Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU

Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU

Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU: An Overview of Integrated Graphics for Modern Tasks

April 2025


Introduction

Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU is an integrated graphics solution that continues to be popular in budget laptops, ultrabooks, and compact PCs. Despite the emergence of new generations of GPUs, this graphics card remains relevant due to its balance of performance, energy efficiency, and affordability. In this article, we will explore its architecture, capabilities, and practical value in 2025.


1. Architecture and Key Features

Xe-LP (Low Power) Architecture

Iris Xe G7 is built on the Xe-LP architecture, optimized for mobile and low-power systems. The chips are produced using 10nm SuperFin technology, ensuring high energy efficiency.

Unique Features

- Support for DirectX 12 Ultimate: Includes shader model 6.7 and partial support for ray tracing, but only through software methods (DXR 1.1).

- FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR): Compatible with AMD FSR 3.0 technology, allowing for improved FPS in games through upscaling.

- Quick Sync Video: Hardware acceleration for video encoding/decoding (HEVC, AV1), which is beneficial for video editing.

Lack of RT Cores: Hardware ray tracing is not supported, so RTX games operate only at low settings with significant FPS drops.


2. Memory: Type, Volume, and Impact on Performance

System Memory Instead of Dedicated Graphics Memory

Iris Xe G7 utilizes the computer's system RAM (DDR4 or LPDDR4X), which limits its performance. The typical volume is up to 8GB (depending on system configuration), but only 1-2GB is realistically available for graphics tasks.

Bandwidth

- When using LPDDR4X-4266: The bandwidth reaches ~68 GB/s.

- With DDR4-3200: About 51 GB/s.

Optimization Tips: For better performance, it is recommended to install dual-channel memory (2x8GB DDR4-3200 and higher).


3. Gaming Performance

1080p: The Primary Format for Comfortable Gaming

- CS:GO: 70-90 FPS on medium settings.

- Fortnite: 40-50 FPS (Low, FSR 3.0 enabled).

- Overwatch 2: 50-60 FPS (Medium).

- Cyberpunk 2077: 20-25 FPS (Low, FSR 3.0).

1440p and 4K: Not recommended — FPS drops to 15-20 even in less demanding titles.

Ray Tracing: Implemented through software methods, leading to FPS drops of 40-60%. For example, in Minecraft RTX — 10-15 FPS.


4. Professional Tasks

Video Editing

- DaVinci Resolve: 1080p video rendering in H.264 takes ~70% of the time compared to a discrete RTX 3050. AV1 encoding is sped up by 30% thanks to Quick Sync.

- Premiere Pro: Smooth editing when working with projects up to 4K (with proxy files).

3D Modeling

- Blender: Simple scenes (up to 500k polygons) are processed comfortably. Cycles rendering via OpenCL is 2-3 times slower than on NVIDIA GPUs.

Scientific Calculations

- Supports OpenCL 3.0, but not CUDA. Suitable for basic tasks in MATLAB or Python (numpy).


5. Power Consumption and Heat Dissipation

TDP and Cooling

- TDP ranges from 15W (ultrabooks) to 28W (compact PCs).

- In laptops, passive cooling is often used, but throttling is possible under load.

Recommendations

- For mini-PCs: A case with ventilation holes and a 80-120mm cooler.

- Avoid long gaming sessions without breaks — temperatures can reach 85-90°C.


6. Comparison with Competitors

AMD Radeon 780M (Ryzen 8000U)

- 20-30% faster in games thanks to RDNA 3.5 and 12-core GPU.

- Price of laptops: starting from $800 compared to $600 for models with Iris Xe.

NVIDIA GeForce MX570

- Better in gaming (by 40-50%), but requires active cooling and increases the cost of devices.

Conclusion: Iris Xe G7 is an optimal choice for those who value silence and battery life over maximum FPS.


7. Practical Tips

Power Supply

- For PCs with Iris Xe (e.g., Intel NUC 12): A 120-150W PSU is sufficient.

Compatibility

- Processors: Only 11th-14th generation Intel Core (Tiger Lake, Alder Lake, Raptor Lake).

- Platforms: Not compatible with AMD or older Intel chipsets.

Drivers

- Regularly update through the Intel Driver & Support Assistant.

- Known issues: Artifacts in Vulkan games (e.g., Red Dead Redemption 2).


8. Pros and Cons

Pros:

- Energy efficiency and quiet operation.

- Support for AV1 and HDMI 2.1.

- Availability in devices priced from $400.

Cons:

- Weak performance in modern AAA games.

- No hardware ray tracing.

- Dependency on RAM speed.


9. Final Conclusion: Who is Iris Xe G7 Suitable For?

This graphics card is an excellent option for:

1. Office Users: Working with documents, browsing, video streaming.

2. Students: Light editing, studying, less demanding gaming.

3. Mini-PC Enthusiasts: Compact systems for HTPC or home servers.

Alternatives: If gaming is a priority — consider laptops with Radeon 780M or NVIDIA RTX 2050. However, for its price, the Iris Xe G7 remains a reliable solution for everyday tasks without overpaying.


Prices are current as of April 2025. Devices with Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU are available in a new segment ranging from $400 (mini-PCs) to $900 (premium ultrabooks).

Basic

Label Name
Intel
Platform
Integrated
Launch Date
September 2020
Model Name
Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU
Generation
HD Graphics-M
Base Clock
300MHz
Boost Clock
1100MHz
Bus Interface
Ring Bus
Transistors
Unknown
TMUs
?
Texture Mapping Units (TMUs) serve as components of the GPU, which are capable of rotating, scaling, and distorting binary images, and then placing them as textures onto any plane of a given 3D model. This process is called texture mapping.
40
Foundry
Intel
Process Size
10 nm
Architecture
Generation 12.1

Memory Specifications

Memory Size
System Shared
Memory Type
System Shared
Memory Bus
?
The memory bus width refers to the number of bits of data that the video memory can transfer within a single clock cycle. The larger the bus width, the greater the amount of data that can be transmitted instantaneously, making it one of the crucial parameters of video memory. The memory bandwidth is calculated as: Memory Bandwidth = Memory Frequency x Memory Bus Width / 8. Therefore, when the memory frequencies are similar, the memory bus width will determine the size of the memory bandwidth.
System Shared
Memory Clock
SystemShared
Bandwidth
?
Memory bandwidth refers to the data transfer rate between the graphics chip and the video memory. It is measured in bytes per second, and the formula to calculate it is: memory bandwidth = working frequency × memory bus width / 8 bits.
System Dependent

Theoretical Performance

Pixel Rate
?
Pixel fill rate refers to the number of pixels a graphics processing unit (GPU) can render per second, measured in MPixels/s (million pixels per second) or GPixels/s (billion pixels per second). It is the most commonly used metric to evaluate the pixel processing performance of a graphics card.
22.00 GPixel/s
Texture Rate
?
Texture fill rate refers to the number of texture map elements (texels) that a GPU can map to pixels in a single second.
44.00 GTexel/s
FP16 (half)
?
An important metric for measuring GPU performance is floating-point computing capability. Half-precision floating-point numbers (16-bit) are used for applications like machine learning, where lower precision is acceptable. Single-precision floating-point numbers (32-bit) are used for common multimedia and graphics processing tasks, while double-precision floating-point numbers (64-bit) are required for scientific computing that demands a wide numeric range and high accuracy.
2.816 TFLOPS
FP64 (double)
?
An important metric for measuring GPU performance is floating-point computing capability. Double-precision floating-point numbers (64-bit) are required for scientific computing that demands a wide numeric range and high accuracy, while single-precision floating-point numbers (32-bit) are used for common multimedia and graphics processing tasks. Half-precision floating-point numbers (16-bit) are used for applications like machine learning, where lower precision is acceptable.
352.0 GFLOPS
FP32 (float)
?
An important metric for measuring GPU performance is floating-point computing capability. Single-precision floating-point numbers (32-bit) are used for common multimedia and graphics processing tasks, while double-precision floating-point numbers (64-bit) are required for scientific computing that demands a wide numeric range and high accuracy. Half-precision floating-point numbers (16-bit) are used for applications like machine learning, where lower precision is acceptable.
1.38 TFLOPS

Miscellaneous

Shading Units
?
The most fundamental processing unit is the Streaming Processor (SP), where specific instructions and tasks are executed. GPUs perform parallel computing, which means multiple SPs work simultaneously to process tasks.
640
L2 Cache
1024KB
TDP
15W
Vulkan Version
?
Vulkan is a cross-platform graphics and compute API by Khronos Group, offering high performance and low CPU overhead. It lets developers control the GPU directly, reduces rendering overhead, and supports multi-threading and multi-core processors.
1.3
OpenCL Version
3.0
OpenGL
4.6
DirectX
12 (12_1)
Shader Model
6.4
ROPs
?
The Raster Operations Pipeline (ROPs) is primarily responsible for handling lighting and reflection calculations in games, as well as managing effects like anti-aliasing (AA), high resolution, smoke, and fire. The more demanding the anti-aliasing and lighting effects in a game, the higher the performance requirements for the ROPs; otherwise, it may result in a sharp drop in frame rate.
20

Benchmarks

FP32 (float)
Score
1.38 TFLOPS

Compared to Other GPU

FP32 (float) / TFLOPS
1.468 +6.4%
1.41 +2.2%
1.359 -1.5%
1.332 -3.5%