NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 vs NVIDIA T400 4 GB Comparison

The NVIDIA T400 4 GB and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 represent two very different approaches to GPU design, separated by nearly a decade of architectural evolution. The data shows a split decision: the T400 wins in OpenCL by a narrow 2.4% margin, while the GTX 680 takes Vulkan by a more decisive 7.8%. This benchmark database record indicates that raw compute capability and modern feature support clash with raw shading power and memory bandwidth, yielding no single overall victor.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA T400 4 GB wins with a score of 17,320, compared to the 16,906 for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680. This represents a 2.4% advantage for the T400.

Q: Which GPU wins in the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 wins with a score of 17,646, compared to the 16,263 for the NVIDIA T400 4 GB. This represents a 7.8% advantage for the GTX 680.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The NVIDIA T400 4 GB has an average benchmark score of 16,792, placing it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 has an average benchmark score of 14,150, placing it in the 55th percentile.

Q: How does the memory configuration differ between the two cards?

A: The NVIDIA T400 4 GB features 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing 80.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 features 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 192.3 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption between the two?

A: The NVIDIA T400 4 GB has a TDP of 30 W and requires no power connectors, with a suggested PSU of 200 W. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 has a TDP of 195 W, requires 2x 6-pin power connectors, and has a suggested PSU of 450 W.

Q: What are the release dates for these products?

A: The NVIDIA T400 4 GB was released on 2021-05-05, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 was released on 2012-03-21. Both are now listed as end-of-life products in the database.

The Verdict

The benchmark results point to a clear but nuanced conclusion: choose the NVIDIA T400 4 GB if your priority is compute workloads in OpenCL, efficiency, and modern display connectivity. Choose the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 if your priority is Vulkan performance, higher raw texture and pixel throughput, and wider memory bandwidth.

The T400 demonstrates its strength in the OpenCL test, edging ahead of the GTX 680 by 2.4%. This aligns with its modern Turing architecture and newer memory technology. Its 60th percentile standing versus the GTX 680's 55th percentile further supports its overall database ranking, despite the GTX 680's higher peak in Vulkan.

The GTX 680, however, remains competitive in graphics-centric APIs. Its Vulkan score is 7.8% higher, a meaningful margin that reflects its larger shading unit count and significantly higher memory bandwidth. For users running applications that leverage Vulkan, the GTX 680 presents the stronger option.

The decision ultimately hinges on the software environment. The data does not support a universal recommendation; it supports a workload-specific one. For modern, compute-oriented tasks, the T400 is the better fit. For legacy or Vulkan-heavy graphical workloads, the GTX 680 holds the advantage.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison in the database is limited to two tests, and the results are split evenly, with each GPU claiming one victory.

In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA T400 4 GB scores 17,320 against the GTX 680's 16,906. The 414-point difference translates to a 2.4% lead for the T400. This is a modest but real win, suggesting that the T400's Turing architecture and GDDR6 memory provide a slight edge in general-purpose compute tasks. The T400's nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX 7600S (0.6% ahead) and the NVIDIA Tesla M4 (0.8% behind), placing its OpenCL performance in a tight cluster.

In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the tables turn. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 scores 17,646, while the T400 manages 16,263. The 1,383-point gap gives the GTX 680 a 7.8% victory. This is the larger margin of the two benchmarks and indicates a clear advantage for the older card in this specific API. The GTX 680's nearest rivals in Vulkan include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (0.9% behind) and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (1.2% behind), showing that its Vulkan score remains competitive even against newer hardware.

The data shows that the GTX 680's win is more decisive than the T400's. While the T400's OpenCL lead is within typical run-to-run variance, the GTX 680's Vulkan lead is substantial enough to be considered a genuine performance gap.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification category recorded in the database.

Memory is a major divergence. The T400 uses 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, yielding 80.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 680 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 192.3 GB/s. The GTX 680's bandwidth is nearly 2.4 times higher, a critical factor for texture-heavy workloads.

Clock speeds also differ significantly. The T400 has a base clock of 420 MHz and a boost clock of 1425 MHz, with memory running at 1250 MHz (10 Gbps effective). The GTX 680 has a base clock of 1006 MHz and a boost clock of 1058 MHz, with memory at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective). The T400's boost clock is much higher, but the GTX 680's base clock is more than double.

The compute resources are heavily skewed toward the GTX 680. The GTX 680 has 1536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The T400 has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. These numbers translate to a pixel rate of 33.86 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 135.4 GTexel/s for the GTX 680, versus 22.80 GPixel/s and 34.20 GTexel/s for the T400.

Power and physical requirements are also starkly different. The T400 is a single-slot card with a 30 W TDP and no power connectors, requiring only a 200 W PSU. The GTX 680 is a dual-slot card with a 195 W TDP, requiring 2x 6-pin connectors and a 450 W PSU. The GTX 680 also has defined dimensions of 256 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 38 mm in width, while the T400 has no listed dimensions.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is generational. The NVIDIA T400 4 GB is built on the Turing architecture (chip TU117), while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 uses the Kepler architecture (chip GK104). Both are manufactured by TSMC, but on different process nodes: the T400 uses 12 nm, while the GTX 680 uses 28 nm.

The transistor counts and die sizes reflect this process difference. The T400 packs 4,700 million transistors into a 200 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 23.5M per mm². The GTX 680 has 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, for a density of 12.0M per mm². The T400's density is nearly double, a direct result of the newer manufacturing process.

Memory technology also diverges. The T400 uses GDDR6, while the GTX 680 uses GDDR5. The T400's memory runs at a higher effective speed (10 Gbps versus 6 Gbps), though the GTX 680's wider bus compensates with far greater overall bandwidth.

API support shows another generational difference. The T400 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GTX 680 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The T400's higher DirectX feature level and newer Vulkan version indicate more modern driver-level capabilities.

Display outputs differ as well. The T400 offers 3x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a, while the GTX 680 offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. The T400's connectivity is more modern and uniform, while the GTX 680 provides legacy DVI support.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA T400 4 GB wins in the OpenCL benchmark, securing a 2.4% advantage over the GTX 680. This suggests a strength in compute-heavy applications that rely on OpenCL. The T400 also wins on efficiency, with a 30 W TDP versus the GTX 680's 195 W, and on memory capacity, offering 4 GB versus 2 GB. Its modern Turing architecture provides higher transistor density and newer API support, including DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4. The T400's single-slot design and lack of power connectors make it a more flexible option for space-constrained systems. Its average benchmark score of 16,792 places it in the 60th percentile, ahead of the GTX 680's 55th percentile.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 wins in the Vulkan benchmark, with a 7.8% lead over the T400. This is the larger performance margin recorded between the two. The GTX 680 also wins decisively on raw throughput metrics: its pixel rate of 33.86 GPixel/s is 48% higher, and its texture rate of 135.4 GTexel/s is nearly four times higher. Its memory bandwidth of 192.3 GB/s dwarfs the T400's 80.00 GB/s, a critical advantage for graphics workloads that stream large textures. The GTX 680's 1536 shading units provide far greater parallel processing capacity for vertex and fragment work. The GTX 680's Vulkan score of 17,646 is also its strongest benchmark result, indicating that this card is best suited for Vulkan-based games and applications. The database shows its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti, which trails by only 0.9%, meaning the GTX 680 remains relevant in this metric despite its age.