NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 represent two distinct eras of mobile and desktop GPU design, separated by nearly three years of architectural evolution. The data presents a clear performance hierarchy, but the story is more nuanced than a simple win-loss record, as the benchmarks reveal specific strengths rooted in each chip's fundamental design philosophy.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The sole head-to-head benchmark available, Geekbench OpenCL, delivers a decisive victory for the newer GTX 760M. It scores 5604 points against the GTS 450's 4893 points, a 14.5% advantage. This is not a marginal lead; it represents a substantial generational leap in raw compute throughput. The GTX 760M's OpenCL score places it in a competitive position among its peers, sitting 0.5% above the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M (5211) and 1.5% above the AMD Radeon R7 M260X (5161). Conversely, the GTS 450's score of 4893 places it in a curious neighborhood, with its nearest rival being the modern NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB, which scores 4901, a mere 0.2% difference. This suggests that while the GTS 450 is old, its compute capabilities in this specific test are not entirely obsolete when compared to a much newer entry-level card.

The 14.5% delta in OpenCL performance is underpinned by significant differences in the chips' theoretical specifications. The GTX 760M's FP32 throughput is listed at 1,104.4 GFLOPS, nearly double the GTS 450's 601.3 GFLOPS. This raw computational horsepower is the primary driver behind the OpenCL score difference. Similarly, the texture rate diverges sharply, with the GTX 760M achieving 46.02 GTexel/s versus the GTS 450's 25.06 GTexel/s. The pixel rate also favors the newer card, 11.50 GPixel/s compared to 6.264 GPixel/s. Each of these metrics contributes to the overall benchmark result, painting a picture of a GPU that is fundamentally faster at processing the parallel workloads typical of OpenCL.

However, the benchmark victory is not the only story. The GTX 760M's average benchmark score across all tests is 5236, which is higher than its OpenCL score alone, suggesting strength in other workloads. The GTS 450's average score is identical to its OpenCL score (4893), as that is its only recorded benchmark. This data asymmetry means we can only directly compare them on this single axis, but that axis clearly favors the Kepler-based GTX 760M.

The Verdict

From the data, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M is the unequivocal performance winner. Its 14.5% lead in the OpenCL benchmark is substantial and consistent with its superior specifications in nearly every category. For any user prioritizing raw compute performance, the GTX 760M is the obvious choice. Its higher shading unit count (768 vs 192), TMUs (64 vs 32), and FP32 output make it a more capable processor for general-purpose and graphics workloads. The data shows a GPU that is not just faster, but architecturally more advanced, with a transistor density of 11.5M / mm² on a 28 nm process compared to the GTS 450's 4.9M / mm² on a 40 nm process.

The GTS 450, while losing the performance crown, is not without its own merits, primarily in the form of efficiency. Its power draw of 106 W is significantly higher than the GTX 760M's 55 W, meaning the newer card delivers over double the FP32 performance per watt. This is a critical factor for mobile platforms, where the GTX 760M's MXM Module form factor and lower power requirements make it vastly more suitable. The GTS 450, with its Dual-slot design and 1x 6-pin power connector, is a desktop-oriented card. Therefore, the verdict is not just about speed, but also about context. The GTX 760M is the superior component for portable performance, while the GTS 450 belongs to a previous generation of desktop hardware.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 760M wins decisively in compute-heavy tasks. Its 768 shading units and 64 texture mapping units provide a massive advantage in any application that leverages parallel processing, such as video encoding, scientific simulations, or modern game physics. The 64.13 GB/s memory bandwidth, while not dramatically higher than the GTS 450's 57.73 GB/s, is still an advantage. The GTX 760M also has a higher pixel rate, making it better suited for high-resolution rendering and demanding visual effects. In any scenario where the GPU is the bottleneck, the GTX 760M will finish the job faster.

The GTS 450's sole "win" in this comparison is its existence as a desktop card with specific legacy features. It offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a display outputs, whereas the GTX 760M's outputs are "Portable Device Dependent," meaning they are dictated by the laptop manufacturer. For a user building a retro desktop system, the GTS 450 provides a familiar, self-contained solution. It also has a larger die size at 238 mm², which is a physical, not performance, characteristic. In terms of raw compute, the data shows no benchmark where the GTS 450 is superior, but its form factor and interface (PCIe 2.0 x16) are distinct advantages for older desktop motherboards.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M is faster, scoring 5604 compared to the GTS 450's 4893, a 14.5% difference.

Q: Does the GTS 450 have any performance advantage over the GTX 760M?

A: No. In the single benchmark test available, the GTX 760M wins. The data shows no test where the GTS 450 outperforms the GTX 760M.

Q: How do these cards compare in terms of power consumption?

A: The GTX 760M has a TDP of 55 W, which is significantly lower than the GTS 450's 106 W TDP.

Q: Are there any architectural differences that explain the performance gap?

A: Yes. The GTX 760M uses the Kepler architecture on a 28 nm process, while the GTS 450 uses the older Fermi architecture on a 40 nm process. This leads to major differences in core counts, with the GTX 760M having 768 shading units versus 192 on the GTS 450.

Q: What is the memory size difference between the two GPUs?

A: The GTX 760M comes with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GTS 450 has 1024 MB (1 GB) of GDDR5 memory.

Q: Which card has a better performance percentile ranking?

A: The GTX 760M has a percentile rank of 31, which is higher than the GTS 450's rank of 28.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two GPUs is the primary reason for the performance disparity. The GTX 760M is built on the Kepler architecture (chip GK106S), while the GTS 450 is a Fermi (chip GF106) design. This represents a full generational shift in NVIDIA's GPU design philosophy. Kepler focuses on efficiency and higher core counts, while Fermi was an earlier, less efficient design. The manufacturing process reflects this, with the GTX 760M using a 28 nm node versus the GTS 450's 40 nm node, both from TSMC. This allows the GTX 760M to pack 2,540 million transistors onto a smaller 221 mm² die, achieving a density of 11.5M / mm². In contrast, the GTS 450 has 1,170 million transistors on a larger 238 mm² die, resulting in a density of just 4.9M / mm².

This architectural shift leads to a massive increase in execution resources. The GTX 760M features 768 shading units and 64 TMUs, compared to the GTS 450's 192 shading units and 32 TMUs. Both have 16 ROPs, but the GTX 760M's higher clock speeds (628 MHz base, 719 MHz boost) and architectural efficiency give it a significant edge in pixel and texture fill rates. The API support also differs slightly; while both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, the GTX 760M supports Vulkan 1.2.175, whereas the GTS 450 has no Vulkan support listed. This makes the newer card more future-proof for modern applications that leverage Vulkan.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every core specification. The GTX 760M has double the memory capacity (2 GB vs 1024 MB) and a slightly higher memory bandwidth (64.13 GB/s vs 57.73 GB/s), despite both using a 128-bit bus and GDDR5 memory. The memory clock differs as well, with the GTX 760M running at 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective) compared to the GTS 450's 902 MHz (3.6 Gbps effective). The most dramatic differences are in processing power: the GTX 760M's FP32 performance is 1,104.4 GFLOPS, while the GTS 450 is rated at 601.3 GFLOPS. Texture and pixel rates also favor the newer card, as previously noted.

The physical and power characteristics are also distinct. The GTX 760M is an MXM Module with a 55 W TDP and no power connectors, designed for laptops. The GTS 450 is a Dual-slot desktop card, 210 mm long, with a 106 W TDP, requiring a 1x 6-pin power connector and a 300 W suggested PSU. The bus interface also differs, with the GTX 760M using PCIe 3.0 x16 and the GTS 450 using PCIe 2.0 x16. Finally, the release dates are separated by years, with the GTS 450 launching in September 2010 and the GTX 760M in May 2013. The GTS 450 had a launch MSRP of 129 USD, while no MSRP is listed for the GTX 760M, as it was an OEM mobile part.