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Dell XPS 13 9350 WQXGA	6560U	16384 MB		20.19.15.4312	45185
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	6650U	8192 MB			68398

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Dell XPS 13 9350 WQXGA	6560U	16384 MB		20.19.15.4312	6730
Dell XPS 13 2016 9350 (FHD, i7-6560U)	6560U	8192 MB			6859
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016	6360U	8192 MB	900 / 933 MHz		7045
Intel NUC6i5SYH	6260U	8192 MB	847.9 / 1064 MHz	1024MB Intel Iris Grahpics 540 (Skylake-U GT3e) 20.19.15.4380	7425
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S-13ISK	6560U	8192 MB	300 - 1050 / MHz	shared Memory 20.19.15.4364	7646
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	6650U	8192 MB			7822

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Dell XPS 13 9350 WQXGA	6560U	16384 MB		20.19.15.4312	9392
Dell XPS 13 2016 9350 (FHD, i7-6560U)	6560U	8192 MB			9788
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016	6360U	8192 MB	900 / 933 MHz		11123
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S-13ISK	6560U	8192 MB	300 - 1050 / MHz	shared Memory 20.19.15.4364	11531
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	6650U	8192 MB			11650
Intel NUC6i5SYH	6260U	8192 MB	847.9 / 1064 MHz	1024MB Intel Iris Grahpics 540 (Skylake-U GT3e) 20.19.15.4380	11893

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Dell XPS 13 2016 9350 (FHD, i7-6560U)	6560U	8192 MB			1106
Dell XPS 13 9350 WQXGA	6560U	16384 MB		20.19.15.4312	1114
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016	6360U	8192 MB	900 / 933 MHz		1354
Intel NUC6i5SYH	6260U	8192 MB	847.9 / 1064 MHz	1024MB Intel Iris Grahpics 540 (Skylake-U GT3e) 20.19.15.4380	1371
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	6650U	8192 MB			1395