GeForce GTX 680MX vs GeForce RTX 4070

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 680MX

2012Core: 720 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 4070
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

2023Core: 1920 MHzBoost: 2475 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 680MX

2012

Why buy it

  • Draws 122W instead of 200W, a 78W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,799 vs 26,919).
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 44.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Why buy it

  • +608.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 63.9% higher power demand at 200W vs 122W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 better than GeForce GTX 680MX?
Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 26,919 vs 3,799 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while GeForce GTX 680MX is a 2012 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2012, 608.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 4070 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4070 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $599 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 608.6% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is GeForce GTX 680MX still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. GeForce GTX 680MX is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4070 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
1080p
low78 FPS183 FPS
medium67 FPS167 FPS
high53 FPS151 FPS
ultra35 FPS131 FPS
1440p
low70 FPS150 FPS
medium60 FPS124 FPS
high43 FPS110 FPS
ultra27 FPS101 FPS
4K
low25 FPS92 FPS
medium24 FPS78 FPS
high16 FPS65 FPS
ultra14 FPS58 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
1080p
low64 FPS544 FPS
medium42 FPS454 FPS
high31 FPS353 FPS
ultra21 FPS299 FPS
1440p
low37 FPS351 FPS
medium21 FPS288 FPS
high15 FPS235 FPS
ultra11 FPS197 FPS
4K
low13 FPS172 FPS
medium8 FPS144 FPS
high6 FPS125 FPS
ultra5 FPS101 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
1080p
low171 FPS884 FPS
medium137 FPS713 FPS
high114 FPS643 FPS
ultra85 FPS569 FPS
1440p
low128 FPS684 FPS
medium103 FPS549 FPS
high85 FPS483 FPS
ultra64 FPS424 FPS
4K
low85 FPS467 FPS
medium68 FPS373 FPS
high57 FPS326 FPS
ultra43 FPS277 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
1080p
low128 FPS751 FPS
medium103 FPS612 FPS
high88 FPS536 FPS
ultra72 FPS497 FPS
1440p
low97 FPS615 FPS
medium80 FPS500 FPS
high69 FPS433 FPS
ultra55 FPS395 FPS
4K
low57 FPS384 FPS
medium44 FPS324 FPS
high35 FPS301 FPS
ultra26 FPS272 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 680MX and GeForce RTX 4070

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 680MX

The GeForce GTX 680MX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 23 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 720 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 122W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,799 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 680MX scores 3,799 versus the GeForce RTX 4070's 26,919 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 608.6%. The GeForce GTX 680MX is built on Kepler while the GeForce RTX 4070 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070).

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
G3D Mark Score
3,799
26,919+609%
Architecture
Kepler
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
28 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
1536
5888+283%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 680MX lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 680MX is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 680MX comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4070 has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070) — a 215% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
12 GB+200%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
160 GB/s
504 GB/s+215%
Bus Width
256-bit+33%
192-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.2
1.3+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Kepler) (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070). Decoder: NVDEC (Kepler) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-1,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070).

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
Encoder
NVENC (Kepler)
8th Gen NVENC (2x)
Decoder
NVDEC (Kepler)
5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs
H.264,MPEG-1,MPEG-2,VC-1
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 680MX draws 122W versus the GeForce RTX 4070's 200W — a 48.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 680MX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 680MX) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 4070). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 304mm, occupying 0 vs 3 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
TDP
122W-39%
200W
Recommended PSU
350W-46%
650W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
8-pin
Length
0mm
304mm
Height
0mm
137mm
Slots
0-100%
3
Temp (Load)
80
80°C
Perf/Watt
31.1
134.6+333%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4070 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce GTX 680MXGeForce RTX 4070
MSRP
$599
Codename
AD104
Release
October 23 2012
April 12 2023
Ranking
#520
#32