GeForce GTX 860M vs Tesla C2070

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 860M

2014Core: 797 MHzBoost: 1085 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

Tesla C2070

2011Core: 574 MHz

GeForce GTX 860M vs Tesla C2070 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 860M vs Tesla C2070: 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 860M

2014

Why buy it

  • Draws 75W instead of 238W, a 163W reduction.
  • More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2014 hardware with 2 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 2.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).

Tesla C2070

2011

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2011 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 217.3% higher power demand at 238W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Tesla C2070 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.8% in PassMark G3D (3,121 vs 3,095), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 860M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 28nm process instead of 40nm and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2011. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Tesla C2070 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, Tesla C2070 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 860M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 860M vs Tesla C2070 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

Tesla C2070

The Tesla C2070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 25 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 574 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 238W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,121 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 860M scores 3,095 and the Tesla C2070 reaches 3,121 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 860M is built on Maxwell while the Tesla C2070 uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,152 (GeForce GTX 860M) vs 448 (Tesla C2070). Raw compute: 1.389 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 860M) vs 1.028 TFLOPS (Tesla C2070).

FeatureGeForce GTX 860MTesla C2070
G3D Mark Score
3,095
3,121
Architecture
Maxwell
Fermi
Process Node
28 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
1152 or 640+157%
448
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.389 TFLOPS+35%
1.028 TFLOPS
ROPs
16
48+200%
TMUs
40
56+40%
L1 Cache
320 KB
896 KB+180%
L2 Cache
2 MB+167%
0.75 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 860M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Tesla C2070 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 860MTesla C2070
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 860M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla C2070 carries 6 GB. Tesla C2070 gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 860M and 64-bit on the Tesla C2070. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 860M) vs 0.75 MB (Tesla C2070) — the GeForce GTX 860M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 860MTesla C2070
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
6 GB+200%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+167%
0.75 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GTX 860M) vs 12 (11_0) (Tesla C2070). OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 1.

FeatureGeForce GTX 860MTesla C2070
DirectX
11.0
12 (11_0)+9%
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
1
1
🎬

Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP,H.265 (GeForce GTX 860M) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Tesla C2070).

FeatureGeForce GTX 860MTesla C2070
Encoder
NVENC 2.0
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP6
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP,H.265
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 860M draws 75W versus the Tesla C2070's 238W — a 104.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 860M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 860M) vs 350W (Tesla C2070). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 0mm vs 248mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 860MTesla C2070
TDP
75W-68%
238W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Length
0mm
248mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
41.3+215%
13.1
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 860M (2014 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GTX 860MTesla C2070
MSRP
$1499
Codename
GM107
GF100
Release
January 13 2014
July 25 2011
Ranking
#578
#575

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