GeForce 945A vs GeForce MX230

NVIDIA

GeForce 945A

2015Core: 1006 MHzBoost: 1189 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce MX230

2019Core: 1519 MHzBoost: 1582 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce 945A vs GeForce MX230 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 945A vs GeForce MX230 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 945A vs GeForce MX230: 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 945A

2015

Why buy it

  • 10.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $50 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Delivers 52.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 18.5 vs 12.2 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 230% higher power demand at 33W vs 10W.

GeForce MX230

2019

Why buy it

  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
  • GeForce 945A is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce MX230 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 10W instead of 33W, a 23W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce 945A across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2019 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 50% HIGHER MSRP
    $150 MSRPvs$100 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 12.2 vs 18.5 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce 945A is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 10.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.4% in PassMark G3D (1,852 vs 1,826), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce MX230 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 14nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2015. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce 945A makes the most sense to buy today. It is $50 cheaper on MSRP at $100 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 52.1% (18.5 vs 12.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce 945A is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce MX230 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 945A vs GeForce MX230 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce 945A

The GeForce 945A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1006 MHz to 1189 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,852 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce MX230

The GeForce MX230 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2019. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1519 MHz to 1582 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 10W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,826 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 945A scores 1,852 and the GeForce MX230 reaches 1,826 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 945A is built on Maxwell while the GeForce MX230 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 945A) vs 256 (GeForce MX230). Raw compute: 0.9132 TFLOPS (GeForce 945A) vs 0.81 TFLOPS (GeForce MX230). Boost clocks: 1189 MHz vs 1582 MHz.

FeatureGeForce 945AGeForce MX230
G3D Mark Score
1,852+1%
1,826
Architecture
Maxwell
Pascal
Process Node
28 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
384+50%
256
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.9132 TFLOPS+13%
0.81 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1189 MHz
1582 MHz+33%
ROPs
8
16+100%
TMUs
24+50%
16
L1 Cache
192 KB+100%
96 KB
L2 Cache
1 MB+100%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 945AGeForce MX230
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 945A has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce MX230 carries 2 GB. GeForce MX230 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 945A and 64-bit on the GeForce MX230. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 945A) vs 0.5 MB (GeForce MX230) — the GeForce 945A has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce 945AGeForce MX230
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
2 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
48 GB/s
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB+100%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 945A draws 33W versus the GeForce MX230's 10W — a 107% difference. The GeForce MX230 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 945A) vs 350W (GeForce MX230). Power connectors: Legacy vs Mobile.

FeatureGeForce 945AGeForce MX230
TDP
33W
10W-70%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
Mobile
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
56.1
182.6+225%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 945A came in at $100, while the GeForce MX230 launched at $150. On MSRP, GeForce 945A was 33.3% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 18.5 (GeForce 945A) vs 12.2 (GeForce MX230) — the GeForce 945A offers 51.6% better value. The newer card here is GeForce MX230 (2019 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce 945AGeForce MX230
MSRP
$100-33%
$150
Performance per Dollar
18.5+52%
12.2
Codename
GM108
GP108
Release
March 13 2015
February 21 2019
Ranking
#705
#708

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