NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 is a low-profile, entry-level discrete GPU built on the Pascal architecture, manufactured by Samsung on a 14 nm process node. It integrates 1,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die, featuring 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs, with a base clock of 1228 MHz and a boost clock of 1468 MHz. The card is equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, delivering 48.06 GB/s of bandwidth, and carries a launch MSRP of 79 USD.

Benchmark Performance

The GT 1030 occupies the 17th percentile of all GPUs, indicating that benchmark results place it firmly in the entry-level tier. Its average benchmark score of 2809 is nearly indistinguishable from its closest rivals, with the margin separating it from the AMD Radeon R5 Graphics being a mere 0.3%. This statistical dead heat means that in practical terms, the two solutions are interchangeable for most workloads, and the data does not suggest any meaningful performance advantage for either part.

Against the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730, the GT 1030 holds a 0.4% lead in average score. This delta is well within typical run-to-run variance, so the GT 1030 cannot be considered a meaningful upgrade over its older sibling based on aggregate metrics alone. The comparison to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X is more striking: despite a 0.5% difference in average scores, the RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X is a vastly different class of hardware. The data shows these two cards clustered together in average benchmark scores, but this is an artifact of the scoring methodology rather than an indication of equivalent real-world capabilities.

The GeForce 820M trails the GT 1030 by 0.9%, the largest gap in the nearestRivals group. In specific API tests, the GT 1030 shows a clear preference for modern compute workloads: it scores 9848 in Geekbench OpenCL and 9421 in Geekbench Vulkan, while its Geekbench Metal score drops to 4637. The Passmark suite paints a more granular picture, with the card achieving 2417 in G3D, 1250 in GPU compute, and 441 in G2D. DirectX legacy tests show scores of 36 for DirectX 9, 17 for DirectX 11, and 13 for DirectX 12, while the DirectX 10 test yields a score of 9. These results indicate that the card's compute throughput far exceeds its rasterization capabilities, a characteristic typical of Pascal-based parts with limited ROP counts.

Who Should Consider It

Benchmark results indicate that the GT 1030 is suitable for users whose primary concern is basic display output and light 2D workloads, as evidenced by its Passmark G2D score of 441. The card's DirectX 9 score of 36 suggests it can handle legacy titles and older indie games at acceptable performance levels, but the DirectX 12 score of 13 signals that modern AAA releases will strain the hardware considerably. Users targeting 1080p gaming with low settings in eSports titles may find the card adequate, but the data does not support expectations of smooth frame rates in demanding 3D applications.

For compute-light tasks such as video playback, office productivity, or multi-monitor setups, the GT 1030's Geekbench OpenCL score of 9848 indicates reasonable acceleration for GPU-accelerated effects in productivity software. The card's Vulkan score of 9421 suggests it can handle recent API-based workloads, but the 1,127.4 GFLOPS FP32 throughput places a hard ceiling on compute-heavy applications. Users who require hardware acceleration for photogrammetry, machine learning inference, or 3D rendering would find the GT 1030 insufficient. The card is best suited for systems where the CPU lacks integrated graphics, or where a discrete GPU is needed to drive a single HDMI 2.0 display at modest resolutions.

Power and Cooling

The GT 1030 has a thermal design power of 30 W, which is exceptionally low for a discrete GPU. This modest TDP means that the card requires no external power connectors, drawing all its power from the PCIe 3.0 x4 slot. The suggested power supply rating is 200 W, which accommodates the card even in pre-built systems with minimal power headroom. The card is single-slot in design, measuring 145 mm in length, 69 mm in height, and 18 mm in width, making it compatible with small form factor chassis.

Given the 30 W TDP and the absence of power connectors, cooling requirements are minimal. A passive heatsink or a small low-profile fan suffices to manage thermals, as the card's 23.49 GPixel/s pixel rate and 35.23 GTexel/s texture rate do not generate significant heat. The 14 nm process node contributes to this efficiency, with a transistor density of 24.3M per mm². The card's boost clock of 1468 MHz is sustainable under load without aggressive cooling solutions, and the lack of any power connector simplifies installation in systems with older or lower-wattage power supplies.

FAQ

Q: What is the average benchmark score of the GT 1030 relative to the AMD Radeon R5 Graphics?

A: The GT 1030 has an average benchmark score of 2809, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon R5 Graphics' average score of 2801.

Q: Does the GT 1030 require a dedicated power connector?

A: No, the GT 1030 has no power connectors and draws all required power from the PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, with a suggested PSU rating of 200 W.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the GT 1030?

A: The GT 1030 features 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing 48.06 GB/s of bandwidth at an effective speed of 6 Gbps.

Q: How does the GT 1030 perform in DirectX 12 benchmarks?

A: In Passmark's DirectX 12 test, the GT 1030 scores 13, which is lower than its DirectX 11 score of 17 and DirectX 9 score of 36.

Q: What is the production status and release date of the GT 1030?

A: The GT 1030 is end-of-life, having been released on May 16, 2017, as part of the GeForce 10 generation.

Q: Which graphics APIs does the GT 1030 support?

A: The GT 1030 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, with Geekbench scores of 9848 for OpenCL and 9421 for Vulkan.

How It Compares

Against the AMD Radeon R5 Graphics, the GT 1030 holds a razor-thin 0.3% advantage in average benchmark score. This delta is negligible, and the data suggests that users would experience near-identical performance in most applications. The Radeon R5 Graphics is typically an integrated solution, so the GT 1030's discrete nature may offer more consistent driver support, but benchmark results do not demonstrate a tangible performance gap.

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 is the closest traditional rival, with the GT 1030 leading by 0.4% in average score. Both cards target the same entry-level segment, and the data indicates that the GT 1030's newer Pascal architecture does not translate into a significant benchmark advantage over the older GT 730. Users upgrading from a GT 730 would not see a meaningful jump in frame rates, based on these aggregate scores.

The inclusion of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X in the nearestRivals list is unexpected, given the two cards' vastly different market positions. The GT 1030's average score of 2809 is only 0.5% higher than the RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X's 2795, but this clustering is a quirk of the scoring database. The RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X is a high-end card, and the data should not be interpreted as suggesting the GT 1030 competes with it in any real workload.

The NVIDIA GeForce 820M is the weakest competitor in this group, trailing the GT 1030 by 0.9% in average score. This is the largest delta among the nearest rival set, yet it remains small in absolute terms. The GT 1030's advantage over the 820M is consistent with the former being a desktop part while the latter targets mobile platforms, but the benchmark data shows that both are confined to the lowest performance tier.