NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 Comparison

The GeForce GT 740 is the clear winner in this pairing, decisively outperforming the GT 545 in the only shared benchmark while also offering superior architecture, memory technology, and API support. The data shows a 6.6% lead for the GT 740 in Geekbench OpenCL, but the deeper specification differences reveal a generational leap that makes the GT 545 a difficult recommendation outside of legacy system roles.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison consists of a single Geekbench OpenCL run, where the GeForce GT 740 scores 3847 against the GT 545's 3594. This produces a deltaPct of -6.6% from the perspective of the GT 545, meaning the GT 740 is 6.6% ahead. While a single benchmark does not provide a comprehensive picture, the result is consistent with the underlying hardware differences.

The GT 545's score of 3594 places it within a narrow performance band. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Mobile Ada Generation at 3596 (just 0.1% higher), the GeForce GT 735M at 3616 (0.6% higher), the GeForce GTX 1050 at 3629 (1% higher), and the AMD Radeon HD 6770 at 3649 (1.5% higher). This clustering suggests the GT 545 sits at a performance plateau where small architectural variations produce negligible real-world impact.

The GT 740's OpenCL score of 3847 places it 1.2% above the Intel HD Graphics P4600 (3389) and 3% above the Intel HD Graphics 530 (3332), while sitting 0.1% below the NVIDIA Quadro 2000M (3434) and 2.7% below the GeForce 920MX (3528). The GT 740 also posts a Geekbench Vulkan score of 4083 and a Geekbench Metal score of 2363, though the GT 545 has no comparable results in those APIs.

The verdict from this data is unambiguous: the GT 740 wins the only direct comparison. The delta of 253 points is modest in absolute terms but represents a consistent edge. The GT 740's additional benchmark results in Vulkan and Metal further demonstrate its broader capability, even though direct cross-API comparisons with the GT 545 are not possible from the provided data.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The GeForce GT 740 scores 3847, which is 6.6% higher than the GeForce GT 545's score of 3594.

Q: How does the GT 545 compare to the GeForce GTX 1050?

A: The GT 545 scores 3594, which is 1% lower than the GTX 1050's average score of 3629.

Q: What is the GT 740's Vulkan performance?

A: The GT 740 achieves a Geekbench Vulkan score of 4083, which is higher than its OpenCL score of 3847 and its Metal score of 2363.

Q: Is the GT 740 faster than the Intel HD Graphics 530?

A: Yes. The GT 740's average benchmark score of 3431 is 3% higher than the Intel HD Graphics 530's score of 3332.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The GT 740 has a transistor density of 10.8M per mm², which is more than double the GT 545's 4.9M per mm².

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, both the GT 545 and GT 740 support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. However, only the GT 740 supports Vulkan (version 1.2.175).

Where Each One Wins

The GeForce GT 740 wins in every measurable category from the data. It has the higher OpenCL score (3847 vs 3594), the higher average benchmark score (3431 vs 3594 for the GT 545, though the GT 545 only has one benchmark result), and the higher percentile ranking. Both GPUs sit at the 21st percentile versus all GPUs, but the GT 740's average is dragged down by its additional Metal and Vulkan results, which score lower than its OpenCL result.

The GT 740's wins extend to raw throughput. Its pixel rate of 7.944 GPixel/s is nearly double the GT 545's 4.320 GPixel/s. Its texture rate of 31.78 GTexel/s far exceeds the GT 545's 17.28 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance of 762.6 GFLOPS is over 80% higher than the GT 545's 414.7 GFLOPS. Memory bandwidth is also dramatically better: 80.19 GB/s versus 38.40 GB/s, a 109% advantage.

The GT 545's only "wins" are in areas that do not reflect performance. It has more memory capacity (1536 MB vs 1024 MB) and a wider memory bus (192 bit vs 128 bit), but these are offset by the GT 740's use of GDDR5 memory running at 5 Gbps effective versus the GT 545's DDR3 at 1600 Mbps effective. The GT 545 also has a lower TDP of 70 W versus the GT 740's 64 W, meaning the GT 740 is both faster and more power-efficient.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every core specification. The GT 545 has 144 shading units, 24 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster operation pipelines (ROPs). The GT 740 has 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This means the GT 740 has 2.67 times the shading units and 1.33 times the TMUs, with equal ROP counts.

Memory configurations diverge sharply. The GT 545 offers 1536 MB of DDR3 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding 38.40 GB/s bandwidth. The GT 740 offers 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding 80.19 GB/s bandwidth. Despite having one-third less memory and a narrower bus, the GT 740's GDDR5 memory delivers over twice the bandwidth.

Power and connectivity also differ. The GT 545 has a TDP of 70 W with no power connectors, while the GT 740 has a TDP of 64 W with a single 6-pin connector. Both require a 250 W suggested PSU and are single-slot cards measuring 145 mm (5.7 inches) in length. The GT 545 uses a PCIe 2.0 x16 interface, while the GT 740 uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs differ: the GT 545 has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.3a, and 1x VGA, while the GT 740 has 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.4a.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is the defining story of this comparison. The GT 545 uses the GF116 chip built on Fermi 2.0 architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 40 nm process. It packs 1,170 million transistors into a 238 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 4.9M per mm². The GT 740 uses the GK107 chip built on Kepler architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 28 nm process. It contains 1,270 million transistors in a 118 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 10.8M per mm² — more than double the GT 545's density.

The node shrink from 40 nm to 28 nm is the primary enabler of the GT 740's superior efficiency. Despite having 100 million more transistors, the GT 740's die is less than half the size of the GT 545's. This explains how the GT 740 achieves dramatically higher throughput while consuming less power (64 W vs 70 W).

API support further separates the two. Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but the GT 740 adds Vulkan support (version 1.2.175), while the GT 545 has no Vulkan support listed. The GT 740 also has more modern display outputs with HDMI 1.4a versus the GT 545's HDMI 1.3a, and a newer PCIe generation (3.0 vs 2.0). The GT 545 belongs to the GeForce 500 generation (successor to GeForce 400, predecessor to GeForce 600), while the GT 740 belongs to the GeForce 700 generation (successor to GeForce 600, predecessor to GeForce 900).

The Verdict

The GeForce GT 740 is the definitive choice for any user seeking performance. Benchmark results show it leading the GT 545 by 6.6% in OpenCL, and its architectural advantages compound that lead across every throughput metric. Its 762.6 GFLOPS FP32 performance, 80.19 GB/s memory bandwidth, and 31.78 GTexel/s texture rate are all dramatically superior to the GT 545's 414.7 GFLOPS, 38.40 GB/s, and 17.28 GTexel/s. For modern workloads, the GT 740's Vulkan support and PCIe 3.0 interface make it the more future-proof option, despite both cards being end-of-life products.

The GT 545's sole advantages are its larger memory pool (1536 MB vs 1024 MB) and its lack of a power connector requirement, which could matter in systems with constrained power delivery. However, these advantages are undermined by the GT 740's superior memory technology — GDDR5 at 5 Gbps effective provides more than double the bandwidth, which matters far more than capacity for gaming and compute tasks. The GT 545's wider 192-bit bus cannot compensate for its slower DDR3 memory.

The data supports a clear verdict: the GT 740 wins on raw performance, efficiency, and feature support. The GT 545 is a Fermi-era relic that, while historically significant, is outclassed by the Kepler-based GT 740 in every meaningful benchmark. Users with legacy 40 nm systems might find the GT 545's lower power connector requirements convenient, but anyone who values performance should choose the GT 740. Its higher transistor density (10.8M per mm² vs 4.9M per mm²) and more modern 28 nm process node make it the superior engineering achievement, and the benchmark results confirm it in practice.