GeForce GTX 280 vs GeForce GTX 860M SLI
If you are going to buy a new graphics card and are choosing between GeForce GTX 280 and GeForce GTX 860M SLI, there are a couple of things to consider. Cards with more VRAM in general perform better and allow you to play on higher graphics settings. Size also makes a difference. A model with a large heatsink can occupy up to three expansion slots on a motherboard. Be sure you have enough room in your PC case. When comparing GPUs with different architectures, more processing cores and even higher TFLOPS will not always translate to better performance. To help you decide which GPU you need, we have measured frame rates in a number of popular games. For more on how the GeForce GTX 280 stacks up against GeForce GTX 860M SLI, check out specs charts below.
GeForce GTX 280
GeForce GTX 860M SLI is a Laptop Graphics Card
Note: GeForce GTX 860M SLI 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 GTX 860M SLI here:
Main Specs
| GeForce GTX 280 | GeForce GTX 860M SLI | |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 236 Watt | 120 Watt |
| Interface | PCIe 2.0 x16 | |
| Supplementary power connectors | 6-pin & 8-pin | |
| Memory type | GDDR3 | GDDR5 |
| Maximum RAM amount | 1 GB | 2x 4 GB |
| Display Connectors | 2x DVI, 1x S-Video | |
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- GeForce GTX 280 has 96% more power consumption, than GeForce GTX 860M SLI.
- GeForce GTX 860M SLI has 1 GB more memory, than GeForce GTX 280.
- GeForce GTX 280 is used in Desktops, and GeForce GTX 860M SLI - in Laptops.
- GeForce GTX 280 is build with Tesla 2.0 architecture, and GeForce GTX 860M SLI - with Maxwell.
- Core clock speed of GeForce GTX 280 is 267 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 860M SLI.
- GeForce GTX 280 is manufactured by 65 nm process technology, and GeForce GTX 860M SLI - by 28 nm process technology.
- Memory clock speed of GeForce GTX 860M SLI is 3893 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 280.
Game benchmarks
| high / 1080p | 1−2 | 21−24 |
| ultra / 1080p | 0−1 | 14−16 |
| QHD / 1440p | 0−1 | 8−9 |
| 4K / 2160p | − | 5−6 |
| low / 720p | 12−14 | 40−45 |
| medium / 1080p | 3−4 | 27−30 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 416% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| high / 1080p | − | 35−40 |
| ultra / 1080p | 4−5 | 30−35 |
| QHD / 1440p | 0−1 | 14−16 |
| 4K / 2160p | − | 9−10 |
| low / 720p | 16−18 | 75−80 |
| medium / 1080p | 5−6 | 40−45 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Battlefield 5 is 455% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| low / 768p | 45−50 | 50−55 |
| high / 1080p | 40−45 | − |
| QHD / 1440p | 0−1 | 0−1 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Call of Duty: Warzone is 10% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| low / 768p | 120−130 | 230−240 |
| medium / 768p | 90−95 | 210−220 |
| ultra / 1080p | 40−45 | 130−140 |
| QHD / 1440p | 21−24 | 100−110 |
| 4K / 2160p | 18−20 | 55−60 |
| high / 768p | 65−70 | 170−180 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is 150% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| low / 768p | 85−90 | 60−65 |
| ultra / 1080p | 16−18 | 55−60 |
| medium / 1080p | 40−45 | 55−60 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Cyberpunk 2077 is 20% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| low / 768p | 75−80 | 120−130 |
| medium / 768p | 50−55 | 110−120 |
| ultra / 1080p | 24−27 | 85−90 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Dota 2 is 113% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| high / 1080p | 2−3 | 27−30 |
| ultra / 1080p | 2−3 | 24−27 |
| QHD / 1440p | − | 21−24 |
| 4K / 2160p | 0−1 | 9−10 |
| low / 720p | 10−12 | 55−60 |
| medium / 1080p | 3−4 | 30−33 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Far Cry 5 is 775% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| high / 1080p | 10−11 | 35−40 |
| ultra / 1080p | 5−6 | 27−30 |
| QHD / 1440p | 2−3 | 16−18 |
| low / 720p | 50−55 | 130−140 |
| medium / 1080p | 10−12 | 80−85 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Fortnite is 275% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| high / 1080p | 4−5 | 35−40 |
| ultra / 1080p | − | 27−30 |
| QHD / 1440p | 0−1 | 16−18 |
| 4K / 2160p | − | 14−16 |
| low / 720p | 16−18 | 75−80 |
| medium / 1080p | 7−8 | 40−45 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Forza Horizon 4 is 477% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| low / 768p | 40−45 | 110−120 |
| medium / 768p | − | 100−105 |
| high / 1080p | 5−6 | 45−50 |
| ultra / 1080p | 2−3 | 18−20 |
| QHD / 1440p | 0−1 | 9−10 |
| medium / 720p | 35−40 | − |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Grand Theft Auto V is 275% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| high / 1080p | 1−2 | 14−16 |
| ultra / 1080p | 0−1 | 12−14 |
| QHD / 1440p | − | 10−12 |
| 4K / 2160p | 0−1 | 3−4 |
| low / 720p | 5−6 | 45−50 |
| medium / 1080p | 3−4 | 20−22 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Metro Exodus is 800% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| low / 768p | 90−95 | 120−130 |
| high / 1080p | 85−90 | − |
| ultra / 1080p | 70−75 | − |
| medium / 1080p | 90−95 | 110−120 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Minecraft is 30% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| ultra / 1080p | 12−14 | 14−16 |
| low / 720p | 27−30 | 75−80 |
| medium / 1080p | 14−16 | 18−20 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS is 105% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| high / 1080p | − | 16−18 |
| ultra / 1080p | 4−5 | 10−12 |
| QHD / 1440p | 0−1 | 3−4 |
| 4K / 2160p | − | 2−3 |
| low / 720p | 6−7 | 40−45 |
| medium / 1080p | − | 21−24 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in Red Dead Redemption 2 is 420% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| low / 768p | 12−14 | 80−85 |
| medium / 768p | 8−9 | 50−55 |
| high / 1080p | 4−5 | 27−30 |
| ultra / 1080p | 3−4 | 16−18 |
| 4K / 2160p | 0−1 | 9−10 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is 542% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
| low / 768p | 75−80 | 90−95 |
| medium / 768p | 35−40 | 60−65 |
| ultra / 1080p | 16−18 | 40−45 |
| high / 768p | 30−35 | 55−60 |
| The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 860M SLI in World of Tanks is 53% more, than GeForce GTX 280. | ||
Full Specs
| GeForce GTX 280 | GeForce GTX 860M SLI | |
| Architecture | Tesla 2.0 | Maxwell |
| Code name | GT200 | |
| Type | Desktop | Laptop |
| Release date | 16 June 2008 | 12 March 2014 |
| Pipelines | 240 | 1280 |
| Core clock speed | 1296 MHz | 1029 MHz |
| Transistor count | 1,400 million | 2x 1870 Million |
| Manufacturing process technology | 65 nm | 28 nm |
| Texture fill rate | 48.2 billion/sec | |
| Floating-point performance | 622.1 gflops | |
| Length | 10.5" (267 mm) (26.7 cm) | |
| Memory bus width | 512 Bit | 2x 128 Bit |
| Memory clock speed | 1107 MHz | 5000 MHz |
| Memory bandwidth | 141.7 GB/s | |
| Shared memory | - | |
| DirectX | 11.1 (10_0) | DirectX 12 (FL 11_0), Shader 5.0 |
| Shader Model | 4.0 | |
| OpenGL | 2.1 | |
| OpenCL | 1.1 | |
| Vulkan | N/A | |
| CUDA | + | + |
| CUDA cores | 240 | |
| Height | 4.376" (111 mm) (11.1 cm) | |
| SLI options | + | + |
| Multi monitor support | + | |
| Maximum VGA resolution | 2048x1536 | |
| Audio input for HDMI | S/PDIF | |
| Laptop size | large | |
| Optimus | + | |
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