GeForce GTX 970M vs GeForce GTX 680

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. The GeForce GTX 970M is positioned at rank #27 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Great cost-benefit for your build. 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 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 Per Dollar

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

💎 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 970M Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 680 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

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

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.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 970M scores 5,705 and the GeForce GTX 680 reaches 5,609 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 680 uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 1,536 (GeForce GTX 680). Raw compute: 2.657 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 3.25 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 680). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 1058 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 680
G3D Mark Score	5,705+2%	5,609
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Kepler
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1280	1536+20%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.657 TFLOPS	3.25 TFLOPS+22%
Boost Clock	1038 MHz	1058 MHz+2%
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	80	128+60%
L1 Cache	480 KB+275%	128 KB
L2 Cache	1.5 MB+200%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 680
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 970M comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 680 has 4 GB. The GeForce GTX 680 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 192.2 GB/s (GeForce GTX 680) — a 60.2% advantage for the GeForce GTX 680. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 0.5 MB (GeForce GTX 680) — the GeForce GTX 970M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 680
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	120 GB/s	192.2 GB/s+60%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB+200%	0.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_1 (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 12 (FL 11_0) (GeForce GTX 680). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 680
DirectX	12_1	12 (FL 11_0)
Max Displays	0	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th Gen (GeForce GTX 970M) vs NVENC 1st gen (GeForce GTX 680). Decoder: NVDEC 2nd Gen vs PureVideo VP5.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 680
Encoder	NVENC 5th Gen	NVENC 1st gen
Decoder	NVDEC 2nd Gen	PureVideo VP5
Codecs	—	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970M draws 81W versus the GeForce GTX 680's 195W — a 82.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 550W (GeForce GTX 680). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 256mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 680
TDP	81W-58%	195W
Recommended PSU	350W-36%	550W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	2x 6-pin
Length	1mm	256mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	—	98°C
Perf/Watt	70.4+144%	28.8