GeForce GTX 745 vs Radeon RX 540

CPU

GPU

GeForce GTX 745

2014Core: 1020 MHzBoost: 1085 MHz

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Radeon RX 540

2017Core: 1124 MHzBoost: 1219 MHz

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GeForce GTX 745 vs Radeon RX 540 Performance Spectrum

GeForce GTX 745

4 GB 55

2,126

0.0%

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

2,134

+0.4%

Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12GB

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 745 vs Radeon RX 540 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 745 vs Radeon RX 540: 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 745

2014

Why buy it

✅11.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $19 less on MSRP ($80 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
✅Delivers 23.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.6 vs 21.6 G3D/$ ($80 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌14400% longer card at 145mm vs 1mm.

Radeon RX 540

2017

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅GeForce GTX 745 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 540 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Measures 1mm instead of 145mm, a 144mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 745 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2017 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
23.8% HIGHER MSRP
$99 MSRPvs$80 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.6 vs 26.6 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 745 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 11.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon RX 540 instead at 2,134 vs 2,126, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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

Radeon RX 540 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer feature stack, with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) and FSR Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce GTX 745 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 14nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2014. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 745 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $19 cheaper on MSRP at $80 vs $99, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 23.3% (26.6 vs 21.6), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 745 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon RX 540 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 745 vs Radeon RX 540 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 745

The GeForce GTX 745 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 18 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1020 MHz to 1085 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,126 points. Launch price was $119.

Radeon RX 540

The Radeon RX 540 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 11 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1124 MHz to 1219 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,134 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 745 scores 2,126 and the Radeon RX 540 reaches 2,134 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 745 is built on Maxwell while the Radeon RX 540 uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 512 (GeForce GTX 745) vs 512 (Radeon RX 540). Raw compute: 1.111 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 745) vs 1.248 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 540). Boost clocks: 1085 MHz vs 1219 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon RX 540
G3D Mark Score	2,126	2,134
Architecture	Maxwell	GCN 4.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	512	512
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.111 TFLOPS	1.248 TFLOPS+12%
Boost Clock	1085 MHz	1219 MHz+12%
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	32	32
L1 Cache	256 KB+100%	128 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 540 is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce GTX 745 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce GTX 745 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX 540 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon RX 540
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 4 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 745 and 128-bit on the Radeon RX 540. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 745) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon RX 540) — the GeForce GTX 745 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon RX 540
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	80 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 745) vs 12_0 (Radeon RX 540). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon RX 540
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12_0
Max Displays	3	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4th Gen (GeForce GTX 745) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 540). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs UVD 6.3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon RX 540
Encoder	NVENC 4th Gen	VCE 3.4
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	UVD 6.3
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 745 draws 55W versus the Radeon RX 540's 50W — a 9.5% difference. The Radeon RX 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 745) vs 350W (Radeon RX 540). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 145mm vs 1mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon RX 540
TDP	55W	50W-9%
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	145mm	1mm
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	38.7	42.7+10%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 745 came in at $80, while the Radeon RX 540 launched at $99. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 745 was 19.2% cheaper ($19 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.6 (GeForce GTX 745) vs 21.6 (Radeon RX 540) — the GeForce GTX 745 offers 23.1% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 540 (2017 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon RX 540
MSRP	$80-19%	$99
Performance per Dollar	26.6+23%	21.6
Codename	GM107	Lexa
Release	February 18 2014	November 11 2017
Ranking	#559	#602

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