NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M Comparison

The data places the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 in nearly the same performance tier, but the GTX 680M is the clear winner in raw compute. The GTX 680M leads the GT 1010 by a substantial 37.8% in the only shared benchmark (Geekbench OpenCL), with scores of 9230 versus 6698. Despite its age, the GTX 680M's higher average benchmark score of 7023 versus 6698 for the GT 1010 confirms its edge. For anyone choosing between these two, the GTX 680M is the performance pick, provided the system can accommodate its higher power draw and MXM form factor; the GT 1010 is the more modern, efficient option for basic display output and light workloads, but it is measurably slower.

The Verdict

The GTX 680M is the performance leader based on the data. It wins the only head-to-head benchmark available, the Geekbench OpenCL test, with a score of 9230 against the GT 1010's 6698. That is a 37.8% advantage, which is a decisive margin in this comparison. The GTX 680M's average benchmark score of 7023 also places it ahead of the GT 1010's 6698, reinforcing its position as the faster GPU.

However, the choice is not simply about speed. The GTX 680M is a mobile-class chip on an MXM module with a 100 W TDP, while the GT 1010 is a single-slot desktop card with a 30 W TDP. The GT 1010 is the better fit for a standard desktop build requiring minimal power and a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface. The GTX 680M requires a compatible MXM-B (3.0) slot and is portable-device dependent for display outputs, meaning it is not a drop-in replacement for a typical desktop graphics card.

In terms of feature support, the GT 1010 has a more modern feature set. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the GTX 680M's DirectX 12 support is limited to the 11_0 feature level and Vulkan 1.2.175. Both support OpenGL 4.6. For users running modern applications that leverage these newer APIs, the GT 1010 offers better compatibility. For users prioritizing compute performance and are building or upgrading a system around an MXM module, the GTX 680M is the stronger choice. The data clearly favors the GTX 680M for performance, but the GT 1010 wins on modern architecture and system integration simplicity.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the shared benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M is significantly faster. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, it scored 9230 against the GT 1010's 6698, a performance advantage of 37.8%.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The GTX 680M has a higher average benchmark score of 7023, while the GT 1010 averages 6698. This places the GTX 680M at the 39th percentile among all GPUs, slightly above the GT 1010's 38th percentile.

Q: What are the key architectural differences?

A: The GTX 680M uses the Kepler architecture (GK104 chip) on a 28 nm process, while the GT 1010 uses the Pascal architecture (GP108 chip) on a 14 nm process. The GTX 680M has a much larger die (294 mm²) and more transistors (3,540 million) compared to the GT 1010's 74 mm² die and 1,800 million transistors.

Q: How do their memory subsystems differ?

A: The GTX 680M has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. The GT 1010 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 48.06 GB/s. The GTX 680M offers more than double the memory bandwidth.

Q: Which card has higher clock speeds?

A: The GT 1010 has significantly higher clock speeds, with a base clock of 1228 MHz and a boost clock of 1468 MHz. The GTX 680M runs at a base clock of 719 MHz and a boost clock of 758 MHz. The GT 1010's memory is also faster at 6 Gbps effective, compared to the GTX 680M's 3.6 Gbps effective.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The GTX 680M has a TDP of 100 W, whereas the GT 1010 has a TDP of just 30 W. The GT 1010 also suggests a 200 W power supply, while the GTX 680M lists no suggested PSU due to its MXM module design.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent distinct design philosophies separated by nearly a decade of silicon evolution. The GTX 680M is built on the Kepler architecture, using the GK104 chip fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. This chip is a large, complex design with a die size of 294 mm² and a transistor count of 3,540 million, resulting in a transistor density of 12.0M per mm². In contrast, the GT 1010 uses the Pascal architecture with the GP108 chip, manufactured by Samsung on a much more advanced 14 nm process. Its die is a mere 74 mm², housing 1,800 million transistors, which translates to a higher transistor density of 24.3M per mm².

This architectural shift has profound implications. The Kepler design in the GTX 680M prioritizes raw compute throughput with a massive array of 1344 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The Pascal-based GT 1010 is a more streamlined chip, with only 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The GTX 680M's compute capabilities are reflected in its pixel rate of 21.22 GPixel/s and texture rate of 84.90 GTexel/s, which dwarf the GT 1010's 11.74 GPixel/s and 23.49 GTexel/s. In terms of floating-point performance, the GTX 680M delivers 2.038 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the GT 1010 manages 751.6 GFLOPS.

The GT 1010 does counter with a more modern feature set. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 680M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The GT 1010 also benefits from a newer generation designation (GeForce 10 vs GeForce 600M) and a release date of January 2021, whereas the GTX 680M was released in June 2012. The GTX 680M's predecessor is the GeForce 500M, followed by the GeForce 700M, while the GT 1010's predecessor is GeForce 900, followed by GeForce 20.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet shows a clear split between the two cards. The GTX 680M has a higher transistor count (3,540 million vs 1,800 million) and a larger die size (294 mm² vs 74 mm²). Its memory configuration is superior, with 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus providing 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth, compared to the GT 1010's 2 GB on a 64-bit bus providing 48.06 GB/s.

Clock speeds favor the GT 1010. It runs at a base clock of 1228 MHz and boosts to 1468 MHz, while the GTX 680M operates at 719 MHz base and 758 MHz boost. Memory clocks also differ, with the GT 1010 at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) and the GTX 680M at 900 MHz (3.6 Gbps effective). The compute unit counts are vastly different, with the GTX 680M having 1344 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, versus the GT 1010's 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. Consequently, the GTX 680M has much higher pixel and texture fill rates, as well as FP32 throughput.

Power and physical specifications also diverge. The GTX 680M has a 100 W TDP and uses an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface, with a slot width of MXM Module. The GT 1010 has a 30 W TDP, a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface, and is a single-slot card measuring 147 mm (5.8 inches) in length. The GT 1010 lists a suggested PSU of 200 W, while the GTX 680M has none. Display outputs also differ: the GT 1010 offers 1x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 2.0, while the GTX 680M's outputs are portable device dependent. Neither card has power connectors, and both lack RT and tensor cores.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it delivers a decisive result. The GTX 680M scores 9230, while the GT 1010 scores 6698. This gives the GTX 680M a 37.8% performance advantage, a substantial lead that outweighs any architectural modernization in the GT 1010. This single data point is the strongest evidence in this comparison, showing that the older, larger chip with more compute units is significantly faster in a compute-heavy workload.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the GTX 680M also holds the edge in average scores. Its average benchmark score is 7023, which is 4.9% higher than the GT 1010's 6698. This average is bolstered by the GTX 680M's second benchmark result: a Geekbench Metal score of 4815. The GT 1010 has no Metal benchmark listed. The GTX 680M's percentile ranking of 39th among all GPUs is slightly above the GT 1010's 38th percentile, confirming that the performance difference is real, though both sit in a similar low-to-mid tier.

The nearest rivals for each card further contextualize their performance. The GTX 680M's closest competitor is the NVIDIA T600, which scores 7035, just 0.2% higher. It also sits near the AMD Radeon R5 M240 (6975, 0.7% slower) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M (6946, 1.1% slower). The GT 1010's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R7 M370 (6764, 1% faster) and the AMD Radeon R7 M460 (6612, 1.3% slower). This data shows that the GTX 680M competes with a slightly faster group of rivals, while the GT 1010 is bracketed by similar mobile chips.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 680M wins decisively on raw performance. Its 37.8% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and its higher average benchmark score make it the clear choice for compute-intensive tasks like rendering, data processing, or any workload that leverages OpenCL. The GTX 680M's larger memory capacity (4 GB vs 2 GB) and much higher memory bandwidth (115.2 GB/s vs 48.06 GB/s) also make it better suited for handling large textures or datasets that exceed the GT 1010's limited frame buffer. Its higher pixel rate (21.22 GPixel/s vs 11.74 GPixel/s) and texture rate (84.90 GTexel/s vs 23.49 GTexel/s) suggest it will also perform better in traditional 3D rendering, despite having a lower clock speed.

The GT 1010 wins on efficiency and system integration. Its 30 W TDP is a third of the GTX 680M's 100 W, making it far easier to cool and power in a small desktop. It is a standard single-slot PCIe 3.0 x4 card with a 147 mm length and fixed display outputs (1x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 2.0), meaning it can be installed in virtually any desktop with a PCIe slot. The GTX 680M, by contrast, requires a proprietary MXM-B (3.0) slot and its display outputs are dependent on the portable device it is installed in, which severely limits its compatibility outside of specific laptops or specialized systems. The GT 1010 also has a more modern feature set, with support for DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, which is important for running the latest games and applications that may require these newer API levels. The GT 1010's higher clock speeds (1228 MHz base, 1468 MHz boost) do not translate to a performance win, but they do indicate a more efficient architecture that achieves its results with far fewer resources. Therefore, the GTX 680M is the winner for pure performance and memory bandwidth, while the GT 1010 is the winner for power efficiency, modern API support, and ease of installation in a standard desktop.