NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 is decisively the stronger GPU, winning every head-to-head benchmark by a substantial margin, while the older GeForce GT 745M lags significantly in raw compute and API-specific performance. The data shows a generational gap that is impossible to ignore: the GTX 1050 leads by 38.8% to 76.5% across all shared tests. However, the GT 745M holds a niche advantage in its integration profile, operating as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with a 45 W TDP, whereas the GTX 1050 is a dual-slot discrete card requiring a 250 W suggested PSU.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 1050 wins in every measurable performance category, making it the clear choice for any workload involving graphics acceleration. Its most significant victory comes in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where it scores 15,233 versus the GT 745M’s 3,580, a 76.5% advantage. This indicates a massive lead in general-purpose compute tasks, such as video encoding, physics simulations, or any application leveraging OpenCL acceleration. The GTX 1050 also dominates in Geekbench Vulkan (8,995 vs 5,502, a 38.8% lead), showing better modern API efficiency for gaming and real-time rendering. In Geekbench Metal, the GTX 1050’s 7,823 score dwarfs the GT 745M’s 2,777, a 64.5% gap, which matters for macOS or Metal-based applications.

The GT 745M’s only conceptual win is in its form factor and power profile, not in performance. As an IGP with a 45 W TDP, it is designed for thin-and-light laptops where a discrete dual-slot card like the GTX 1050 (75 W TDP, 145 mm length) physically cannot fit. The data does not show any benchmark where the GT 745M wins, but its 45 W TDP and IGP slot width make it the only viable option for ultra-portable systems. For any user prioritizing raw frame rates, compute throughput, or modern API support, the GTX 1050 wins outright.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the GTX 1050 than the GT 745M in OpenCL?

A: The GTX 1050 scores 15,233 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the GT 745M scores 3,580. This represents a 76.5% advantage for the GTX 1050, the largest performance gap between the two across all shared benchmarks.

Q: Which GPU has better Vulkan performance?

A: The GTX 1050 is significantly better, scoring 8,995 in Geekbench Vulkan compared to the GT 745M’s 5,502. The delta is 38.8%, meaning the GTX 1050 is roughly two-thirds faster in this API.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the GT 745M wins?

A: No. Across the three head-to-head benchmarks (Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan), the GTX 1050 wins all of them. The GT 745M has zero benchmark victories in this comparison.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The GT 745M has an average benchmark score of 3,953, while the GTX 1050 has an average of 3,629. Despite the GTX 1050 winning all direct comparisons, the GT 745M has a slightly higher average score, likely due to the different mix of tests included in each GPU’s average.

Q: Does the GTX 1050 support newer DirectX features?

A: Yes. The GTX 1050 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the GT 745M only supports DirectX 12 (11_0). This means the GTX 1050 is compatible with more advanced DirectX 12 features in modern games.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The GT 745M has a TDP of 45 W, while the GTX 1050 has a TDP of 75 W. The GTX 1050 also requires a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the GT 745M has no such requirement due to its IGP nature.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result in this comparison is Geekbench OpenCL, where the GTX 1050 scores 15,233 against the GT 745M’s 3,580. The deltaPct of -76.5% (from the GT 745M’s perspective) means the older card retains only about a quarter of the performance. This test is particularly telling because OpenCL is a cross-platform compute standard; the GTX 1050’s 640 shading units and 1.862 TFLOPS FP32 throughput simply overwhelm the GT 745M’s 384 shading units and 421.6 GFLOPS.

In Geekbench Metal, the GTX 1050 posts 7,823 versus 2,777 for the GT 745M, a 64.5% deficit for the latter. Metal is Apple’s graphics API, and the GTX 1050’s Pascal architecture (with its 14 nm process and 3,300 million transistors) delivers far better per-clock efficiency than the Kepler-based GT 745M (28 nm, 1,270 million transistors). The GTX 1050’s 46.56 GPixel/s pixel rate and 58.20 GTexel/s texture rate are roughly 10x and 3.3x higher, respectively, explaining the massive score gap.

The closest contest is Geekbench Vulkan, where the GTX 1050 scores 8,995 versus the GT 745M’s 5,502. The 38.8% delta is still a decisive win, but it shows that the GT 745M’s Kepler architecture can hold up somewhat better in this API. The GTX 1050’s Vulkan 1.4 support (versus 1.2.175 for the GT 745M) and higher memory bandwidth (112.1 GB/s vs 64.00 GB/s) likely contribute to its victory. Even in its worst relative showing, the GTX 1050 wins by nearly 40%, underscoring the overall performance disparity.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every core specification. The GTX 1050 has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 render output units (ROPs), compared to the GT 745M’s 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This means the GTX 1050 has 66% more shaders and double the ROPs, which directly translates to higher fill rates and pixel throughput.

Clock speeds also diverge sharply. The GT 745M has no listed base or boost clock, while the GTX 1050 runs at a 1354 MHz base and 1455 MHz boost. Memory clocks differ as well: the GT 745M runs at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective), whereas the GTX 1050 runs at 1752 MHz (7 Gbps effective). This drives bandwidth from 64.00 GB/s on the GT 745M to 112.1 GB/s on the GTX 1050, a 75% increase.

Other specification gaps include transistor count (1,270 million vs 3,300 million), die size (118 mm² vs 132 mm²), and transistor density (10.8M/mm² vs 25.0M/mm²). The GTX 1050 has a significantly higher FP32 performance (1.862 TFLOPS vs 421.6 GFLOPS) and supports FP16 at 29.10 GFLOPS (1:64 ratio), while the GT 745M has no FP16 listing. The GTX 1050 is a dual-slot card with a 145 mm length and 111 mm height, while the GT 745M is an IGP. The GTX 1050 also has explicit display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a), whereas the GT 745M’s outputs are "Portable Device Dependent."

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is foundational. The GT 745M uses the GK107 chip built on Kepler architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The GTX 1050 uses the GP107 chip built on Pascal architecture, manufactured by Samsung on a 14 nm process. This process shrink from 28 nm to 14 nm is a key enabler of the GTX 1050’s higher clock speeds and efficiency, despite having 2.6x more transistors (3,300 million vs 1,270 million) in a similar die size (132 mm² vs 118 mm²).

The GT 745M belongs to the GeForce 700M generation, while the GTX 1050 is part of the GeForce 10-series. The GT 745M’s predecessor is the GeForce 600M and its successor is the GeForce 800M, indicating it is a mid-generation mobile part. The GTX 1050’s predecessor is GeForce 900 and its successor is GeForce 20, placing it in a far more recent product stack. The GTX 1050 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GT 745M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

The GTX 1050’s Pascal architecture also brings a boost to memory efficiency, with 7 Gbps effective GDDR5 versus 4 Gbps on the GT 745M. The GTX 1050’s 29.10 GFLOPS FP16 capability (1:64 ratio) is a feature absent from the GT 745M’s spec sheet. The GTX 1050 has no power connectors and relies on the PCIe slot for power, while the GT 745M, being an IGP, has no external power requirements at all.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the GTX 1050 is the superior graphics processor for any performance-sensitive application. It wins every head-to-head benchmark, with leads ranging from 38.8% in Vulkan to 76.5% in OpenCL. Its 640 shading units, 1.862 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, and 112.1 GB/s bandwidth give it a decisive edge in gaming, compute, and modern API workloads. The GTX 1050 also offers better future-proofing with DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4 support. Its launch MSRP was 109 USD, though pricing is not a factor in this analysis.

The GT 745M is only relevant for systems that physically cannot accommodate a discrete card. As an IGP with a 45 W TDP, it fits in ultra-thin laptops where a dual-slot, 145 mm-long GTX 1050 is impossible. Its 23rd percentile vs all GPUs is slightly higher than the GTX 1050’s 21st percentile, but this is misleading given the GTX 1050’s dominance in direct comparisons. The GT 745M’s average benchmark score of 3,953 is also slightly higher than the GTX 1050’s 3,629, but this reflects the different test suites used to compute those averages, not actual performance parity.

Choose the GTX 1050 if you need performance, modern API support, or any form of gaming capability. Choose the GT 745M only if your hardware constraints demand an IGP and you accept its significant performance limitations. For anyone with the option of a discrete card, the GTX 1050 is the only rational choice based on benchmark evidence.