GeForce GTX 680MX vs Radeon R9 M485X

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 680MX

2012Core: 720 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon R9 M485X

2016Core: 723 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 680MX vs Radeon R9 M485X 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 GTX 680MX vs Radeon R9 M485X 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 680MX vs Radeon R9 M485X: 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 680MX

2012

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Draws 122W instead of 250W, a 128W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 M485X 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.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 8.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $450 MSRP).

Radeon R9 M485X

2016

Why buy it

  • 29.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 8.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($450 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2016 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 104.9% higher power demand at 250W vs 122W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon R9 M485X is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 29.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (3,801 vs 3,799), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 680MX is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R9 M485X 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, Radeon R9 M485X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 680MX has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 680MX vs Radeon R9 M485X Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 680MX

The GeForce GTX 680MX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 23 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 720 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 122W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,799 points.

AMD

Radeon R9 M485X

The Radeon R9 M485X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 15 2016. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 723 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,801 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 680MX scores 3,799 and the Radeon R9 M485X reaches 3,801 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 680MX is built on Kepler while the Radeon R9 M485X uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M485X).

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXRadeon R9 M485X
G3D Mark Score
3,799
3,801
Architecture
Kepler
GCN 3.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
1536
2048+33%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 680MX gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 M485X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXRadeon R9 M485X
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 680MX has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M485X carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 680MX gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 680MX and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M485X.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXRadeon R9 M485X
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
160 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
256-bit+100%
128-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs 12 (Radeon R9 M485X). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXRadeon R9 M485X
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12
Vulkan
1.2
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Kepler) (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 M485X). Decoder: NVDEC (Kepler) vs UVD 6.0. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-1,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon R9 M485X).

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXRadeon R9 M485X
Encoder
NVENC (Kepler)
VCE 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC (Kepler)
UVD 6.0
Codecs
H.264,MPEG-1,MPEG-2,VC-1
H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 680MX draws 122W versus the Radeon R9 M485X's 250W — a 68.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 680MX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M485X). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXRadeon R9 M485X
TDP
122W-51%
250W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
Mobile
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
80
80°C
Perf/Watt
31.1+105%
15.2
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon R9 M485X (2016 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXRadeon R9 M485X
MSRP
$450
Codename
Amethyst
Release
October 23 2012
May 15 2016
Ranking
#520
#519

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