GeForce GTX 870M
Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
GeForce GTX 870M vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) 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 870M vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
GeForce GTX 870M vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5): 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 870M
2014Why buy it
- ✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
Trade-offs
- ❌2014 hardware with 6 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 23.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
- ❌233.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 30W.
Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
2015Why buy it
- ✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 23.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
- ✅Draws 30W instead of 100W, a 70W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
Quick Answers
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GeForce GTX 870M vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce GTX 870M
The GeForce GTX 870M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,536 points.
Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 870M scores 3,536 and the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) reaches 3,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 870M is built on Kepler while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) uses Maxwell, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,344 (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Boost clocks: 967 MHz vs 993 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 870M | Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,536+1% | 3,500 |
| Architecture | Kepler | Maxwell |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1344+250% | 384 |
| Boost Clock | 967 MHz | 993 MHz+3% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce GTX 870M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 870M | Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 870M has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 870M 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 870M and 128-bit on the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 870M | Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB+200% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 870M | Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 (11_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.2+9% | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.6+2% | 4.5 |
| Max Displays | 4+100% | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs NVDEC 1st Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 870M) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 870M | Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) | — |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP5 | NVDEC 1st Gen |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 870M draws 100W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)'s 30W — a 107.7% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 870M | Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W | 30W-70% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | PCIe-powered |
| Slots | 0 | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | 75-12% |
| Perf/Watt | 35.4 | 116.7+230% |
Value Analysis
The newer card here is Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) (2015 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 870M | Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $150 |
| Codename | GK104 | Surface Book |
| Release | March 12 2014 | October 1 2015 |
| Ranking | #538 | #782 |
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