GeForce GTX 680 vs GeForce GTX 970M

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 GTX 680 vs GeForce GTX 970M 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 GTX 680 vs GeForce GTX 970M: 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 GTX 680

2012

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 11.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 970M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2012 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌140.7% higher power demand at 195W vs 81W.
❌25500% longer card at 256mm vs 1mm.

GeForce GTX 970M

2014

Why buy it

✅16.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Draws 81W instead of 195W, a 114W reduction.
✅Measures 1mm instead of 256mm, a 255mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 3 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 11.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 970M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 16.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.7% in PassMark G3D (5,705 vs 5,609), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce GTX 680 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 680 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce GTX 970M still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 680 vs GeForce GTX 970M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 680

The GeForce GTX 680 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 22 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 1006 MHz to 1058 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 195W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,609 points. Launch price was $499.

GeForce GTX 970M

The GeForce GTX 970M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 81W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,705 points. Launch price was $2,560.89.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 680 scores 5,609 and the GeForce GTX 970M reaches 5,705 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 680 is built on Kepler while the GeForce GTX 970M uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 680) vs 1,280 (GeForce GTX 970M). Raw compute: 3.25 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 680) vs 2.657 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970M). Boost clocks: 1058 MHz vs 1038 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
G3D Mark Score	5,609	5,705+2%
Architecture	Kepler	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1536+20%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.25 TFLOPS+22%	2.657 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1058 MHz+2%	1038 MHz
ROPs	32	48+50%
TMUs	128+60%	80
L1 Cache	128 KB	480 KB+275%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1.5 MB+200%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 680 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 970M carries 3 GB. GeForce GTX 680 gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192.2 GB/s (GeForce GTX 680) vs 120 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970M) — a 60.2% advantage for the GeForce GTX 680. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 680 and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 970M. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce GTX 680) vs 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 970M) — the GeForce GTX 970M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192.2 GB/s+60%	120 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1.5 MB+200%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FL 11_0) (GeForce GTX 680) vs 12_1 (GeForce GTX 970M). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
DirectX	12 (FL 11_0)	12_1
Max Displays	4	0

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st gen (GeForce GTX 680) vs NVENC 5th Gen (GeForce GTX 970M). Decoder: PureVideo VP5 vs NVDEC 2nd Gen.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
Encoder	NVENC 1st gen	NVENC 5th Gen
Decoder	PureVideo VP5	NVDEC 2nd Gen
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	—

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 680 draws 195W versus the GeForce GTX 970M's 81W — a 82.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 680) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 970M). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 256mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
TDP	195W	81W-58%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	256mm	1mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	98°C	—
Perf/Watt	28.8	70.4+144%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 970M (2014 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
MSRP	$499	—
Codename	GK104	GM204
Release	March 22 2012	October 7 2014
Ranking	#410	#408

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