GeForce GT 1030 vs GeForce GTX 860M SLI

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 GT 1030 vs GeForce GTX 860M SLI 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 GT 1030 vs GeForce GTX 860M SLI: 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 GT 1030

2017

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($79 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 120W, a 90W reduction.
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 860M SLI across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2017 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce GTX 860M SLI

2014

Why buy it

✅38.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌2014 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 30.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $79 MSRP).
❌300% higher power demand at 120W vs 30W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 860M SLI is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 38.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3.9% in PassMark G3D (2,500 vs 2,407), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GT 1030 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 14nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2014. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 1030 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce GTX 860M SLI still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GT 1030 vs GeForce GTX 860M SLI Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GT 1030

The GeForce GT 1030 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 17 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1228 MHz to 1468 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,407 points. Launch price was $79.

GeForce GTX 860M SLI

The GeForce GTX 860M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock speed is 1029 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,500 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 1030 scores 2,407 and the GeForce GTX 860M SLI reaches 2,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 1030 is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 860M SLI uses Maxwell, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 1030) vs 1,280 (GeForce GTX 860M SLI).

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GeForce GTX 860M SLI
G3D Mark Score	2,407	2,500+4%
Architecture	Pascal	Maxwell
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	1280+233%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GeForce GTX 860M SLI
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)

Both cards ship with 2 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GT 1030 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 860M SLI.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GeForce GTX 860M SLI
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 1030 draws 30W versus the GeForce GTX 860M SLI's 120W — a 120% difference. The GeForce GT 1030 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GT 1030) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 860M SLI). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GeForce GTX 860M SLI
TDP	30W-75%	120W
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	PCIe-powered
Length	145mm	—
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1	—
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	80.2+286%	20.8

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GT 1030 (2017 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GeForce GTX 860M SLI
MSRP	$79	—
Codename	GP108	—
Release	May 17 2017	March 12 2014
Ranking	#641	#457

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