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.

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 970M

#17

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

152%

#19

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

138%

#20

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

138%

#24

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

125%

#25

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

124%

#27

GeForce GTX 970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#35

GeForce GTX 960M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

95%

#37

UHD Graphics 730 (Rocket Lake)

MSRP: $50|Avg: $50

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.7% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 680 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.7%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1.7%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	Standard Size (256mm)	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 970M remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

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.

GeForce GTX 680 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 970M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 680 and GeForce GTX 970M

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.

⚡

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%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 680	GeForce GTX 970M
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 680 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 970M has 3 GB. The GeForce GTX 680 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. 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. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. 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%

🖥️

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

🎬

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	—

🔌

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%