GeForce GTX 880M vs GeForce MX450

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 880M

2014Core: 954 MHzBoost: 993 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

GeForce MX450

2020Core: 1395 MHzBoost: 1575 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 880M

2014

Why buy it

  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 14.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
  • 388% higher power demand at 122W vs 25W.

GeForce MX450

2020

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 14.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($250 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 880M: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 880M is already obsolete for modern gaming.
  • Draws 25W instead of 122W, a 97W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 2 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 880M better than GeForce MX450?
Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 3,826 vs 3,720 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce GTX 880M is the overall package: you are getting no meaningful modern upscaling stack.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce MX450 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2014 and a 12nm process instead of 28nm. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce GTX 880M is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 880M is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $250 MSRP, and you are getting 2.8% higher G3D Mark. GeForce MX450 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
When does GeForce MX450 make more sense than GeForce GTX 880M?
Yes. GeForce MX450 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (25W vs 122W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $250 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 880M. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 880M currently gives you 2.8% higher G3D Mark. GeForce MX450 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
1080p
low128 FPS90 FPS
medium109 FPS80 FPS
high88 FPS63 FPS
ultra53 FPS53 FPS
1440p
low110 FPS80 FPS
medium93 FPS68 FPS
high66 FPS52 FPS
ultra39 FPS44 FPS
4K
low39 FPS39 FPS
medium35 FPS37 FPS
high21 FPS25 FPS
ultra18 FPS22 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
1080p
low122 FPS131 FPS
medium93 FPS96 FPS
high70 FPS68 FPS
ultra45 FPS44 FPS
1440p
low68 FPS85 FPS
medium47 FPS57 FPS
high35 FPS42 FPS
ultra23 FPS30 FPS
4K
low25 FPS37 FPS
medium18 FPS27 FPS
high14 FPS22 FPS
ultra10 FPS15 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
1080p
low172 FPS167 FPS
medium138 FPS134 FPS
high115 FPS112 FPS
ultra86 FPS84 FPS
1440p
low129 FPS126 FPS
medium103 FPS100 FPS
high86 FPS84 FPS
ultra65 FPS63 FPS
4K
low86 FPS84 FPS
medium69 FPS67 FPS
high57 FPS56 FPS
ultra43 FPS42 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
1080p
low172 FPS167 FPS
medium138 FPS134 FPS
high115 FPS112 FPS
ultra86 FPS84 FPS
1440p
low129 FPS126 FPS
medium103 FPS100 FPS
high86 FPS84 FPS
ultra65 FPS63 FPS
4K
low86 FPS84 FPS
medium69 FPS67 FPS
high57 FPS56 FPS
ultra43 FPS42 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 880M and GeForce MX450

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 880M

The GeForce GTX 880M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 122W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,826 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce MX450

The GeForce MX450 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 1 2020. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1575 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,720 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 880M scores 3,826 and the GeForce MX450 reaches 3,720 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 880M is built on Kepler while the GeForce MX450 uses Turing, both on 28 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 896 (GeForce MX450). Raw compute: 3.05 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 3.226 TFLOPS (GeForce MX450). Boost clocks: 993 MHz vs 1575 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
G3D Mark Score
3,826+3%
3,720
Architecture
Kepler
Turing
Process Node
28 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
1536+71%
896
Compute (TFLOPS)
3.05 TFLOPS
3.226 TFLOPS+6%
Boost Clock
993 MHz
1575 MHz+59%
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
128+100%
64

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 880M comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce MX450 has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 880M offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 80 GB/s (GeForce MX450) — a 100% advantage for the GeForce GTX 880M. Bus width: 256-bit vs 64-bit.

FeatureGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+300%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
160 GB/s+100%
80 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 880M draws 122W versus the GeForce MX450's 25W — a 132% difference. The GeForce MX450 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 350W (GeForce MX450). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile.

FeatureGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
TDP
122W
25W-80%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Mobile
Length
1mm
Slots
0
Perf/Watt
31.4
148.8+374%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce MX450 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2014).

FeatureGeForce GTX 880MGeForce MX450
MSRP
$250
Codename
GK104
N17S-G5 / GP107-670-A1
Release
March 12 2014
August 1 2020
Ranking
#514
#523