Intel Iris Graphics 550 (integrated)

How the Intel Iris Graphics 550 (integrated) performs at 1080p, 1440p and 4K

At 1080p the Intel Iris Graphics 550 (integrated) averages about 8 fps on High across the 14 games people check most. Newer games need Low or Medium, and some will not reach 60 fps at all.

At 1440p the typical result drops to 6 fps. 1440p is a stretch; stay at 1080p or use upscaling. At 4K it is about 3 fps. 4K is not what this card is for.

The heaviest game we checked is Black Myth: Wukong, at 4 fps on High at 1080p. The lightest is VALORANT, which the card handles at 71 fps. If your own games are somewhere in between, the table above shows where.

Memory and power

The Intel Iris Graphics 550 (integrated) is an integrated chip that shares your system memory, so the amount it can use depends on how much RAM you have, and on running that RAM in two channels. Two sticks matter far more than most people think: a single stick can cut integrated graphics speed by a third or more.

The Intel Iris Graphics 550 (integrated) is rated at 15 W. With a mid-range processor, plan on a 450 W power supply (450 W is the minimum). That is low enough for small cases and basic power supplies, which is part of the appeal.

Where it sits

Released in 2015, the Intel Iris Graphics 550 (integrated) is 11 years old, and the newest games already treat it as an entry level card. The next card up in our list is the Radeon Vega 8 (integrated), about 11% faster. The next card down is the Radeon HD 6770, about 13% slower.

Which processor to pair it with, and who it suits

To keep a processor from holding it back at 1080p, you want something like a Ryzen 3 1200, and the same chip is enough at 1440p. Slower processors will still work, but you give up some of the card's speed.

The Intel Iris Graphics 550 (integrated) is a basic or old card. It handles esports titles and older games at Low to Medium, and not much else from this decade.