
GeForce GTX 470 vs GeForce GTX 860M

GeForce GTX 470
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GeForce GTX 860M
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 860M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 470 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.6% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 860M offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.6%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / Fermi (2010−2014)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+60%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GTX 860M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 860M holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $349), it costs 86% less, resulting in a 586.9% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+586.9%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($349) | ✅More affordable ($50) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 470 and GeForce GTX 860M

GeForce GTX 470
The GeForce GTX 470 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 26 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 607 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 215W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,145 points. Launch price was $349.

GeForce GTX 860M
The GeForce GTX 860M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 13 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 797 MHz to 1085 MHz. It has 1152 or 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,095 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 470 scores 3,145 and the GeForce GTX 860M reaches 3,095 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 470 is built on Fermi while the GeForce GTX 860M uses Maxwell, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 448 (GeForce GTX 470) vs 1,152 (GeForce GTX 860M). Raw compute: 1.089 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 470) vs 1.389 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 860M).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,145+2% | 3,095 |
| Architecture | Fermi | Maxwell |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 448 | 1152 or 640+157% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.089 TFLOPS | 1.389 TFLOPS+28% |
| ROPs | 40+150% | 16 |
| TMUs | 56+40% | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 896 KB+180% | 320 KB |
| L2 Cache | 0.63 MB | 2 MB+217% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 470 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 860M has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 860M offers 60% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 0.63 MB (GeForce GTX 470) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 860M) — the GeForce GTX 860M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1.25 GB | 2 GB+60% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.63 MB | 2 MB+217% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GTX 470) vs 11.0 (GeForce GTX 860M). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Vulkan | N/A | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6+2% | 4.5 |
| Max Displays | 2+100% | 1 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GTX 470) vs NVENC 2.0 (GeForce GTX 860M). Decoder: PureVideo VP4 vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264 (GeForce GTX 470) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP,H.265 (GeForce GTX 860M).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | None | NVENC 2.0 |
| Decoder | PureVideo VP4 | PureVideo HD VP6 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264 | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP,H.265 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 470 draws 215W versus the GeForce GTX 860M's 75W — a 96.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 860M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 470) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 860M). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 241mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 93 vs 80°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 215W | 75W-65% |
| Recommended PSU | 550W | 350W-36% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 241mm | 0mm |
| Height | 111mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 93 | 80°C-14% |
| Perf/Watt | 14.6 | 41.3+183% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 860M costs 85.7% less ($299 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 9.0 (GeForce GTX 470) vs 61.9 (GeForce GTX 860M) — the GeForce GTX 860M offers 587.8% better value. The GeForce GTX 860M is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2010).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 470 | GeForce GTX 860M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $349 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $349 | $50-86% |
| Performance per Dollar | 9.0 | 61.9+588% |
| Codename | GF100 | GM107 |
| Release | March 26 2010 | January 13 2014 |
| Ranking | #572 | #578 |
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