NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 vs NVIDIA GeForce MX350 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 and NVIDIA GeForce MX350 are both Pascal-generation parts, but they occupy opposite ends of the performance spectrum. The data shows a desktop flagship from 2016 facing off against a mobile entry-level chip from 2020. While both share an architecture name, the benchmark results and specifications reveal a chasm in capability that goes far beyond simple clock speed differences.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two available head-to-head benchmarks tell a stark story of performance disparity. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 1080 scores 51,204 points against the MX350’s 8,689 points. This represents a 489.3% advantage for the desktop card, meaning it delivers nearly six times the raw compute throughput in this particular workload. The delta is so large that it essentially places the two products in different performance galaxies, with the MX350's result appearing closer to an integrated graphics solution than to a dedicated desktop GPU.

The Vulkan benchmark narrows the gap somewhat, but the outcome remains decisive. The GTX 1080 posts 30,398 points while the MX350 manages 13,077 points, giving the desktop card a 132.5% lead. This smaller relative margin in Vulkan is noteworthy, as it suggests that API overhead or driver optimization may play a role in how efficiently each card utilizes its hardware. Still, the GTX 1080 more than doubles the MX350's score in this modern graphics API.

Across the two tests, the GTX 1080 claims both victories, with winsA equal to 2 and winsB equal to 0. The average benchmark score further contextualizes the divide: the GTX 1080 averages 11,960 points across all its benchmark runs, while the MX350 averages 10,883 points. Interestingly, the MX350's average is pulled up by its Vulkan result, which is comparatively strong against its own OpenCL score. The GTX 1080's percentile ranking of 51 places it in the upper half of all GPUs, while the MX350 sits just below at the 49th percentile, making their overall standings surprisingly close despite the massive head-to-head gaps.

Architecture Differences

Both cards use the Pascal architecture, but they are built on different processes and feature vastly different chip configurations. The GTX 1080 utilizes the GP104 chip manufactured on a 16 nm process at TSMC, containing 7,200 million transistors on a 314 mm² die. The MX350 uses the GP107S chip built on a 14 nm process at Samsung, with 3,300 million transistors on a 132 mm² die. This means the MX350 packs more transistors per square millimeter — 25.0M / mm² versus 22.9M / mm² — but the GTX 1080's larger die gives it over twice the total transistor count.

The core configurations diverge dramatically. The GTX 1080 features 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation pipelines. The MX350 is equipped with 640 shading units, 32 TMUs, and just 16 ROPs. This 4:1 ratio in shading units and TMUs, along with a 4:1 ratio in ROPs, directly explains the compute performance gap observed in benchmarks. The GTX 1080's pixel rate of 110.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 277.3 GTexel/s dwarf the MX350's 23.49 GPixel/s and 46.98 GTexel/s, respectively.

Memory subsystems further separate the two. The GTX 1080 uses 8 GB of GDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 320.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The MX350 is limited to 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, yielding just 56.06 GB/s. The memory clock difference is also notable: the GTX 1080 runs at 1251 MHz with 10 Gbps effective speed, while the MX350 operates at 1752 MHz with 7 Gbps effective. The wider bus on the desktop card is the primary reason for its massive bandwidth advantage, which becomes critical in high-resolution textures and compute workloads.

Both cards support DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API feature parity exists. However, the FP32 compute throughput tells the performance story: the GTX 1080 delivers 8.873 TFLOPS versus the MX350's 1.879 TFLOPS. FP16 performance follows a similar pattern at 138.6 GFLOPS versus 29.36 GFLOPS, with both using a 1:64 ratio. Power consumption reflects the performance divide, with the GTX 1080 rated at 180 W TDP versus the MX350's 20 W TDP, a nine-fold difference.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 offers 320.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is over five times the MX350's 56.06 GB/s. This stems from the GTX 1080's 256-bit memory bus and GDDR5X memory type, compared to the MX350's 64-bit bus and GDDR5.

Q: How do the two cards compare in shading unit count?

A: The GTX 1080 has 2,560 shading units, while the MX350 has 640. This 4:1 ratio directly correlates with the significant FP32 performance difference of 8.873 TFLOPS versus 1.879 TFLOPS.

Q: Are both cards based on the same architecture?

A: Yes, both use the Pascal architecture. However, the GTX 1080 uses the GP104 chip on TSMC's 16 nm process, while the MX350 uses the GP107S chip on Samsung's 14 nm process. The GTX 1080's die is 314 mm² compared to the MX350's 132 mm².

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The GTX 1080 has a 180 W TDP, requiring a 1x 8-pin power connector and a suggested 450 W power supply. The MX350 has a 20 W TDP and uses no power connectors, making it suitable for portable devices.

Q: Which card performs better in Vulkan benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1080 scores 30,398 points in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 132.5% higher than the MX350's 13,077 points. The MX350's Vulkan result is relatively stronger than its OpenCL result, suggesting better API efficiency on the mobile chip.

Q: What memory capacities do these cards offer?

A: The GTX 1080 comes with 8 GB of GDDR5X memory, while the MX350 has 2 GB of GDDR5. The GTX 1080's larger capacity and faster memory type make it markedly better suited for memory-intensive workloads.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every specification category. The GTX 1080 uses the GP104 chip on a 16 nm TSMC process with 7,200 million transistors on a 314 mm² die, while the MX350 uses GP107S on a 14 nm Samsung process with 3,300 million transistors on a 132 mm² die. The transistor density favors the MX350 at 25.0M / mm² versus 22.9M / mm², but total transistor count heavily favors the GTX 1080.

Clock speeds show the GTX 1080 with a 1607 MHz base and 1733 MHz boost, versus the MX350's 1354 MHz base and 1468 MHz boost. Memory clocks differ as well: 1251 MHz with 10 Gbps effective on the GTX 1080, compared to 1752 MHz with 7 Gbps effective on the MX350. The GTX 1080's memory configuration includes 8 GB GDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, while the MX350 has 2 GB GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus.

Compute resources differ by a factor of four across the board: 2,560 versus 640 shading units, 160 versus 32 TMUs, and 64 versus 16 ROPs. Pixel rate, texture rate, and FP32 performance all follow this pattern, with the GTX 1080 achieving 110.9 GPixel/s, 277.3 GTexel/s, and 8.873 TFLOPS, respectively, versus the MX350's 23.49 GPixel/s, 46.98 GTexel/s, and 1.879 TFLOPS.

Power and physical specifications diverge completely. The GTX 1080 has a 180 W TDP, dual-slot design, 1x 8-pin power connector, 450 W suggested PSU, and dimensions of 267 mm length, 112 mm height, and 40 mm width. The MX350 has a 20 W TDP, no power connectors, no suggested PSU, and no listed dimensions. The bus interface differs, with PCIe 3.0 x16 on the GTX 1080 and PCIe 3.0 x4 on the MX350. Display outputs also differ: the GTX 1080 offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the MX350 is portable device dependent.

The Verdict

The data overwhelmingly favors the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 for any task requiring substantial graphics or compute performance. Its 489.3% lead in OpenCL and 132.5% lead in Vulkan benchmarks, combined with 8 GB of GDDR5X memory and 8.873 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, make it the clear choice for demanding workloads. The GTX 1080's 51st percentile ranking places it above the MX350's 49th percentile, though the average scores are closer than the head-to-head tests suggest.

The MX350's strengths lie in efficiency and portability. Its 20 W TDP requires no power connectors, making it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where the GTX 1080's 180 W TDP and dual-slot design would be impossible. For users who need basic graphics acceleration in a portable form factor, the MX350 serves a purpose, but its 2 GB memory capacity and 1.879 TFLOPS performance limit it to light workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 1080 wins in every head-to-head benchmark category available, and its specification advantages extend to memory bandwidth, compute throughput, and pixel fill rates. It is the appropriate choice for desktop gaming, content creation, and compute-heavy tasks where power consumption and physical size are secondary concerns. The 8 GB GDDR5X memory and 320.3 GB/s bandwidth provide headroom for modern game textures and large datasets.

The MX350 wins in power efficiency and form factor. Its 20 W TDP is 160 W lower than the GTX 1080, and it requires no external power connectors. This makes it viable for portable devices where battery life and thermal constraints dominate. Its smaller 132 mm² die and 3,300 million transistors also indicate lower manufacturing complexity. For users who prioritize mobility over performance, the MX350's 13,077 Vulkan score shows it can handle basic graphics tasks, but the GTX 1080 remains the superior choice for any performance-sensitive scenario.