NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M represent two very different philosophies within the same GPU generation family. The TITAN BLACK is a desktop behemoth from the GeForce 700 series, while the 850M is a mobile part from the GeForce 800M line. The benchmark data shows a stark performance chasm, but the analysis is more nuanced when considering their intended environments. The TITAN BLACK wins every head-to-head benchmark by a massive margin, yet both cards sit at the 46th percentile in the global GPU database, suggesting that their placement in the market is defined by different strengths and constraints.

Where Each One Wins

The data paints a clear picture of a single-application dominance. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK is the undisputed winner in raw compute and graphics throughput. In the two head-to-head benchmarks available, it defeats the GTX 850M in Geekbench OpenCL by 177.1% and in Geekbench Vulkan by 236.6%. This makes it the obvious choice for any workload that leverages general-purpose GPU computing or modern graphics APIs. Its average benchmark score of 9474 further solidifies its position, placing it just 0.2% ahead of the GTX 760 and only 1.8% behind the GTX 960M, which are its closest rivals.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M, conversely, wins in the domain of physical practicality. It has no wins in the benchmark suite, but its data reveals its purpose. With a TDP of just 45 W versus the TITAN BLACK's 250 W, it is designed for environments where power draw and heat dissipation are critical. Its "IGP" slot width and lack of power connectors indicate it is a chip for notebooks, drawing power from the motherboard rather than a dedicated PSU. The GTX 850M's nearest rivals include the GTX 465, from which it is only 0.1% behind, and the AMD Radeon R7 M380, from which it trails by just 0.1%. This shows it is competitive within its mobile class, even if it cannot touch the desktop card's performance.

The use-case split is therefore simple: the TITAN BLACK wins where performance is paramount, and the 850M wins where power efficiency and portability are the primary concerns. The data does not support any other conclusion, as the 850M has zero benchmark victories.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK in OpenCL performance?

A: The TITAN BLACK scores 27218 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 177.1% higher than the GTX 850M's score of 9821. This indicates a more than two-and-a-half-fold advantage in this compute workload.

Q: Does the GTX 850M have any benchmark where it beats the TITAN BLACK?

A: No. In the head-to-head benchmark data, the GTX 850M wins 0 tests while the TITAN BLACK wins 2 tests. The 850M's strengths are not reflected in raw performance scores but in its power profile.

Q: What is the performance percentile for both GPUs?

A: Both cards are listed at the 46th percentile versus all GPUs. This is a striking parity, suggesting that despite the TITAN BLACK's massive lead over the 850M, both are positioned in the middle of the overall performance distribution.

Q: How does the TITAN BLACK compare to its closest rival, the GTX 760?

A: The TITAN BLACK has an average benchmark score of 9474, which is 0.2% higher than the GTX 760's average score of 9458. This indicates a very narrow performance margin between the two.

Q: How does the GTX 850M compare to the AMD Radeon R7 M380?

A: The GTX 850M has an average benchmark score of 9302, which is 0.1% lower than the R7 M380's average score of 9313. This shows they are statistically tied in overall performance.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two cards?

A: The TITAN BLACK has a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s, while the GTX 850M has a bandwidth of 32.03 GB/s. This is a 10x difference in favor of the TITAN BLACK, which is a critical factor in high-resolution textures and compute workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmarks reveal the sheer scale of the TITAN BLACK's dominance. In Geekbench OpenCL, the TITAN BLACK scores 27218 against the 850M's 9821. This is a delta of 177.1%, meaning the TITAN BLACK is nearly three times as fast. This test is particularly telling because OpenCL is a compute API used for non-graphics tasks like physics simulations and machine learning. The TITAN BLACK's 2880 shading units and 240 texture mapping units are clearly leveraged here, whereas the 850M's 640 shading units and 40 TMUs cannot compete.

The gap widens even further in Geekbench Vulkan, a modern graphics and compute API. The TITAN BLACK scores 29561, while the 850M scores 8782. This results in a delta of 236.6%, meaning the TITAN BLACK is over three times as fast. Vulkan is known for its low overhead and efficient use of multi-core CPUs, so the TITAN BLACK's superior hardware resources are able to shine. The 850M's lower score here also suggests that its Maxwell architecture, while efficient, does not offer the same level of raw throughput as the Kepler-based GK110B chip in the TITAN BLACK.

The average benchmark scores further contextualize these results. The TITAN BLACK's average score is 9474, while the 850M's is 9302. This is a difference of only 1.8%, which seems contradictory to the head-to-head results. However, this can be explained by the fact that the TITAN BLACK's average is pulled down by its poor performance in older DirectX tests, such as scoring 47 in DirectX 10 and 34 in DirectX 12. The 850M only has OpenCL and Vulkan scores, which are its best-case scenarios. The data shows that in modern compute APIs, the TITAN BLACK is a monster, but its legacy driver support may not be as optimized.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two GPUs read like they are from different eras, despite both being 28 nm parts. The TITAN BLACK is a massive chip, measuring 561 mm² with 7,080 million transistors, while the 850M is a modest 148 mm² die with 1,870 million transistors. This size difference directly translates to a massive disparity in core counts: the TITAN BLACK has 2880 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, compared to the 850M's 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs.

Memory is another area of stark contrast. The TITAN BLACK comes with 6 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The 850M has 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, which provides a bandwidth of only 32.03 GB/s. This is a 10x difference in memory bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution gaming and compute tasks. The clock speeds also differ, with the TITAN BLACK having a base clock of 889 MHz and a boost of 980 MHz, while the 850M has no listed base or boost clocks, only a memory clock of 1001 MHz.

Power and physical dimensions further separate them. The TITAN BLACK has a TDP of 250 W, requires a 600 W power supply, and uses a dual-slot cooler with 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors. The 850M has a TDP of 45 W, no power connectors, and is an "IGP" slot width, meaning it is soldered to a laptop motherboard. The TITAN BLACK is 267 mm long, while the 850M has no listed dimensions, reinforcing its mobile nature.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs are built on the 28 nm process at TSMC, but they use fundamentally different architectures. The TITAN BLACK is based on the Kepler architecture, specifically the GK110B chip, while the 850M uses the Maxwell architecture with the GM107 chip. This is a significant generational shift, as Maxwell was designed to be more power-efficient than Kepler, which explains the 850M's much lower TDP of 45 W versus the 250 W of the TITAN BLACK.

The transistor density is identical at 12.6M / mm², but the total transistor count tells a story of design philosophy. The TITAN BLACK packs 7,080 million transistors into its 561 mm² die, while the 850M fits 1,870 million into 148 mm². This means the TITAN BLACK is using its transistors for massive parallel compute, while the 850M is using fewer transistors for efficiency. The API support also differs slightly: both support DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6, but the TITAN BLACK supports Vulkan 1.2.175, while the 850M supports Vulkan 1.4. This suggests the Maxwell architecture has a more modern Vulkan driver stack.

The memory type is also an architectural choice. The TITAN BLACK uses GDDR5, while the 850M uses DDR3. This is a major difference, as GDDR5 is designed for high-bandwidth graphics workloads, while DDR3 is a general-purpose memory standard. The 850M's use of DDR3 is a cost and power saving measure, but it severely limits its memory bandwidth compared to the TITAN BLACK.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous in its verdict. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK is the superior performer in every measurable benchmark, and it should be chosen by anyone who needs maximum compute and graphics throughput. Its 177.1% lead in OpenCL and 236.6% lead in Vulkan are decisive. It is meant for a desktop workstation or high-end gaming rig where a 250 W TDP and a dual-slot cooler are acceptable trade-offs for performance. Its 6 GB of GDDR5 memory and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for heavy workloads like video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific computing.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M, on the other hand, is not a competitor in the same arena. It is a mobile chip with a 45 W TDP, designed for laptops where power draw and heat are the primary constraints. Its performance is respectable for its class, sitting within 0.1% of the AMD Radeon R7 M380 and 0.3% of the GTX 960, but it simply cannot match the TITAN BLACK's raw power. It should be chosen by users who need a capable GPU for a laptop, prioritizing battery life and portability over absolute frame rates.

In summary, the TITAN BLACK is the choice for performance, and the 850M is the choice for mobility. The data shows no scenario where the 850M outperforms the TITAN BLACK, but the 850M's existence is justified by its power efficiency. Both cards are end-of-life products, but they serve different markets that the benchmark scores alone do not fully capture.