NVIDIA GeForce 930A vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M Comparison

# The Verdict

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M and the NVIDIA GeForce 930A are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions, but they serve completely different segments of the laptop market. The data shows a clear hierarchy: the GTX 765M is the stronger performer, winning the only head-to-head benchmark comparison by 35%. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 765M scores 7,176 while the 930A trails at 5,317. This is a decisive margin that places the two chips in different performance tiers.

The GTX 765M sits at the 32nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 5,501. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 (5,508, just 0.1% ahead) and the AMD Radeon R7 M440 (5,483, 0.3% behind). The 930A, meanwhile, ranks at the 31st percentile with an average score of 5,317. Its closest competition includes the NVIDIA GeForce 840M (5,322, 0.1% ahead) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M (5,308, 0.2% behind). Despite the GTX 765M's advantage, both chips occupy a similar neighborhood in the overall GPU landscape, differing by just one percentile point. The data suggests that the GTX 765M is the pick for users who need the extra compute headroom, while the 930A is a lighter-weight option for basic acceleration tasks. However, the 930A's lower power draw and smaller physical footprint make it a more flexible candidate for thin-and-light designs. The GTX 765M is a MXM module, while the 930A is an IGP, meaning the latter is soldered directly to the motherboard. For anyone choosing between them in a real system, the decision is likely dictated by the chassis design rather than raw performance alone.

# Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations. The GTX 765M is built on the Kepler architecture using the GK106 chip, while the 930A uses the Maxwell architecture with the GM108 chip. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the similarities end there. The GK106 die is substantially larger at 221 mm², housing 2,540 million transistors, which translates to a transistor density of 11.5 million per mm². The GM108, by contrast, is a much smaller chip at 77 mm² with 1,020 million transistors, yielding a higher density of 13.2 million per mm². This density difference is notable — it suggests the Maxwell chip is more efficiently packed, even though its total transistor count is less than half of the Kepler part.

The GTX 765M is from the GeForce 700M generation, released in 2013, while the 930A belongs to the GeForce 900A generation, released in 2015. The 930A's predecessor is listed as the GeForce 800A, whereas the GTX 765M's predecessor is the GeForce 600M and its successor is the GeForce 800M. The 930A has no recorded successor, reflecting its role as a lower-tier part. Clock speeds also differ: the GTX 765M runs at a base of 797 MHz with a boost of 863 MHz, while the 930A starts higher at 928 MHz and boosts to 941 MHz. Despite the 930A's higher clocks, it cannot compensate for the GTX 765M's larger hardware resources.

The GTX 765M packs 768 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The 930A has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This 2:1 ratio in shading units and ROPs explains why the GTX 765M dominates in raw throughput. Pixel rate for the GTX 765M is 13.81 GPixel/s versus 7.528 GPixel/s for the 930A. Texture rate is 55.23 GTexel/s versus 22.58 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 1,325.6 GFLOPS versus 722.7 GFLOPS. The GTX 765M nearly doubles the 930A in every throughput metric. Memory subsystems are also vastly different. The GTX 765M uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 64.13 GB/s of bandwidth. The 930A also has 2 GB but uses DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, yielding only 16.02 GB/s. That is a fourfold difference in memory bandwidth, a critical factor for texture-heavy workloads. The GTX 765M's memory clock is 1002 MHz with 4 Gbps effective, while the 930A's is 1001 MHz with 2 Gbps effective.

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it is a resounding victory for the GTX 765M. The GTX 765M scores 7,176, while the 930A manages 5,317. That is a 35% delta, a substantial gap that underscores the architectural and hardware disparities. The GTX 765M's advantage is not marginal; it is a full tier of performance. In this test, the 930A's higher clock speeds (928 MHz base versus 797 MHz) are irrelevant because the GTX 765M's 768 shading units and 64.13 GB/s of bandwidth overwhelm the 930A's 384 shading units and 16.02 GB/s. The OpenCL workload is highly parallel and memory-sensitive, which plays directly into the GTX 765M's strengths.

The GTX 765M also has a Geekbench Metal score of 2,612 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 6,714, though the 930A has no recorded results for those tests. The presence of these additional benchmark scores for the GTX 765M indicates broader testing coverage, which itself hints at its higher-end positioning. The 930A's single benchmark result is all we have, and it lags behind. When comparing to their respective rivals, the GTX 765M's average score of 5,501 places it within 0.7% of the AMD FirePro M4000 (5,537) and 0.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 (5,508). The 930A's average of 5,317 is 0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce 840M (5,322) and 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 940M (5,284). The data shows that the GTX 765M competes with a slightly higher tier of rivals than the 930A, yet the 930A holds its own within its own peer group. The 35% head-to-head win is the single most important number here; it defines the relationship between these two chips.

# FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M wins decisively, scoring 7,176 versus the NVIDIA GeForce 930A's 5,317, a 35% advantage.

Q: Do both GPUs have the same memory capacity?

A: Yes, both have 2 GB of memory, but the GTX 765M uses GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 64.13 GB/s bandwidth, while the 930A uses DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with only 16.02 GB/s.

Q: What are the transistor counts of these chips?

A: The GTX 765M's GK106 has 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die, while the 930A's GM108 has 1,020 million transistors on a 77 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU has higher clock speeds?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 930A has higher clocks, with a base of 928 MHz and boost of 941 MHz, compared to the GTX 765M's base of 797 MHz and boost of 863 MHz.

Q: What is the power draw difference?

A: The GTX 765M has a TDP of 75 W, while the 930A is rated at 33 W, making the 930A much more power-efficient.

Q: Are both GPUs from the same architecture?

A: No, the GTX 765M uses Kepler (GK106), while the 930A uses Maxwell (GM108), though both are built on a 28 nm process at TSMC.

# Where Each One Wins

The GTX 765M wins in every measurable performance category. It has double the shading units (768 versus 384), double the ROPs (16 versus 8), and nearly 2.7 times the texture units (64 versus 24). Its FP32 compute of 1,325.6 GFLOPS is 83% higher than the 930A's 722.7 GFLOPS. Pixel rate is 13.81 GPixel/s versus 7.528 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 55.23 GTexel/s versus 22.58 GTexel/s. The memory bandwidth gap is the most extreme: 64.13 GB/s versus 16.02 GB/s, a fourfold difference. For any workload that is compute-bound or bandwidth-bound — such as gaming at higher resolutions, video encoding, or GPU-accelerated compute tasks — the GTX 765M is the clear choice. The data also shows the GTX 765M supports Geekbench Metal and Vulkan tests, giving it a more complete feature set for modern API usage, with Vulkan 1.2.175 support compared to the 930A's Vulkan 1.4.

The 930A's wins are in efficiency and integration. At 33 W TDP, it consumes less than half the power of the GTX 765M's 75 W. It is an IGP form factor, meaning it is integrated into the motherboard, whereas the GTX 765M is a removable MXM module. The 930A has a higher transistor density (13.2M per mm² versus 11.5M per mm²), indicating a more modern design despite being smaller. Its higher base and boost clocks (928 MHz and 941 MHz versus 797 MHz and 863 MHz) suggest it can reach its modest performance ceiling quickly and with less thermal overhead. For thin laptops, ultraportables, or systems where battery life and heat are paramount, the 930A is the more sensible fit. It also uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, while the GTX 765M uses MXM-B (3.0), which is a socketed connection that may not be present in slim designs.

# Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification field. The GTX 765M uses the GK106 chip from the Kepler architecture, while the 930A uses the GM108 chip from Maxwell. The GTX 765M belongs to the GeForce 700M generation (released May 2013), and the 930A belongs to the GeForce 900A generation (released March 2015). Transistor counts are 2,540 million versus 1,020 million, and die sizes are 221 mm² versus 77 mm². Transistor density is 11.5M per mm² versus 13.2M per mm².

Clock speeds: the GTX 765M has a base of 797 MHz and boost of 863 MHz, while the 930A has a base of 928 MHz and boost of 941 MHz. Memory clocks are 1002 MHz with 4 Gbps effective for the GTX 765M, versus 1001 MHz with 2 Gbps effective for the 930A. Memory types are GDDR5 versus DDR3, both at 2 GB capacity, but the bus widths are 128 bit versus 64 bit. Bandwidth is 64.13 GB/s versus 16.02 GB/s. Shading units are 768 versus 384, TMUs are 64 versus 24, and ROPs are 16 versus 8. Pixel rates are 13.81 GPixel/s versus 7.528 GPixel/s. Texture rates are 55.23 GTexel/s versus 22.58 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 1,325.6 GFLOPS versus 722.7 GFLOPS.

TDP is 75 W versus 33 W. The GTX 765M is an MXM Module with an MXM-B (3.0) interface, while the 930A is an IGP with a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. Both have no power connectors and portable-device-dependent display outputs. The GTX 765M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175; the 930A supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GTX 765M has a recorded predecessor (GeForce 600M) and successor (GeForce 800M), while the 930A's predecessor is GeForce 800A and it has no successor. Both are end-of-life products, and neither has a launch MSRP listed.