NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M share the same underlying silicon, the GK104 chip from the Kepler architecture, but they serve entirely different market segments. The GTX 760 is a desktop card released in 2013, while the GTX 880M is a mobile module released in 2014 for laptops. The recorded benchmark data shows a split decision: the GTX 760 wins one test decisively, and the GTX 880M wins the other by an even larger margin. This makes the comparison less about a single overall winner and more about which workload matters to the user.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 760 dominates in OpenCL compute workloads. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 760 scores 11,299, while the GTX 880M scores 5,622. That is a 101% advantage for the desktop card, meaning the GTX 760 delivers more than double the OpenCL performance of the mobile part. This is the kind of result that matters for general-purpose GPU compute tasks, physics simulations, or other applications that offload parallel work to the graphics card through OpenCL. The GTX 760 also edges ahead in average benchmark score across all recorded tests, with 9,458 versus 8,040 for the GTX 880M, a 17.6% gap.

The GTX 880M takes the other side of the split in the Geekbench Metal test. Here the mobile card scores 10,458 against the GTX 760's 4,524. That is a 56.7% lead for the GTX 880M. Metal is Apple's graphics API, so this result is relevant primarily for macOS environments or applications that leverage Metal for rendering. The GTX 880M also has a higher total shading unit count, 1,536 versus 1,152, and more texture mapping units, 128 versus 96, which contributes to its higher pixel and texture rates. Its pixel rate reaches 31.78 GPixel/s and texture rate 127.1 GTexel/s, while the GTX 760 manages 24.77 GPixel/s and 99.07 GTexel/s respectively.

The percentile rankings place the GTX 760 at the 46th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the GTX 880M sits at the 42nd percentile. That small difference in percentile ranking reflects the average score gap, but the individual test results tell a more nuanced story. The GTX 760's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK, which averages 9,474, just 0.2% ahead. The GTX 880M's nearest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro P5000, which averages 8,039, essentially identical. Both cards are clustered with mid-range performers from their respective eras.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs use the same GK104 chip, fabricated on TSMC's 28 nm process. Both have 3,540 million transistors and a die size of 294 mm², yielding a transistor density of 12.0 million per square millimeter. The architecture is Kepler in both cases, and both support DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The API capabilities are identical, which means any performance difference comes down to clock speeds, memory configuration, and the number of active execution units.

The clock speeds differ notably. The GTX 760 runs at a base clock of 980 MHz with a boost clock of 1,032 MHz. The GTX 880M has a lower base clock of 954 MHz and a boost of 993 MHz. That is a 26 MHz difference at base and 39 MHz at boost, favoring the desktop part. However, the GTX 880M compensates with more shading units, 1,536 versus 1,152, and more TMUs, 128 versus 96. Both have 32 ROPs. The extra execution units give the GTX 880M a theoretical peak FP32 throughput of 3.050 TFLOPS, while the GTX 760 reaches 2.378 TFLOPS. That is a 28.3% higher compute ceiling for the mobile card, despite its lower clocks.

Memory is another major divergence. The GTX 760 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, running at 1,502 MHz with 6 Gbps effective, delivering 192.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 880M has 8 GB of GDDR5 on the same 256-bit bus, but the memory clock is lower at 1,250 MHz with 5 Gbps effective, yielding 160.0 GB/s. So the GTX 760 has 20.2% more memory bandwidth, while the GTX 880M has four times the capacity. For large textures or datasets that exceed 2 GB, the GTX 880M can hold them in VRAM, but it will move data more slowly.

Power and physical design are starkly different. The GTX 760 is a dual-slot desktop card with a 170 W TDP and two 6-pin power connectors, requiring a 450 W suggested power supply. It measures 241 mm or 9.5 inches in length. The GTX 880M is an MXM Module with a 122 W TDP and no power connectors, drawing power through the laptop's MXM-B (3.0) interface. Its display outputs are portable device dependent, meaning the laptop manufacturer decides what ports are available. The desktop card offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench OpenCL test is the clearest statement of the GTX 760's advantage. Its score of 11,299 versus 5,622 for the GTX 880M represents a 101% difference. That means the desktop card is not just faster; it is twice as fast in this specific workload. The GTX 760's higher memory bandwidth, 192.3 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s, and its higher boost clock, 1,032 MHz versus 993 MHz, likely contribute to this result. OpenCL compute often scales with both raw throughput and memory bandwidth, and the GTX 760 has the edge in both areas relative to its execution units.

The Geekbench Metal test flips the script. The GTX 880M scores 10,458, while the GTX 760 scores 4,524. That is a 56.7% margin in favor of the mobile card. Metal performance appears to benefit heavily from the GTX 880M's additional shading units and TMUs. The GTX 880M has 384 more shading units (33% more) and 32 more TMUs (33% more), which gives it a theoretical FP32 throughput of 3.050 TFLOPS versus 2.378 TFLOPS. In a workload that scales well with raw compute resources, the GTX 880M's extra hardware can overcome its lower clocks and reduced memory bandwidth.

The average benchmark score aggregates these two results. The GTX 760 averages 9,458 across all recorded tests, while the GTX 880M averages 8,040. That puts the GTX 760 17.6% ahead on average. However, the average masks the bimodal nature of the results. There is no single workload where both cards perform similarly; each has a dominant test. The GTX 760's nearest rivals include the GTX TITAN BLACK at 0.2% higher average score, the AMD Radeon R7 M380 at 1.6% lower, the GTX 850M at 1.7% lower, and the GTX 465 at 1.8% lower. The GTX 880M's nearest rivals are the Quadro P5000 at parity, the GTX 650 Ti at 0.2% lower, the GTX 650 Ti Boost at 0.3% lower, and the GRID K2 at 0.5% lower.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear use-case split. For OpenCL compute, the GTX 760 is the correct choice. Its 101% lead in that test is overwhelming, and its higher memory bandwidth and boost clock make it better suited for general-purpose parallel processing. The GTX 760 also has a higher average benchmark score, 9,458 versus 8,040, and a higher percentile ranking, 46th versus 42nd. Users who run OpenCL-based applications, such as certain scientific software, video encoding tools, or physics engines, should favor the desktop card.

For Metal-based workloads, the GTX 880M is the better performer. Its 56.7% lead in the Geekbench Metal test demonstrates that its larger execution unit count, 1,536 versus 1,152, provides a substantial advantage in that API. The GTX 880M also offers 8 GB of VRAM, which is useful for large assets or high-resolution textures that would not fit in the GTX 760's 2 GB. Users working in macOS environments or applications that specifically leverage Metal should choose the mobile card, assuming they need a laptop form factor.

The GTX 760 is end-of-life, released on June 24, 2013, with a successor in the GeForce 900 series. The GTX 880M is also end-of-life, released on March 11, 2014, with a successor in the GeForce 900M series. Neither card is current, but the data shows that the GTX 760 remains competitive in compute-oriented tasks, while the GTX 880M holds an edge in Metal rendering. The power requirements differ substantially, with the GTX 760 at 170 W and the GTX 880M at 122 W, which matters for system design but not for raw performance comparison.

There is no universal winner in this pairing. The GTX 760 wins one benchmark, the GTX 880M wins the other. The choice depends entirely on which API and workload the user prioritizes. For OpenCL, take the GTX 760. For Metal, take the GTX 880M.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 760 averages 9,458 across all recorded tests, while the GTX 880M averages 8,040. The GTX 760 leads by 17.6%.

Q: Why does the GTX 880M win the Metal test by such a large margin?

A: The GTX 880M has 1,536 shading units versus 1,152 on the GTX 760, and 128 TMUs versus 96. This gives it a theoretical FP32 throughput of 3.050 TFLOPS, compared to 2.378 TFLOPS for the GTX 760.

Q: Does the GTX 760 have more memory bandwidth?

A: Yes. The GTX 760 has a memory clock of 1,502 MHz with 6 Gbps effective, delivering 192.3 GB/s. The GTX 880M runs at 1,250 MHz with 5 Gbps effective, yielding 160.0 GB/s. That is a 20.2% bandwidth advantage for the GTX 760.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The GTX 880M has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 760 has 2 GB. The GTX 880M offers four times the capacity, which can accommodate larger textures or datasets.

Q: Are both cards based on the same chip?

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

Q: What are the power consumption figures?

A: The GTX 760 has a TDP of 170 W and requires two 6-pin power connectors. The GTX 880M has a TDP of 122 W and uses no power connectors, drawing power through its MXM-B (3.0) interface.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M |

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

| Generation | GeForce 700 | GeForce 800M |

| Base Clock | 980 MHz | 954 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1032 MHz | 993 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) | 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Bandwidth | 192.3 GB/s | 160.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1152 | 1536 |

| TMUs | 96 | 128 |

| Pixel Rate | 24.77 GPixel/s | 31.78 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 99.07 GTexel/s | 127.1 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 2.378 TFLOPS | 3.050 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 170 W | 122 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | Not specified |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | MXM-B (3.0) |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 | Portable Device Dependent |

| Dimensions | 241 mm (9.5 inches) length | Not specified |

| Release Date | 2013-06-24 | 2014-03-11 |

| Launch MSRP | 249 USD | Not specified |

| Predecessor | GeForce 600 | GeForce 700M |

| Successor | GeForce 900 | GeForce 900M |