GeForce GTS 160M vs GeForce GTX 280

In this comparison between GeForce GTS 160M and GeForce GTX 280 you will find out which graphics card performs better in today's games. Bear in mind that third-party versions may have more efficient cooling and higher clock speeds. This will increase cards' performance, though not by much. In addition to raw power you should also take into account the dimensions. Thicker models simply will not fit into a small mini-ITX case. The resolution of your monitor also affects the choice, since 4K gameplay requires a more powerful GPU. And don't overspend on the graphics card. Other parts of your build may also need to be upgraded, save some money for the CPU or power supply. For some people GeForce GTS 160M will be the best choice, for others GeForce GTX 280 will be their preference. Study the comparison tables below and make your choice.

GeForce GTS 160M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: GeForce GTS 160M is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with GeForce GTS 160M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTS 160M GeForce GTX 280
Power consumption (TDP) 60 Watt 236 Watt
Interface PCIe 2.0 x16 PCIe 2.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 6-pin & 8-pin
Memory type GDDR3 GDDR3
Maximum RAM amount 1 GB 1 GB
Display Connectors No outputs 2x DVI, 1x S-Video
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  • GeForce GTX 280 has 293% more power consumption, than GeForce GTS 160M.
  • Both video cards are using PCIe 2.0 x16 interface connection to a motherboard.
  • GeForce GTS 160M and GeForce GTX 280 have maximum RAM of 1 GB.
  • GeForce GTS 160M is used in Laptops, and GeForce GTX 280 - in Desktops.
  • GeForce GTS 160M is build with G9x architecture, and GeForce GTX 280 - with Tesla 2.0.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce GTS 160M is 204 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 280.
  • GeForce GTS 160M is manufactured by 55 nm process technology, and GeForce GTX 280 - by 65 nm process technology.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 0−1 1−2
ultra / 1080p 0−1
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 1−2 12−14
medium / 1080p 0−1 3−4
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 280 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 1200% more, than GeForce GTS 160M.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTS 160M GeForce GTX 280
Architecture G9x Tesla 2.0
Code name N10E-GS1 GT200
Type Laptop Desktop
Release date 2 March 2009 16 June 2008
Pipelines 64 240
Core clock speed 1500 MHz 1296 MHz
Transistor count 505 million 1,400 million
Manufacturing process technology 55 nm 65 nm
Texture fill rate 19 billion/sec 48.2 billion/sec
Floating-point performance 192 gflops 622.1 gflops
Length 10.5" (267 mm) (26.7 cm)
Memory bus width 256 Bit 512 Bit
Memory clock speed 1107 MHz
Memory bandwidth 51 GB/s 141.7 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 11.1 (10_0) 11.1 (10_0)
Shader Model 4.0 4.0
OpenGL 2.1 2.1
OpenCL 1.1 1.1
Vulkan N/A N/A
CUDA + +
CUDA cores 64 240
Bus support PCI-E 2.0
Height 4.376" (111 mm) (11.1 cm)
SLI options 2-way +
Multi monitor support +
HDMI +
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI S/PDIF S/PDIF
Laptop size large
Gigaflops 288
MXM Type MXM 3.0 Type-B
Power management 8.0
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