NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single direct benchmark comparison between these two GPUs, recorded under Geekbench OpenCL. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 posts a score of 13,300, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M records 12,769 in the same test. That gives the GTX 480 a 4.2% advantage, a modest but measurable lead in raw compute throughput. In this specific workload, the older desktop card outperforms the mobile part by a margin that is statistically consistent, though not overwhelming.

The GTX 780M does not win any of the recorded head-to-head tests. Its OpenCL result trails by that 4.2% delta, and the database marks zero wins for the mobile GPU against the GTX 480. The GTX 480 takes the single win in the comparison. That said, the GTX 780M shows additional benchmark results in other API tests that the GTX 480 does not have recorded. In Geekbench Metal, the GTX 780M scores 8,319, and in Geekbench Vulkan it scores 12,696. These results are not part of the head-to-head set, but they do indicate the mobile GPU supports modern API paths that the desktop card cannot match in testing.

Context from the nearest rivals helps interpret the scores. The GTX 480 sits at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 13,300. Its closest competitor is the AMD Radeon Pro 555X at 13,321, which is only 0.2% ahead. The AMD FirePro M6100 scores 13,354, 0.4% ahead, and the AMD Radeon RX 5500M scores 13,356, also 0.4% ahead. The AMD Radeon HD 8950M trails slightly at 13,376, or 0.6% ahead of the GTX 480. These deltas are tiny, placing the GTX 480 in a tightly packed cluster of mid-range performers. A 4.2% lead over the GTX 780M is larger than the gap between the GTX 480 and any of its nearest rivals.

The GTX 780M sits at the 50th percentile with an average score of 11,261 across all its recorded tests. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3200 at 11,228, which is 0.3% behind. The AMD FirePro W4300 is also 0.3% behind at 11,225. Two NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 variants, the Blackwell Max-Q and Blackwell Max-Q D, score 11,088, placing them 1.6% behind the GTX 780M. The GTX 780M's percentile ranking is slightly below the GTX 480, and its average score across multiple APIs is lower than the GTX 480's single OpenCL result. The head-to-head OpenCL delta of 4.2% is therefore consistent with the broader percentile gap.

The data suggests that the GTX 480 holds a real, if limited, performance edge in OpenCL compute. The 4.2% delta is not dramatic, but it is decisive in the only direct comparison recorded. The GTX 780M's Vulkan and Metal scores exist, but without corresponding GTX 480 results in those APIs, the database cannot establish a cross-API winner. The only head-to-head verdict is the GTX 480's.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different design generations and target different physical environments. The GTX 480 uses the GF100 chip, built on the Fermi architecture, while the GTX 780M uses the GK104 chip, built on the Kepler architecture. The GTX 480 belongs to the GeForce 400 generation, and the GTX 780M belongs to the GeForce 700M generation. Both are manufactured by TSMC, but on different process nodes: the GTX 480 uses 40 nm, while the GTX 780M uses 28 nm. That process shrink is significant, as it allows the newer chip to pack more transistors into a smaller die.

Transistor counts and die sizes reflect the generational shift. The GTX 480 has 3,100 million transistors on a 529 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 5.9 million per mm². The GTX 780M has 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, yielding a density of 12.0 million per mm². The GTX 780M therefore crams roughly 14% more transistors into roughly 44% less silicon area, a direct consequence of the 28 nm process. The GTX 480's large die is a hallmark of early Fermi parts, which prioritized raw compute width over efficiency.

The compute resources differ substantially. The GTX 480 features 480 shading units, 60 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. The GTX 780M features 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 780M has triple the shader count and more than double the TMU count, yet fewer ROPs. This configuration suggests the Kepler part is designed for higher arithmetic throughput per clock, while the Fermi part retains a wider memory interface and more ROPs.

Clock behavior also differs. The GTX 480 lists no base or boost clock in the database, only a memory clock of 924 MHz, equivalent to 3.7 Gbps effective. The GTX 780M has a base clock of 771 MHz and a boost clock of 797 MHz, with a memory clock of 1,250 MHz, equivalent to 5 Gbps effective. The GTX 480's lack of recorded clocks is notable, but its memory clock is lower in effective data rate than the GTX 780M's, despite the GTX 480's wider bus.

Memory configurations diverge. The GTX 480 has 1,536 MB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 177.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 780M has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s. The GTX 480 offers more bandwidth thanks to its wider interface, but the GTX 780M offers significantly more capacity, which matters for modern workloads that exceed 1.5 GB. The GTX 480's bandwidth advantage is 17.4 GB/s, or about 10.9% higher.

Pixel and texture rates follow the resource counts. The GTX 480 achieves 21.03 GPixel/s and 42.06 GTexel/s, while the GTX 780M achieves 25.50 GPixel/s and 102.0 GTexel/s. The GTX 780M leads in both fillrate metrics, with a 21.3% pixel rate advantage and a 142.5% texture rate advantage. FP32 compute tells a similar story: the GTX 480 delivers 1,345.0 GFLOPS, while the GTX 780M delivers 2.448 TFLOPS, a lead of approximately 82%. Neither card has recorded FP16, RT core, or tensor core data.

API support differs slightly. Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The GTX 780M additionally lists Vulkan 1.2.175 support, while the GTX 480 has no Vulkan entry in the database. The GTX 480's display outputs are 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a, typical for a desktop card. The GTX 780M's display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," reflecting its MXM module form factor.

Power and physical characteristics diverge sharply. The GTX 480 has a TDP of 250 W, a dual-slot width, a 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin power connector requirement, and a suggested PSU recommendation of 600 W. The GTX 780M has a TDP of 122 W, an MXM Module slot width, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU suggestion. The GTX 480 is a desktop-bound card measuring 267 mm in length, 10.5 inches. The GTX 780M is a mobile GPU with no recorded dimensions. The GTX 480's launch date is 2010-03-25, while the GTX 780M's is 2013-05-10. Production status is end-of-life for both.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 480 or GTX 780M?**

A: The GTX 480 scores 13,300 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the GTX 780M scores 12,769, giving the GTX 480 a 4.2% lead.

Q: How does the GTX 480 compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 480 has an average score of 13,300 and sits at the 53rd percentile. The AMD Radeon Pro 554X is 0.2% ahead at 13,321, the AMD FirePro M6100 is 0.4% ahead at 13,354, the AMD Radeon RX 5500M is 0.4% ahead at 13,356, and the AMD Radeon HD 8950M is 0.6% ahead at 13,376.

Q: What are the memory capacities and bus widths of these two GPUs?

A: The GTX 480 has 1,536 MB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus with 177.4 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 780M has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the GTX 780M support Vulkan?

A: Yes, the GTX 780M lists Vulkan 1.2.175 support. The GTX 480 has no Vulkan entry in its recorded API data.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The GTX 780M has 1,536 shading units, while the GTX 480 has 480 shading units, a threefold difference.

Q: What is the TDP of each GPU?

A: The GTX 480 has a TDP of 250 W, while the GTX 780M has a TDP of 122 W, making the mobile GPU substantially more power-efficient on paper.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split: the GTX 480 wins the only direct benchmark comparison, while the GTX 780M wins on architectural efficiency and modern feature support. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 480 leads by 4.2%, a real but narrow margin. Its percentile standing at 53 is also three points higher than the GTX 780M's 50th percentile. For raw compute in legacy OpenCL workloads, the GTX 480 is the better choice.

However, the GTX 780M offers advantages that the benchmark delta does not capture. It has 4 GB of memory versus 1,536 MB, a significant capacity difference for texture-heavy or large-dataset tasks. It also supports Vulkan 1.2.175, which the GTX 480 lacks, and its 2.448 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is roughly 82% higher than the GTX 480's 1,345.0 GFLOPS. The GTX 780M achieves this with a 122 W TDP versus 250 W, and it is built on a 28 nm process that yields 12.0M transistors per mm² compared to the GTX 480's 5.9M per mm². The GTX 780M also has higher pixel and texture rates: 25.50 GPixel/s versus 21.03 GPixel/s, and 102.0 GTexel/s versus 42.06 GTexel/s.

Who should pick which depends on the workload. If the task is limited to OpenCL compute and the platform can support a 250 W desktop card with a 600 W PSU and dual-slot cooling, the GTX 480 wins the recorded comparison. If the task requires more memory, modern API support, lower power draw, or a mobile form factor, the GTX 780M is the stronger part despite its lower OpenCL score. The GTX 480's nearest rivals are all within 0.6%, meaning its performance tier is crowded. The GTX 780M's nearest rivals are all behind it by 0.3% to 1.6%, giving it a slightly more comfortable position within its own tier.

The verdict is not unanimous, but the data supports a nuanced conclusion. The GTX 480 is the faster GPU in the specific benchmark recorded. The GTX 780M is the more capable GPU overall for modern workloads, especially those that benefit from 4 GB of memory, Vulkan support, and a dramatically lower TDP. For a desktop build with legacy compute needs, the GTX 480 is the pick. For a mobile or power-constrained environment, the GTX 780M is the pick.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M |

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

| Chip | GF100 | GK104 |

| Architecture | Fermi | Kepler |

| Generation | GeForce 400 | GeForce 700M |

| Process node | 40 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | 3,540 million |

| Die size | 529 mm² | 294 mm² |

| Transistor density | 5.9M / mm² | 12.0M / mm² |

| Base clock | None recorded | 771 MHz |

| Boost clock | None recorded | 797 MHz |

| Memory clock | 924 MHz, 3.7 Gbps effective | 1250 MHz, 5 Gbps effective |

| Memory size | 1536 MB | 4 GB |

| Memory bus width | 384 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory bandwidth | 177.4 GB/s | 160.0 GB/s |

| Shading units | 480 | 1536 |

| TMUs | 60 | 128 |

| ROPs | 48 | 32 |

| Pixel rate | 21.03 GPixel/s | 25.50 GPixel/s |

| Texture rate | 42.06 GTexel/s | 102.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,345.0 GFLOPS | 2.448 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 250 W | 122 W |

| Slot width | Dual-slot | MXM Module |

| Power connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 600 W | None recorded |

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

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

| Vulkan support | None recorded | 1.2.175 |

| Dimensions | 267 mm, 10.5 inches | None recorded |

| Release date | 2010-03-25 | 2013-05-10 |

| Launch MSRP | 499 USD | None recorded |

| Predecessor | GeForce 200 | GeForce 600M |

| Successor | GeForce 500 | GeForce 800M |