485M SLI vs 870M

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General info

GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.

Place in performance ranking450437
Place by popularitynot in top-100not in top-100
Value for money2.878.33
ArchitectureKepler (2012−2018)Fermi (2010−2014)
GPU code nameN15P-GTN11E-GTX-A1
Market segmentLaptopLaptop
Release date12 March 2014 (10 years old)6 January 2011 (13 years old)
Current price$403 $149
Value for money

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

GTX 485M SLI has 190% better value for money than GTX 870M.

Technical specs

General performance parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. These parameters indirectly speak of performance, but for precise assessment you have to consider their benchmark and gaming test results. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores1344768
CUDA cores1344no data
Core clock speed941 MHz575 MHz
Boost clock speed967 MHzno data
Number of transistors3,540 millionno data
Manufacturing process technology28 nm40 nm
Power consumption (TDP)100 Watt100 Watt
Texture fill rate108.3no data
Floating-point performance2,599 gflopsno data

Size and compatibility

Information on GeForce GTX 870M and GeForce GTX 485M SLI compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For notebook video cards it's notebook size, connection slot and bus, if the video card is inserted into a slot instead of being soldered to the notebook motherboard.

Laptop sizelargelarge
Bus supportPCI Express 2.0, PCI Express 3.0no data
InterfaceMXM-B (3.0)no data
Supplementary power connectorsNoneno data
SLI options+no data

Memory

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory typeGDDR5GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount6 GB2x2 GB
Standard memory configurationGDDR5no data
Memory bus width192 Bit256 Bit
Memory clock speedUp to 2500 MHz1500 MHz
Memory bandwidth120.0 GB/sno data
Shared memory--

Video outputs and ports

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display ConnectorsNo outputsno data
eDP 1.2 signal supportUp to 3840x2160no data
LVDS signal supportUp to 1920x1200no data
VGA аnalog display supportUp to 2048x1536no data
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) supportUp to 3840x2160no data
HDMI+no data
HDCP content protection+no data
7.1 channel HD audio on HDMI+no data
TrueHD and DTS-HD audio bitstreaming+no data

Technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder+no data
Optimus+no data

API support

List of supported graphics and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX12 (11_0)11
Shader Model5.1no data
OpenGL4.5no data
OpenCL1.1no data
Vulkan1.1.126no data
CUDA+no data

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark performance comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.


Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark performance score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

GTX 870M
8.90

485M SLI outperforms 870M by 3% in our combined benchmark results.


3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

GTX 870M 24035
GTX 485M SLI 24830
+3.3%

485M SLI outperforms 870M by 3% in 3DMark Vantage Performance.

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

GTX 870M 7156
+34.2%
GTX 485M SLI 5334

870M outperforms 485M SLI by 34% in 3DMark 11 Performance GPU.

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

900p85−90
−4.7%
89
+4.7%
Full HD46
−124%
103
+124%
4K19
+5.6%
18−20
−5.6%

Performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077 14−16
+0%
14−16
+0%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 18−20
−5.6%
18−20
+5.6%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 12−14
−8.3%
12−14
+8.3%
Battlefield 5 30−33
−3.3%
30−35
+3.3%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 24−27
−4.2%
24−27
+4.2%
Cyberpunk 2077 14−16
+0%
14−16
+0%
Far Cry 5 21−24
−4.5%
21−24
+4.5%
Far Cry New Dawn 21−24
−4.3%
24−27
+4.3%
Forza Horizon 4 30−35
−3.2%
30−35
+3.2%
Hitman 3 21−24
−4.5%
21−24
+4.5%
Horizon Zero Dawn 18−20
+0%
18−20
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 16−18
+0%
16−18
+0%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 18−20
−5.3%
20−22
+5.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion 14−16
−6.7%
16−18
+6.7%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 18−20
−5.6%
18−20
+5.6%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 12−14
−8.3%
12−14
+8.3%
Battlefield 5 30−33
−3.3%
30−35
+3.3%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 24−27
−4.2%
24−27
+4.2%
Cyberpunk 2077 14−16
+0%
14−16
+0%
Far Cry 5 21−24
−4.5%
21−24
+4.5%
Far Cry New Dawn 21−24
−4.3%
24−27
+4.3%
Forza Horizon 4 30−35
−3.2%
30−35
+3.2%
Hitman 3 21−24
−4.5%
21−24
+4.5%
Horizon Zero Dawn 18−20
+0%
18−20
+0%
Metro Exodus 12−14
−7.7%
14−16
+7.7%
Red Dead Redemption 2 16−18
+0%
16−18
+0%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 18−20
−5.3%
20−22
+5.3%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 28
+47.4%
18−20
−47.4%
Watch Dogs: Legion 14−16
−6.7%
16−18
+6.7%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 18−20
−5.6%
18−20
+5.6%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 12−14
−8.3%
12−14
+8.3%
Battlefield 5 30−33
−3.3%
30−35
+3.3%
Cyberpunk 2077 14−16
+0%
14−16
+0%
Far Cry 5 21−24
−4.5%
21−24
+4.5%
Far Cry New Dawn 21−24
−4.3%
24−27
+4.3%
Forza Horizon 4 30−35
−3.2%
30−35
+3.2%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 15
−26.7%
18−20
+26.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion 14−16
−6.7%
16−18
+6.7%

1440p
High Preset

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 12−14
+0%
12−14
+0%
Hitman 3 14−16
+0%
14−16
+0%
Horizon Zero Dawn 14−16
+0%
14−16
+0%
Metro Exodus 7−8
+0%
7−8
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 6−7
+0%
6−7
+0%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 12−14
+0%
12−14
+0%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 7−8
−14.3%
8−9
+14.3%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 3−4
−33.3%
4−5
+33.3%
Battlefield 5 12−14
−7.7%
14−16
+7.7%
Cyberpunk 2077 4−5
+0%
4−5
+0%
Far Cry 5 14−16
+0%
14−16
+0%
Far Cry New Dawn 14−16
+0%
14−16
+0%
Forza Horizon 4 14−16
−6.7%
16−18
+6.7%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 9−10
+0%
9−10
+0%
Watch Dogs: Legion 4−5
+0%
4−5
+0%

4K
High Preset

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 6−7
+0%
6−7
+0%
Hitman 3 8−9
−12.5%
9−10
+12.5%
Horizon Zero Dawn 8−9
+0%
8−9
+0%
Metro Exodus 3−4
+0%
3−4
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 5−6
+0%
5−6
+0%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 4−5
+0%
4−5
+0%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 6−7
+0%
6−7
+0%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 4−5
−25%
5−6
+25%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 3−4
+0%
3−4
+0%
Battlefield 5 6−7
−16.7%
7−8
+16.7%
Cyberpunk 2077 1−2
+0%
1−2
+0%
Far Cry 5 7−8
+0%
7−8
+0%
Far Cry New Dawn 10−11
+0%
10−11
+0%
Forza Horizon 4 10−12
+0%
10−12
+0%
Watch Dogs: Legion 2−3
−50%
3−4
+50%

This is how GTX 870M and GTX 485M SLI compete in popular games:

900p resolution:

  • GTX 485M SLI is 4.7% faster than GTX 870M

1080p resolution:

  • GTX 485M SLI is 124% faster than GTX 870M

4K resolution:

  • GTX 870M is 5.6% faster than GTX 485M SLI

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

  • in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the GTX 870M is 47.4% faster than the GTX 485M SLI.
  • in Watch Dogs: Legion, with 4K resolution and the Ultra Preset, the GTX 485M SLI is 50% faster than the GTX 870M.

All in all, in popular games:

  • GTX 870M is ahead in 1 test (1%)
  • GTX 485M SLI is ahead in 37 tests (54%)
  • there's a draw in 30 tests (44%)

Advantages and disadvantages


Performance score 8.90 9.21
Recency 12 March 2014 6 January 2011
Memory bus width 192 256
Pipelines / CUDA cores 1344 768
Chip lithography 28 nm 40 nm

We couldn't decide between GeForce GTX 870M and GeForce GTX 485M SLI. The differences in performance seem too small.


Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.

Cast your own vote

Do you think we are right or mistaken in our choice? Vote by clicking "Like" button near your favorite graphics card.


NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M
GeForce GTX 870M
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485M SLI
GeForce GTX 485M SLI

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