NVIDIA GeForce 840M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data for these two GPUs comes from different benchmark suites, which makes a direct apples-to-apples comparison difficult. The GeForce 840M has results from Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan, while the GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB has a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score. The database shows the 840M averaging 5,322 points across its two tests, while the RTX 3080 12 GB averages 4,791 points from its one test. On raw average scores, the 840M appears ahead by roughly 11%, but this is misleading because the workloads are not the same.

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database clarifies how each card sits relative to its peers. The 840M is nearly tied with the GeForce 930A, which scores 5,317, a delta of only 0.1%. It is also 0.3% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980M (5,308) and 0.7% ahead of the GeForce 940M (5,284). The only rival it trails is the AMD Radeon R7 M445, which scores 5,358, a 0.7% deficit. These are all extremely close margins, indicating the 840M is a mid-pack mobile part in its generation.

The RTX 3080 12 GB sits in a different competitive neighborhood. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon R5 M255 at 4,788, a delta of 0.1%. It is 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (4,752) and 1.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX (4,844). It also trails the GeForce GTX 560M by 1.3%, which scores 4,855. These deltas are all within a couple of percentage points, meaning the RTX 3080 12 GB's single recorded score places it in a cluster of older, lower-end parts according to this specific benchmark.

The biggest wins are not between these two cards directly, but rather in how each dominates its own rival group. The 840M's strongest advantage is 0.7% over the GeForce 940M, while its biggest loss is 0.7% to the Radeon R7 M445. The RTX 3080 12 GB's clearest win is 0.8% over the Radeon R5 M335, and its worst result is 1.3% behind the GeForce GTX 560M. Neither card shows a decisive head-to-head victory in the database, as the head-to-head benchmark list is empty and both have zero wins recorded.

Where Each One Wins

The GeForce 840M wins in scenarios where its benchmark set applies. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 5,764 and Vulkan score of 4,880 show it handles compute and graphics API workloads that those tests measure. OpenCL performance is notably stronger than Vulkan for this card, a gap of about 18%. The 840M's 31st percentile among all GPUs means it outperforms roughly a third of the database, which is respectable for a low-power mobile chip from its era.

The RTX 3080 12 GB wins in the context of its single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score. That test is a modern, DX12-based workload, and the card scores 4,791. Its 28th percentile places it below the 840M's 31st percentile, but again, the tests are not comparable. The RTX 3080 12 GB's victory condition is different: it is tested under a newer API with features that the 840M cannot access, such as DirectX 12 Ultimate and hardware ray tracing cores. The 840M only supports DirectX 12 (11_0), so it cannot run the same feature set.

For practical use, the 840M wins in legacy compatibility and low-power scenarios. It has a 33 W TDP, which is typical for an integrated-class part, and it requires no power connectors. The RTX 3080 12 GB wins in raw capability, with a 350 W TDP, a 750 W suggested power supply, and a dual-slot cooler. The data shows the 840M as an end-of-life product from 2014, while the RTX 3080 12 GB is also end-of-life but released in 2022, eight years later.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on completely different architectures, nodes, and foundries. The GeForce 840M uses the GM108S chip, which is based on the Maxwell architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It contains 1,020 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 13.2 million per square millimeter. The RTX 3080 12 GB uses the GA102 chip, based on the Ampere architecture, fabricated on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It packs 28,300 million transistors onto a 628 mm² die, with a density of 45.1 million per square millimeter. That is over 27 times more transistors and a density roughly 3.4 times higher.

Memory configurations diverge sharply. The 840M has 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, yielding 16.02 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 3080 12 GB has 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 912.4 GB/s, which is about 57 times more bandwidth. The 840M's memory clock is 1001 MHz (2 Gbps effective), while the RTX 3080 12 GB runs at 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective).

Core counts are in different leagues. The 840M has 384 shading units, 16 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The RTX 3080 12 GB has 8,960 shading units, 280 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. The RTX 3080 12 GB also adds 70 ray tracing cores and 280 tensor cores, neither of which exist on the 840M. Pixel rate is 8.992 GPixel/s for the 840M versus 164.2 GPixel/s for the RTX 3080 12 GB. Texture rate is 17.98 GTexel/s versus 478.8 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 863.2 GFLOPS versus 30.64 TFLOPS, a 35-fold difference. The RTX 3080 12 GB also has FP16 at 30.64 TFLOPS (1:1), while the 840M has no recorded FP16 capability.

Clock speeds are closer than the rest of the specs. The 840M has a base clock of 1029 MHz and a boost of 1124 MHz. The RTX 3080 12 GB has a base of 1260 MHz and a boost of 1710 MHz. The bus interface differs too: the 840M uses PCIe 3.0 x8, while the RTX 3080 12 GB uses PCIe 4.0 x16. The RTX 3080 12 GB supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the 840M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the GeForce 840M has the higher average benchmark score (5,322 versus 4,791) and a higher percentile rank (31st versus 28th). However, those numbers come from different tests, so they do not prove the 840M is faster. The 840M is a Maxwell-based, 33 W mobile part from 2014, designed for lightweight tasks and long battery life. The RTX 3080 12 GB is an Ampere-based, 350 W desktop part from 2022, designed for high-end gaming and compute with ray tracing and tensor cores.

A builder choosing between these two should pick based on the workload and platform. For an older laptop or a low-power system where the 840M fits as an integrated-class GPU, the data shows it performs on par with its immediate rivals, all within a 1% margin. For a modern desktop with a 750 W power supply and PCIe 4.0, the RTX 3080 12 GB is the only rational choice, as it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, hardware ray tracing, and has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. The 840M cannot run modern DX12 Ultimate titles with those features.

The launch MSRP for the RTX 3080 12 GB was 799 USD. The 840M has no recorded launch MSRP. The RTX 3080 12 GB is physically large at 285 mm long, 112 mm tall, and 40 mm wide, requiring a dual-slot cooler. The 840M is an IGP with no slot width and no power connectors, meaning it is soldered or integrated into a motherboard. These are fundamentally different product categories, and the database reflects that with separate benchmark suites.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The GeForce 840M averages 5,322 points across Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan tests, while the GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB averages 4,791 points from a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. These are not directly comparable.

Q: Does the GeForce 840M support ray tracing?

A: No. The 840M has no ray tracing cores or tensor cores. The RTX 3080 12 GB has 70 ray tracing cores and 280 tensor cores.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The 840M has 16.02 GB/s of bandwidth from 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus. The RTX 3080 12 GB has 912.4 GB/s from 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus.

Q: Which GPU is more power efficient?

A: The 840M has a 33 W TDP and requires no power connectors. The RTX 3080 12 GB has a 350 W TDP, a single 12-pin power connector, and a suggested 750 W power supply.

Q: Are these GPUs still in production?

A: Both are listed as end-of-life. The 840M was released on March 11, 2014, and the RTX 3080 12 GB was released on January 10, 2022.

Q: What DirectX versions do they support?

A: The 840M supports DirectX 12 (11_0). The RTX 3080 12 GB supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2).

Specification Differences

| Field | GeForce 840M | GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB |

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

| Chip | GM108S | GA102 |

| Architecture | Maxwell | Ampere |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 8 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Samsung |

| Transistors | 1,020 million | 28,300 million |

| Die Size | 77 mm² | 628 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 13.2M / mm² | 45.1M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1029 MHz | 1260 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1124 MHz | 1710 MHz |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 12 GB |

| Memory Type | DDR3 | GDDR6X |

| Memory Bus | 64 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 16.02 GB/s | 912.4 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 384 | 8960 |

| TMUs | 16 | 280 |

| ROPs | 8 | 96 |

| RT Cores | None | 70 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 280 |

| Pixel Rate | 8.992 GPixel/s | 164.2 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 17.98 GTexel/s | 478.8 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 863.2 GFLOPS | 30.64 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | None | 30.64 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 33 W | 350 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 12-pin |

| Suggested PSU | None | 750 W |

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

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x HDMI 2.13x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |