NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M Comparison

# NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M

The NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M represent two distinct eras of mobile and desktop graphics, separated by four years of architectural evolution. The GTS 450, built on the Fermi architecture with a 40 nm process, was a dual-slot desktop card from 2010, while the GTX 970M, a Maxwell 2.0-based MXM module from 2014, targeted high-performance laptops. Benchmark data shows a decisive performance gap: in the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 970M scores 18,946 against the GTS 450's 4,893, a 74.2% delta in favor of the newer part. Both cards are now end-of-life products, but their specifications and measured performance tell a clear story of generational progress.

FAQ

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

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M is significantly faster, scoring 18,946 points compared to the GTS 450's 4,893 points. This represents a delta of -74.2% when viewed from the GTS 450's perspective, meaning the GTX 970M delivers roughly 3.9 times the OpenCL performance.

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

A: The GTX 970M offers more than double the memory bandwidth of the GTS 450. The GTX 970M provides 120.3 GB/s across a 192-bit bus, while the GTS 450 delivers 57.73 GB/s over a 128-bit bus. Both use GDDR5 memory, but the GTX 970M's effective memory speed is 5 Gbps versus 3.6 Gbps on the GTS 450.

Q: What are the key architectural differences between Fermi and Maxwell 2.0?

A: The GTS 450 uses the GF106 chip on a 40 nm process with 1,170 million transistors, while the GTX 970M uses the GM204 chip on a 28 nm process with 5,200 million transistors. The newer Maxwell 2.0 architecture supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the Fermi card is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) with no Vulkan support.

Q: Which card has more shading units and texture mapping units?

A: The GTX 970M has substantially more processing resources, with 1,280 shading units and 80 TMUs, compared to the GTS 450's 192 shading units and 32 TMUs. The GTX 970M also doubles the ROP count at 48 versus 16.

Q: How do the pixel and texture fill rates compare?

A: The GTX 970M achieves a pixel rate of 49.82 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 83.04 GTexel/s. The GTS 450 manages 6.264 GPixel/s and 25.06 GTexel/s, respectively. The GTX 970M's pixel throughput is nearly eight times higher.

Q: What is the performance percentile ranking for each GPU?

A: The GTS 450 sits at the 28th percentile among all GPUs, while the GTX 970M ranks at the 27th percentile. Despite the GTX 970M's much higher raw scores, its percentile is slightly lower because it is compared against a broader field of newer, more powerful cards.

Architecture Differences

The GTS 450 is built on the Fermi architecture, using the GF106 chip manufactured by TSMC on a 40 nm process. This chip contains 1,170 million transistors within a die size of 238 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 4.9 million transistors per square millimeter. The Fermi generation, part of the GeForce 400 series, was designed for desktop use with a dual-slot form factor, a 1x 6-pin power connector, and a suggested PSU of 300 W. Its display outputs include 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a, and it connects via PCIe 2.0 x16.

The GTX 970M, in contrast, uses the Maxwell 2.0 architecture with the GM204 chip, also from TSMC but on a more advanced 28 nm process. This chip packs 5,200 million transistors into a 398 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 13.1 million transistors per square millimeter — roughly 2.7 times denser than the GTS 450. As an MXM module with an MXM-B (3.0) interface, it is designed for portable devices and has no dedicated power connectors, drawing power through the laptop's system. Its display outputs are described as "portable device dependent," reflecting its mobile nature.

The memory subsystems differ dramatically. The GTS 450 comes with 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, while the GTX 970M offers 6 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus. The GTX 970M also features a base clock of 924 MHz with a boost clock of 1038 MHz, whereas the GTS 450 has no listed base or boost clocks — only its memory clock of 902 MHz (3.6 Gbps effective). The GTX 970M's memory runs at 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective).

API support marks another major divide. The GTX 970M supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GTS 450 also lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6 but has no Vulkan support. This means the GTX 970M can handle modern graphics APIs that the older Fermi card cannot.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the GTX 970M is the superior performer for any compute-heavy workload. In the only head-to-head benchmark available — Geekbench OpenCL — the GTX 970M scores 18,946 against the GTS 450's 4,893, a 74.2% advantage. This aligns with the raw specification differences: the GTX 970M has 6.7 times the shading units, 2.5 times the TMUs, 3 times the ROPs, and more than double the memory bandwidth.

For users with legacy desktop systems that require a Fermi-era card, the GTS 450 remains a functional option, but its 28th percentile ranking and 601.3 GFLOPS of FP32 performance place it firmly in entry-level territory. Its 106 W TDP and dual-slot design are modest by modern standards, yet its 2010 release date and end-of-life status mean it offers no upgrade path for modern games or compute applications.

The GTX 970M, despite its lower 27th percentile ranking, is the clear choice for anyone needing portable graphics performance. Its 2.657 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, 6 GB memory capacity, and support for Vulkan 1.4 make it a more future-proof option, even as an end-of-life product. The MXM form factor limits its use to compatible laptops, but within that scope, it provides roughly four times the OpenCL performance of the GTS 450.

Pick the GTS 450 only if you require a legacy PCIe 2.0 desktop card with specific display outputs. Pick the GTX 970M for any scenario where compute performance, memory capacity, or modern API support matters more than form factor flexibility.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Fermi | Maxwell 2.0 |

| Chip | GF106 | GM204 |

| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 1,170 million | 5,200 million |

| Die Size | 238 mm² | 398 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 4.9M / mm² | 13.1M / mm² |

| Base Clock | N/A | 924 MHz |

| Boost Clock | N/A | 1038 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 902 MHz (3.6 Gbps effective) | 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 6 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 57.73 GB/s | 120.3 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 192 | 1280 |

| TMUs | 32 | 80 |

| ROPs | 16 | 48 |

| Pixel Rate | 6.264 GPixel/s | 49.82 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 25.06 GTexel/s | 83.04 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 601.3 GFLOPS | 2.657 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 106 W | N/A |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | None |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 2.0 x16 | MXM-B (3.0) |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a | Portable Device Dependent |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan Support | N/A | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2010-09-12 | 2014-10-06 |

The GTS 450 has a launch MSRP of 129 USD; the GTX 970M has no listed launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it produces a lopsided result. The GTX 970M scores 18,946 points, while the GTS 450 manages just 4,893 points — a delta of -74.2% from the GTS 450's perspective. This means the GTX 970M delivers approximately 3.87 times the OpenCL compute performance of the GTS 450.

This massive gap is consistent with the underlying specifications. The GTX 970M's 2.657 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is over four times the GTS 450's 601.3 GFLOPS. Its 83.04 GTexel/s texture rate is 3.3 times higher, and its 49.82 GPixel/s pixel rate is nearly eight times higher. The memory bandwidth advantage — 120.3 GB/s versus 57.73 GB/s — ensures the GTX 970M's additional compute resources are adequately fed.

Looking at the broader benchmark suite for the GTX 970M, it shows strengths across multiple APIs: a Passmark G3D score of 5,704, a Geekbench Vulkan score of 18,292, and a Passmark GPU Compute score of 2,289. Its DirectX 9 Passmark score of 99 far exceeds its DirectX 12 score of 24, reflecting the era in which it was designed. The GTS 450, having only the single Geekbench OpenCL result, cannot be compared on these other tests, but the data that exists points to a generational chasm.

In terms of nearest rivals, the GTS 450's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB, which scores 4,901 — just 0.2% higher. The AMD FirePro W5130M is similarly close at 4,904. The GTX 970M's nearest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro M3000M at 4,621, a 0.2% gap, and the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB at 4,657, which is 0.6% lower. These groupings highlight that both cards sit in very different performance classes despite their similar percentile rankings.

The wins tally is equally one-sided: the GTX 970M wins the single head-to-head benchmark, while the GTS 450 records zero victories. For any workload relying on OpenCL compute — be it rendering, simulation, or general GPU acceleration — the GTX 970M is the definitive choice. The GTS 450's only consolation is its lower power draw at 106 W, but with no TDP listed for the GTX 970M, a direct power efficiency comparison is not possible from the available data.