GeForce GT 820M vs GRID K180Q

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 820M

2014Core: 1038 MHzBoost: 1127 MHz
Similar parts
·······
VS

GRID K180Q

2013Core: 745 MHz
Similar parts
·······

GeForce GT 820M vs GRID K180Q 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 GT 820M vs GRID K180Q: 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 820M

2014

Why buy it

  • Draws 100W instead of 225W, a 125W reduction.
  • More future proof: Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 512 MB 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 0.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).

GRID K180Q

2013

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,000 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • 2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 125% higher power demand at 225W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GT 820M is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.5% in PassMark G3D (542 vs 534), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GT 820M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2014 generation instead of 2013. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GRID K180Q 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, GRID K180Q is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GT 820M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GT 820M vs GRID K180Q Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 820M

The GeForce GT 820M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1038 MHz to 1127 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 542 points.

NVIDIA

GRID K180Q

The GRID K180Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 28 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 534 points. Launch price was $1,875.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 820M scores 542 and the GRID K180Q reaches 534 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 820M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GRID K180Q uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GT 820M) vs 1,536 (GRID K180Q). Raw compute: 1.659 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 820M) vs 2.289 TFLOPS (GRID K180Q).

FeatureGeForce GT 820MGRID K180Q
G3D Mark Score
542+1%
534
Architecture
Maxwell 2.0
Kepler
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
1536
1536
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.659 TFLOPS
2.289 TFLOPS+38%
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
96
128+33%
L1 Cache
576 KB+350%
128 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GT 820M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The GRID K180Q leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GT 820MGRID K180Q
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 512 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GT 820M and 64-bit on the GRID K180Q. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GT 820M) vs 0.5 MB (GRID K180Q) — the GeForce GT 820M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GT 820MGRID K180Q
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 820M draws 100W versus the GRID K180Q's 225W — a 76.9% difference. The GeForce GT 820M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 820M) vs 350W (GRID K180Q). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GT 820MGRID K180Q
TDP
100W-56%
225W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
70°C
Perf/Watt
5.4+125%
2.4
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GT 820M (2014 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce GT 820MGRID K180Q
MSRP
$1000
Codename
GM204
GK104
Release
October 7 2014
June 28 2013
Ranking
#344
#595

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.