AMD Radeon 860M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti Comparison

The AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti represent two very different eras of GPU design, yet their aggregate benchmark scores place them in a similar performance tier. The 860M, a modern integrated processor from AMD’s Krackan Point lineup, trades blows with the decade-old flagship discrete card from NVIDIA’s GeForce 700 series. While the GTX 780 Ti holds a slight edge in raw OpenCL compute, the 860M counters with superior Vulkan performance, making this a fascinating generational clash where architectural efficiency meets brute-force legacy hardware.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two GPUs split their head-to-head benchmark results evenly, with each claiming one victory in the Geekbench suite. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti delivers a score of 27326, outpacing the AMD Radeon 860M’s 22759 by a margin of 16.7%. This is a significant lead for the older card, reflecting its massive 2880 shading units and 384-bit memory interface, which provide substantial parallel compute throughput that the integrated solution cannot match. The 780 Ti’s dominance in this test showcases the raw computational power that was once required to achieve high-end performance in 2013.

However, the tables turn in the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the AMD Radeon 860M scores 30043 compared to the GTX 780 Ti’s 27238, giving the modern chip a 10.3% advantage. This result is particularly telling given the architectural gap between the two. The 860M benefits from modern API optimization and its RDNA 3.5 architecture’s native support for Vulkan 1.4, whereas the 780 Ti’s Kepler architecture is limited to Vulkan 1.2.175. The newer GPU’s ability to extract more performance from a modern low-level API suggests that its architectural efficiency can overcome the older card’s raw hardware advantages in workloads that leverage contemporary graphics APIs.

Looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the average scores further illuminate the parity between these two cards. The AMD Radeon 860M achieves an average benchmark score of 26401, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti sits slightly lower at 24236. This places the 860M in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, compared to the 780 Ti’s 70th percentile. The 860M’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (deltaPct -0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (deltaPct 0.3%), and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary (deltaPct -0.6%). For the 780 Ti, its closest competitors are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (deltaPct -0.2%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (deltaPct 0.3%), and the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (deltaPct -0.8%). This data shows that despite their age difference, both cards sit in a competitive performance band populated by much more recent hardware.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural divide between these two GPUs is stark. The AMD Radeon 860M is built on TSMC’s 4 nm process node, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti uses a 28 nm process from the same foundry. This process node advantage is immense — the 4 nm node allows for dramatically higher transistor density and power efficiency compared to the older 28 nm technology. The 860M’s chip, codenamed Krackan Point, is part of the Navi III IGP generation and uses the RDNA 3.5 architecture. In contrast, the 780 Ti is based on the GK110B chip and uses NVIDIA’s Kepler architecture, belonging to the GeForce 700 generation.

The transistor counts and die sizes highlight the different design philosophies. The GTX 780 Ti packs 7,080 million transistors onto a 561 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 12.6M per mm². The 860M’s transistor count and die size are listed as unknown, which is typical for integrated graphics where the GPU shares the die with the CPU. However, the 4 nm process node clearly allows for a much smaller and more efficient implementation. The 780 Ti’s 250 W TDP stands in contrast to the 860M’s 15 W TDP, illustrating the massive efficiency gains achieved in the decade between their releases.

Memory architecture further separates these two cards. The GTX 780 Ti features 3 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 336.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The 860M, being an integrated GPU, uses System Shared memory with a bus width and bandwidth that are System Dependent. This means the 860M’s memory performance varies based on the host system’s RAM configuration, while the 780 Ti has fixed, dedicated memory resources. The 780 Ti also has a significantly higher pixel rate of 55.68 GPixel/s and texture rate of 222.7 GTexel/s, compared to the 860M’s 48.00 GPixel/s and 96.00 GTexel/s. However, the 860M’s FP32 performance of 3.072 TFLOPS is notably lower than the 780 Ti’s 5.345 TFLOPS, though the 860M supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio while the 780 Ti has no listed FP16 capability.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M has a higher average benchmark score of 26401 compared to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti’s 24236.

Q: How do the two cards compare in Vulkan performance?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M wins the Geekbench Vulkan test with a score of 30043, which is 10.3% higher than the GTX 780 Ti’s 27238.

Q: What is the TDP difference between these two GPUs?

A: The GTX 780 Ti has a TDP of 250 W, while the Radeon 860M is rated at just 15 W, reflecting the massive efficiency advantage of the newer integrated design.

Q: Does the GTX 780 Ti support hardware ray tracing?

A: No, the GTX 780 Ti has no RT cores listed, whereas the Radeon 860M includes 8 RT cores for ray tracing workloads.

Q: What are the DirectX version differences?

A: The Radeon 860M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the GTX 780 Ti is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1).

Q: Which GPU has better OpenCL performance?

A: The GTX 780 Ti scores 27326 in Geekbench OpenCL, beating the Radeon 860M’s 22759 by 16.7%.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear but nuanced picture. For users prioritizing raw compute throughput in OpenCL workloads, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti remains the stronger choice, delivering 16.7% higher scores in that specific test. Its 2880 shading units and 336.6 GB/s of dedicated memory bandwidth provide substantial parallel processing capability that the integrated 860M cannot match in this area. The 780 Ti also offers higher pixel and texture rates, making it potentially better suited for traditional rasterization-heavy tasks that rely on those fixed-function units.

However, the AMD Radeon 860M makes a compelling case for modern workloads. Its 10.3% advantage in Vulkan performance indicates better optimization for contemporary APIs, and its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate versus the 780 Ti’s older DirectX 12 (11_1) means it is better equipped for future game titles. The 860M also includes 8 RT cores, enabling hardware ray tracing — a feature entirely absent from the Kepler-based 780 Ti. The 860M’s 15 W TDP versus 250 W makes it dramatically more power-efficient, which is critical for portable devices where the 780 Ti’s dual-slot design with 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors would be impractical.

The choice ultimately depends on the use case. The GTX 780 Ti is a legacy discrete card with end-of-life production status, suitable for older systems or applications that favor its OpenCL strength and high memory bandwidth. The Radeon 860M, as an active integrated GPU from 2025, offers modern API support, ray tracing, and exceptional efficiency, making it the more future-proof option for new builds, particularly in portable devices where its IGP form factor is ideal. The 780 Ti’s launch MSRP was 699 USD, reflecting its original high-end positioning, but its age and 28 nm process make it less competitive against the 4 nm integrated solution in most modern scenarios.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon 860M | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | RDNA 3.5 | Kepler |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | unknown | 7,080 million |

| Die Size | unknown | 561 mm² |

| Base Clock | 600 MHz | 875 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 3000 MHz | 928 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 3 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 336.6 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 2880 |

| TMUs | 32 | 240 |

| ROPs | 16 | 48 |

| RT Cores | 8 | null |

| Pixel Rate | 48.00 GPixel/s | 55.68 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 96.00 GTexel/s | 222.7 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 3.072 TFLOPS | 5.345 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 15 W | 250 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | null | 600 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.175 |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |