NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti are two end-of-life graphics cards from different eras, yet benchmark data places them in a remarkably close performance tier. The GTX 780 Ti, a former flagship from the Kepler generation, holds a slight edge in raw compute tests, while the GTX 1630, a budget Turing part, counters with modern features and vastly lower power demands. This analysis compares the two directly using benchmark scores, specifications, and architectural differences.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results show a clear, though not overwhelming, victory for the older GTX 780 Ti. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 780 Ti scores 27,326, which is 9% higher than the GTX 1630's score of 24,858. This is a significant margin in synthetic compute workloads, reflecting the 780 Ti's much larger shader array and memory bandwidth. The GTX 780 Ti also wins the Geekbench Vulkan test, scoring 27,238 against the GTX 1630's 23,695, a 13% advantage. This suggests the older card maintains its lead even in modern API-based workloads, likely due to its superior raw throughput.

However, the average benchmark scores tell a different story of overall parity. The GTX 1630 has an average benchmark score of 24,277, while the GTX 780 Ti sits just behind at 24,236. The delta between them is a mere 0.2% in favor of the GTX 1630. This indicates that while the 780 Ti wins in specific OpenCL and Vulkan tests, the GTX 1630 is comparable when considering a broader average, possibly due to better driver optimization or efficiency in other untested workloads. Both cards land at the 70th percentile among all GPUs, meaning they occupy the same performance tier in the database's ranking.

Looking at nearest rivals confirms this close grouping. The GTX 1630's nearest rival is the GTX 780 Ti with a delta of 0.2%, but it also sits within 0.9% of the AMD Radeon RX 6800S and 0.4% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER. The GTX 780 Ti's data shows the same cluster, with a -0.2% delta against the GTX 1630 and similar proximity to the RX 6800S (0.7%) and RTX 2080 SUPER (0.3%). This suggests that in practical terms, these two cards are interchangeable in performance, despite the 780 Ti's wins in direct head-to-head tests.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 780 Ti wins in raw compute performance. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 27,326 and Vulkan score of 27,238 are both higher than the GTX 1630's respective scores. This makes it the better choice for compute-heavy tasks like rendering, scientific simulation, or any workload that leverages massive parallel processing. The 780 Ti's 2,880 shading units and 336.6 GB/s memory bandwidth give it a structural advantage in pushing large amounts of data through the pipeline.

The GTX 1630 wins on efficiency and modern feature support. While it loses in raw scores, it achieves comparable average performance (24,277 vs 24,236) with a TDP of only 75 W compared to the 780 Ti's 250 W. It requires no power connectors and only a 250 W suggested PSU, versus the 780 Ti's 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin connectors and 600 W suggested PSU. The GTX 1630 also supports newer display outputs, including HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4a, while the 780 Ti is limited to HDMI 1.4a and DisplayPort 1.2. For a builder prioritizing low power draw, small size (145 mm vs 267 mm), and modern connectivity, the GTX 1630 is the practical winner.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 24,277, compared to the GTX 780 Ti's 24,236. The difference is only 0.2%.

Q: Does the GTX 780 Ti outperform the GTX 1630 in all benchmark tests?

A: No. The GTX 780 Ti wins in Geekbench OpenCL (27,326 vs 24,858) and Geekbench Vulkan (27,238 vs 23,695). However, the GTX 1630 has a higher average score overall, indicating it may win in other tests not listed in the head-to-head data.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two cards?

A: The GTX 780 Ti has a memory bandwidth of 336.6 GB/s, while the GTX 1630 has a bandwidth of 96.00 GB/s. The 780 Ti's advantage comes from its 384-bit bus compared to the 1630's 64-bit bus.

Q: Which card requires a more powerful power supply?

A: The GTX 780 Ti requires a 600 W suggested PSU and uses 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin power connectors. The GTX 1630 requires only a 250 W suggested PSU and has no power connectors.

Q: Can the GTX 1630 support modern display outputs that the GTX 780 Ti cannot?

A: Yes. The GTX 1630 features 1x HDMI 2.0 and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a. The GTX 780 Ti only supports 1x HDMI 1.4a and 1x DisplayPort 1.2.

Q: What is the release date gap between these two cards?

A: The GTX 780 Ti was released on 2013-11-06, while the GTX 1630 was released on 2022-06-27, a gap of roughly 8.5 years.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ significantly in core specifications. The GTX 780 Ti uses 2,880 shading units, 240 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 48 render output units (ROPs). The GTX 1630 has only 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This explains the 780 Ti's higher pixel rate (55.68 GPixel/s vs 28.56 GPixel/s) and texture rate (222.7 GTexel/s vs 57.12 GTexel/s). The FP32 performance also heavily favors the 780 Ti at 5.345 TFLOPS versus the 1630's 1.828 TFLOPS. The GTX 1630 does support FP16 at 3.656 TFLOPS (2:1), while the 780 Ti has no FP16 data.

Memory configurations are also drastically different. The GTX 780 Ti has 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, yielding 336.6 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 1630 has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, yielding 96.00 GB/s. The 1630 has a higher memory clock at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) versus the 780 Ti's 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective). Physical dimensions differ: the 780 Ti is 267 mm long, 111 mm tall, and 38 mm wide (dual-slot), while the 1630 is 145 mm long, 69 mm tall, and 18 mm wide (single-slot). The 780 Ti's TDP is 250 W, while the 1630's is 75 W.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 1630 is built on the Turing architecture using the TU117 chip, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It contains 4,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 23.5M / mm². The GTX 780 Ti uses the older Kepler architecture with the GK110B chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It has 7,080 million transistors on a much larger 561 mm² die, resulting in a lower density of 12.6M / mm². This shows a generational shift toward smaller, denser chips.

The GTX 1630 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 780 Ti supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The 1630's newer architecture also provides a better feature set for modern APIs. The GTX 780 Ti belongs to the GeForce 700 generation, with a predecessor in GeForce 600 and successor in GeForce 900. The GTX 1630 is part of the GeForce 16 generation, with a predecessor in GeForce 10 and successor in GeForce 20. Neither card features ray tracing or tensor cores.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split: the GTX 780 Ti is the raw performance king, winning both head-to-head tests with 9% and 13% margins in OpenCL and Vulkan respectively. Its massive shader count and memory bandwidth make it superior for compute-heavy applications. If your workflow is rendering, video processing, or any task that scales with raw FP32 throughput, the 780 Ti is the choice based on these benchmark results.

The GTX 1630 is the practical card for a modern system. It offers nearly identical average performance (24,277 vs 24,236) while consuming only 75 W, requiring no auxiliary power connectors, and fitting in a single-slot, 145 mm package. It also provides newer display outputs (HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4a) and a newer API version set (DirectX 12_1, Vulkan 1.4). For a low-power HTPC, a small form factor build, or a system where the 250 W PSU requirement is a hard constraint, the GTX 1630 is the sensible pick.

Ultimately, the GTX 780 Ti is for users who need maximum compute performance and have a power supply and case that can handle a 267 mm dual-slot card with a 250 W TDP. The GTX 1630 is for users who value efficiency, modern connectivity, and compactness, and who are willing to accept a 13% deficit in Vulkan performance. Both cards are end-of-life, so availability is limited, but the benchmark data shows they are performance peers in different packages. The 780 Ti's launch MSRP was 699 USD, a historical figure that reflects its former flagship status, while the 1630's lower power and modern features make it more suitable for current system builds.