GeForce MX230 vs GeForce RTX 3070

NVIDIA

GeForce MX230

2019Core: 1519 MHzBoost: 1582 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce MX230 vs GeForce RTX 3070 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 MX230 vs GeForce RTX 3070 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 MX230 vs GeForce RTX 3070: 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 MX230

2019

Why buy it

  • Costs $349 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Draws 10W instead of 220W, a 210W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2019 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 12.2 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • 860.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 265% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 12.2 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2100% higher power demand at 220W vs 10W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 860.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1114.2% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 1,826), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 14nm, and 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $349 more expensive on MSRP at $499 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 265% (44.4 vs 12.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce MX230 vs GeForce RTX 3070 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce MX230

The GeForce MX230 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2019. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1519 MHz to 1582 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 10W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,826 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce MX230 scores 1,826 versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 22,172 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 1114.2%. The GeForce MX230 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3070 uses Ampere, both on 14 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 256 (GeForce MX230) vs 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070). Raw compute: 0.81 TFLOPS (GeForce MX230) vs 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070). Boost clocks: 1582 MHz vs 1725 MHz.

FeatureGeForce MX230GeForce RTX 3070
G3D Mark Score
1,826
22,172+1114%
Architecture
Pascal
Ampere
Process Node
14 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
256
5888+2200%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.81 TFLOPS
20.31 TFLOPS+2407%
Boost Clock
1582 MHz
1725 MHz+9%
ROPs
16
96+500%
TMUs
16
184+1050%
L1 Cache
0.09 MB
5.8 MB+6344%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
4 MB+700%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce MX230 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce MX230GeForce RTX 3070
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce MX230 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3070 carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 48 GB/s (GeForce MX230) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) — a 833.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3070. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce MX230 and 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce MX230) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce MX230GeForce RTX 3070
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
8 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
48 GB/s
448 GB/s+833%
Bus Width
64-bit
256-bit+300%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
4 MB+700%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce MX230 draws 10W versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 220W — a 182.6% difference. The GeForce MX230 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce MX230) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3070). Power connectors: Mobile vs 8-pin.

FeatureGeForce MX230GeForce RTX 3070
TDP
10W-95%
220W
Recommended PSU
350W-46%
650W
Power Connector
Mobile
8-pin
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
182.6+81%
100.8
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce MX230 came in at $150, while the GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499. On MSRP, GeForce MX230 was 69.9% cheaper ($349 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 12.2 (GeForce MX230) vs 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 263.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3070 (2020 vs 2019).

FeatureGeForce MX230GeForce RTX 3070
MSRP
$150-70%
$499
Performance per Dollar
12.2
44.4+264%
Codename
GP108
GA104
Release
February 21 2019
September 1 2020
Ranking
#708
#63

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