GPU Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce 930A and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions from NVIDIA, but they represent distinct architectural generations and performance tiers. The 930A is a Maxwell-based part aimed at thin-and-light portables, while the GTX 760M is a Kepler-based enthusiast-class module. Benchmark data shows a clear, albeit narrow, performance advantage for the older GTX 760M in the sole direct comparison available.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison in the data is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results show a decisive win for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M. The GTX 760M scored 5,604 points, while the NVIDIA GeForce 930A managed 5,317 points. This represents a delta of -5.1% for the 930A, meaning the GTX 760M outperforms it by roughly five percentage points in this compute-focused workload.

While the GTX 760M wins the head-to-head, the margin is not overwhelming. A 5.1% gap in OpenCL performance is meaningful but not transformative; it places both GPUs in the same general performance neighborhood. This is corroborated by their identical percentile ranks: both sit at the 31st percentile among all GPUs, indicating that neither card is a standout performer in the broader market landscape.

The average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The 930A has an average score of 5,317, while the GTX 760M has an average of 5,236. This is because the GTX 760M's average includes an additional Vulkan benchmark score of 4,868, which pulls its average down below its raw OpenCL result. The 930A only has the single OpenCL score in its record. This highlights that while the GTX 760M wins the specific OpenCL comparison, its overall average is lower due to the inclusion of a different test where it performs less impressively.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each card provides additional context. The 930A's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce 840M, which scores 5,322, a delta of just -0.1% from the 930A. The 930A also edges out the NVIDIA GeForce 940M (5,284) by 0.6% and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M (5,308) by 0.2%. On the other side, the AMD Radeon R7 M445 (5,358) beats the 930A by 0.8%. These sub-1% deltas show that the 930A is clustered tightly with several other mainstream mobile GPUs.

For the GTX 760M, the rival picture is different. It trails the NVIDIA GeForce 940M (5,284) by 0.9% and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M (5,308) by 1.3%. It leads the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M (5,211) by 0.5% and the AMD Radeon R7 M260X (5,161) by 1.5%. Notably, the GTX 760M shows larger performance swings against its rivals, both positive and negative, than the 930A does, suggesting it is more sensitive to workload characteristics.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M is the clear winner in raw compute throughput. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 5,604 is the highest single benchmark result recorded for either card, and it beats the 930A's score by 287 points. This advantage is likely rooted in its hardware configuration. The GTX 760M packs 768 shading units, which is exactly double the 930A's 384 units. It also has 64 texture mapping units and 16 ROPs, compared to 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs on the 930A. The GTX 760M also has a significantly wider memory interface at 128-bit versus 64-bit, and it uses faster GDDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 64.13 GB/s, which is roughly four times the 930A's 16.02 GB/s.

Despite the GTX 760M's hardware advantages, the 930A holds its own in terms of efficiency and integration. The 930A is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with a TDP of just 33 W, while the GTX 760M is an MXM module with a 55 W TDP. The 930A also has a higher base clock speed of 928 MHz and a boost clock of 941 MHz, compared to the GTX 760M's 628 MHz base and 719 MHz boost. These higher clocks help the 930A mitigate some of its core-count disadvantage in certain workloads. The 930A is also built on the newer Maxwell architecture, which supports Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 760M's Kepler architecture is limited to Vulkan 1.2.175.

In terms of benchmark wins, the data shows only one direct comparison, and the GTX 760M takes it. The 930A has zero wins in the head-to-head data. However, the 930A's average benchmark score of 5,317 is higher than the GTX 760M's average of 5,236, which suggests that in a broader set of tests (including the Vulkan workload where the 930A has no recorded score), the 930A might perform relatively better than its raw OpenCL result indicates. This is a subtle but important distinction: the GTX 760M wins the specific OpenCL test, but the 930A has a higher overall average across all recorded benchmarks.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the performance data, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M is the superior choice for applications that rely heavily on OpenCL compute performance. Its score of 5,604 beats the 930A's 5,317 by 5.1%, and it also outperforms several of its own nearest rivals, including the Quadro 4000M and the Radeon R7 M260X. For users whose primary workload is GPU-accelerated compute in OpenCL, the GTX 760M is the clear pick.

However, the verdict is not a clean sweep. The 930A posts a higher average benchmark score (5,317 vs. 5,236) and is more tightly clustered with its rivals, showing deltas of less than 1% against four different competitors. This suggests that the 930A is a more consistent performer across diverse workloads, even if it loses the single OpenCL test. Its higher clock speeds and newer architecture may give it an edge in tasks that are sensitive to clock frequency rather than raw core count.

For gaming, the data is less clear. The only benchmark is Geekbench OpenCL, which is not a direct gaming metric. However, the GTX 760M's substantial advantages in memory bandwidth (64.13 GB/s vs. 16.02 GB/s), texture fill rate (46.02 GTexel/s vs. 22.58 GTexel/s), and pixel fill rate (11.50 GPixel/s vs. 7.528 GPixel/s) strongly suggest it will handle texture-heavy and resolution-intensive graphics workloads better. The 930A's 722.7 GFLOPS of FP32 compute is also significantly lower than the GTX 760M's 1,104.4 GFLOPS.

The choice ultimately hinges on the use case. Users who prioritize maximum compute performance in OpenCL and have the power budget for a 55 W MXM module should choose the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M. Users who need a lower-power, integrated solution with a higher average benchmark score and better Vulkan API support (1.4 vs. 1.2.175) should lean toward the NVIDIA GeForce 930A. The 930A is also the newer part, having been released in March 2015 versus May 2013 for the GTX 760M, which may matter for driver longevity and feature support.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M scores 5,604, which is 5.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 930A's score of 5,317.

Q: How do these two cards compare in terms of memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 760M has a 128-bit memory bus with GDDR5 memory delivering 64.13 GB/s of bandwidth, while the 930A has a 64-bit bus with DDR3 memory delivering only 16.02 GB/s.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M has 768 shading units, exactly double the 384 shading units found on the NVIDIA GeForce 930A.

Q: What are the power consumption figures for each card?

A: The 930A has a TDP of 33 W and is an IGP, while the GTX 760M has a TDP of 55 W and is an MXM module.

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The 930A has an average benchmark score of 5,317, which is higher than the GTX 760M's average of 5,236, despite the GTX 760M winning the direct OpenCL comparison.

Q: What are the release dates for these two GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 930A was released on March 12, 2015, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M was released earlier on May 29, 2013.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent different architectural eras from NVIDIA. The GeForce 930A is built on the Maxwell architecture using the GM108 chip, while the GeForce GTX 760M uses the older Kepler architecture with the GK106S chip. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the chips differ dramatically in size and complexity. The GM108 in the 930A contains 1,020 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 13.2M per mm². The GK106S in the GTX 760M is much larger, packing 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die, with a lower density of 11.5M per mm².

This transistor budget translates directly into core resources. The GTX 760M has 768 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, while the 930A has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. The GTX 760M also has a wider 128-bit memory interface compared to the 930A's 64-bit bus. Memory type also differs: the GTX 760M uses GDDR5 with an effective speed of 4 Gbps, while the 930A uses DDR3 at 2 Gbps effective. This results in a massive bandwidth gap of 64.13 GB/s versus 16.02 GB/s.

Clock speeds tell a different story. The 930A runs at a base clock of 928 MHz and a boost of 941 MHz, significantly higher than the GTX 760M's 628 MHz base and 719 MHz boost. This higher clock rate helps the 930A partially compensate for its fewer cores, though it cannot overcome the GTX 760M's structural advantages in fill rate and bandwidth. The 930A's pixel rate is 7.528 GPixel/s and texture rate is 22.58 GTexel/s, while the GTX 760M achieves 11.50 GPixel/s and 46.02 GTexel/s respectively.

API support also differs. Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but the 930A supports Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 760M is limited to Vulkan 1.2.175. The bus interface also varies: the 930A connects via PCIe 3.0 x8, while the GTX 760M uses the full PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. Neither card features ray tracing or tensor cores, and both are end-of-life products with no power connectors required. The 930A is part of the GeForce 900A generation, succeeding the GeForce 800A, while the GTX 760M belongs to the GeForce 700M generation, succeeding the GeForce 600M and being succeeded by the GeForce 800M.