NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 has an average benchmark score of 12773, while the GTX 780M scores 11261. That puts the GTX 670 about 13.4% ahead overall.

Q: How do the two cards compare in Geekbench Metal?

A: The GTX 780M wins the Metal test with a score of 8319 versus 7424 for the GTX 670, a 10.8% advantage for the mobile part.

Q: Where does the GTX 670 beat the GTX 780M?

A: The GTX 670 wins in OpenCL (15341 vs 12769, a 20.1% lead) and in Vulkan (15553 vs 12696, a 22.5% lead).

Q: Are both cards based on the same chip?

A: Yes. Both use the GK104 chip on the Kepler architecture, built on TSMC's 28 nm process with 3,540 million transistors and a 294 mm² die size.

Q: What is the performance percentile ranking for each?

A: The GTX 670 sits at the 52nd percentile among all GPUs, while the GTX 780M is at the 50th percentile.

Q: Which card has more memory?

A: The GTX 780M has 4 GB of GDDR5, double the 2 GB on the GTX 670, though the GTX 670 has higher memory bandwidth at 192.3 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s.

Architecture Differences

Both cards share the same fundamental silicon: the GK104 chip, Kepler architecture, 28 nm TSMC process, 3,540 million transistors, and a 294 mm² die size with a transistor density of 12.0M per mm². The compute layout, however, differs in core counts. The GTX 670 packs 1344 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 780M steps up to 1536 shading units and 128 TMUs while keeping the same 32 ROPs. That is 192 more shaders and 16 more TMUs on the mobile part, but the clock speeds tell the opposite story.

The GTX 670 runs at a base clock of 915 MHz with a boost of 980 MHz. The GTX 780M is clocked substantially lower at 771 MHz base and 797 MHz boost. Memory clocks also differ: the GTX 670 uses 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) while the GTX 780M runs at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). Both use GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, but the GTX 670's higher memory clock yields 192.3 GB/s of bandwidth versus 160.0 GB/s for the GTX 780M.

The measured throughput rates reflect these clock and core tradeoffs. The GTX 670 achieves 27.44 GPixel/s pixel rate and 109.8 GTexel/s texture rate, with FP32 compute of 2.634 TFLOPS. The GTX 780M delivers 25.50 GPixel/s and 102.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 of 2.448 TFLOPS. Despite having more cores, the GTX 780M is slower in every rate metric because its clocks are low enough to offset the extra hardware.

Power and form factor are the major architectural distinctions. The GTX 670 is a dual-slot desktop card with 2x 6-pin power connectors and a 170 W TDP, requiring a 450 W suggested PSU. The GTX 780M is an MXM Module with no power connectors and a 122 W TDP. Both support DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The GTX 670 uses PCIe 3.0 x16 and offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. The GTX 780M uses MXM-B (3.0) and its display outputs are portable-device dependent.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clear split between the two cards. In Geekbench Metal, the GTX 780M wins with 8319 against 7424, a 10.8% advantage. This is the lone win for the mobile GPU. The GTX 670 takes the other two tests decisively. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 670 scores 15341 versus 12769, a 20.1% lead. In Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 15553 versus 12696, a 22.5% lead.

The average benchmark score tells a consistent story: 12773 for the GTX 670 versus 11261 for the GTX 780M, which is roughly a 13.4% gap in favor of the desktop card. The GTX 670's nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 at 12830 (0.4% higher), the AMD Radeon Pro 455 at 12831 (0.4% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT at 12710 (0.5% lower), and the AMD FirePro W5100 at 12847 (0.6% higher). The GTX 780M's nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3200 at 11228 (0.3% lower), the AMD FirePro W4300 at 11225 (0.3% lower), and two NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Max-Q variants at 11088 (1.6% lower).

The Vulkan result is the largest single margin in the comparison. A 22.5% delta in favor of the GTX 670 suggests that the desktop card's higher clocks and memory bandwidth matter more in that workload than the extra shaders on the GTX 780M. The OpenCL margin at 20.1% reinforces the same pattern. The Metal result, however, flips the script: the GTX 780M leads by 10.8%, which may indicate that Metal's driver path on this architecture favors the newer mobile part's configuration.

In terms of raw wins, the GTX 670 takes 2 of 3 benchmarks, and the GTX 780M takes 1.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in several measurable fields. Clock speeds: the GTX 670 runs at 915 MHz base and 980 MHz boost, while the GTX 780M runs at 771 MHz base and 797 MHz boost. Memory: the GTX 670 has 2 GB at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) with 192.3 GB/s bandwidth; the GTX 780M has 4 GB at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. Both use a 256-bit bus.

Core counts: the GTX 670 has 1344 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 780M has 1536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Pixel rate: 27.44 GPixel/s for the GTX 670 versus 25.50 GPixel/s for the GTX 780M. Texture rate: 109.8 GTexel/s versus 102.0 GTexel/s. FP32: 2.634 TFLOPS versus 2.448 TFLOPS.

Power and physical specs: the GTX 670 has a 170 W TDP, dual-slot width, 2x 6-pin connectors, a 450 W suggested PSU, and dimensions of 241 mm length, 111 mm height, and 38 mm width. The GTX 780M has a 122 W TDP, MXM Module slot width, no power connectors, no suggested PSU, and no recorded dimensions. Bus interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 for the GTX 670 versus MXM-B (3.0) for the GTX 780M.

The GTX 670 has a launch MSRP of 399 USD. The GTX 780M has no recorded launch MSRP. Release dates: the GTX 670 launched on 2012-05-09, and the GTX 780M on 2013-05-10. The GTX 670's predecessor is GeForce 500 and successor is GeForce 700. The GTX 780M's predecessor is GeForce 600M and successor is GeForce 800M. Both are end-of-life products.

The Verdict

The data points to the GTX 670 as the stronger performer in most compute workloads. It wins two of the three head-to-head benchmarks, with margins of 20.1% in OpenCL and 22.5% in Vulkan. Its average benchmark score of 12773 is about 13.4% higher than the GTX 780M's 11261, and it ranks at the 52nd percentile versus the 50th for the mobile part.

The GTX 780M is not without merit. It wins the Metal benchmark by 10.8%, and it carries 4 GB of memory versus 2 GB, which matters for capacity-sensitive tasks. Its lower TDP of 122 W versus 170 W makes it the more power-efficient option, and its MXM form factor suits portable systems.

For a desktop builder choosing between these two, the GTX 670 is the clear pick on raw performance. It has higher clocks, higher memory bandwidth, higher pixel and texture rates, and higher FP32 throughput. The only scenario where the GTX 780M looks better is when the workload is Metal-specific or when memory capacity outweighs bandwidth and compute speed. Both cards are end-of-life, so the practical decision comes down to platform fit: a desktop PCIe slot for the GTX 670, or an MXM-equipped laptop for the GTX 780M.

Where Each One Wins

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 wins in:

• OpenCL compute: 15341 versus 12769, a 20.1% lead.
• Vulkan compute: 15553 versus 12696, a 22.5% lead.
• Overall average benchmark score: 12773 versus 11261, roughly 13.4% higher.
• Memory bandwidth: 192.3 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s.
• Pixel rate: 27.44 GPixel/s versus 25.50 GPixel/s.
• Texture rate: 109.8 GTexel/s versus 102.0 GTexel/s.
• FP32 compute: 2.634 TFLOPS versus 2.448 TFLOPS.
• Clock speeds: 915 MHz base and 980 MHz boost versus 771 MHz base and 797 MHz boost.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M wins in:

• Metal benchmark: 8319 versus 7424, a 10.8% lead.
• Memory capacity: 4 GB versus 2 GB.
• Power efficiency: 122 W TDP versus 170 W TDP.
• Shader count: 1536 versus 1344.
• TMU count: 128 versus 112.
• Form factor: MXM Module for portable systems versus dual-slot desktop card.

The use-case split is straightforward. If the workload runs through OpenCL or Vulkan, the GTX 670 is the faster option by a wide margin. If the workload runs through Metal, or if the system needs 4 GB of VRAM and a low-power mobile module, the GTX 780M is the appropriate choice.