GeForce 940M vs GeForce GT 545

NVIDIA

GeForce 940M

2015Core: 1072 MHzBoost: 1176 MHz
Similar parts
·······
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GT 545

2011Core: 720 MHz
Similar parts
·······

GeForce 940M vs GeForce GT 545 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce 940M vs GeForce GT 545 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 940M vs GeForce GT 545: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 940M

2015

Why buy it

  • 38.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Draws 33W instead of 70W, a 37W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 7.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

GeForce GT 545

2011

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 7.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce 940M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 112.1% higher power demand at 70W vs 33W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce 940M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 38.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.6% in PassMark G3D (1,133 vs 1,115), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce 940M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GT 545 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GT 545 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 940M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 940M vs GeForce GT 545 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce 940M

The GeForce 940M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1072 MHz to 1176 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,133 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 545

The GeForce GT 545 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 14 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 720 MHz. It has 144 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,115 points. Launch price was $149.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 940M scores 1,133 and the GeForce GT 545 reaches 1,115 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 940M is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GT 545 uses Fermi 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 940M) vs 144 (GeForce GT 545). Raw compute: 0.9032 TFLOPS (GeForce 940M) vs 0.4147 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 545).

FeatureGeForce 940MGeForce GT 545
G3D Mark Score
1,133+2%
1,115
Architecture
Maxwell
Fermi 2.0
Process Node
28 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
384+167%
144
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.9032 TFLOPS+118%
0.4147 TFLOPS
ROPs
8
16+100%
TMUs
24
24
L1 Cache
192 KB
192 KB
L2 Cache
1 MB+163%
0.38 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 940MGeForce GT 545
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 940M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 545 carries 512 MB. GeForce 940M gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce 940M and 64-bit on the GeForce GT 545. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 940M) vs 0.38 MB (GeForce GT 545) — the GeForce 940M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce 940MGeForce GT 545
VRAM Capacity
2 GB+300%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB+163%
0.38 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 940M) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GT 545). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce 940MGeForce GT 545
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12 (11_0)
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Maxwell) (GeForce 940M) vs No NVENC (Fermi) (GeForce GT 545). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP6) vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce 940M) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GT 545).

FeatureGeForce 940MGeForce GT 545
Encoder
NVENC (Maxwell)
No NVENC (Fermi)
Decoder
PureVideo HD (VP6)
PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs
H.264,H.265,VP9
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 940M draws 33W versus the GeForce GT 545's 70W — a 71.8% difference. The GeForce 940M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 940M) vs 300W (GeForce GT 545). Power connectors: Legacy vs None. Card length: 0mm vs 145mm, occupying 0 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce 940MGeForce GT 545
TDP
33W-53%
70W
Recommended PSU
350W
300W-14%
Power Connector
Legacy
None
Length
0mm
145mm
Height
0mm
111mm
Slots
0-100%
1
Temp (Load)
75-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
34.3+116%
15.9
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce 940M (2015 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce 940MGeForce GT 545
MSRP
$149
Codename
GM108
GF116
Release
March 13 2015
May 14 2011
Ranking
#847
#849

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.