GeForce GTX 980M vs GeForce MX230

When comparing GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce MX230, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce MX230 is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce MX230 are Laptop Graphics Cards

Note: GeForce GTX 980M and GeForce MX230 are only used in laptop graphics. They have 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 980M or GeForce MX230 here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 980M GeForce MX230
Power consumption (TDP) 10 Watt
Interface MXM-B (3.0) PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors None None
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 8 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors No outputs No outputs
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  • GeForce GTX 980M is connected by MXM-B (3.0), and GeForce MX230 uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • GeForce GTX 980M has 4 GB more memory, than GeForce MX230.
  • Both cards are used in Laptops.
  • GeForce GTX 980M is build with Maxwell architecture, and GeForce MX230 - with Pascal.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce MX230 is 481 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 980M.
  • GeForce GTX 980M is manufactured by 28 nm process technology, and GeForce MX230 - by 14 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of GeForce MX230 is 4500 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 980M.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 35−40 9−10
ultra / 1080p 24−27 5−6
QHD / 1440p 18−20 0−1
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 60−65 21−24
medium / 1080p 45−50 12−14
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 980M in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 258% more, than GeForce MX230.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 980M GeForce MX230
Architecture Maxwell Pascal
Code name GM204 N17S-G0
Type Laptop Laptop
Release date 7 October 2014 20 February 2019
Pipelines 1536 256
Core clock speed 1038 MHz 1519 MHz
Boost Clock 1127 MHz 1531 MHz
Transistor count 5,200 million 1,800 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 14 nm
Texture fill rate 51.84 25.31
Floating-point performance 3,462 gflops
Memory bus width 256 Bit 64 Bit
Memory clock speed 2500 MHz 7000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 160 GB/s 48.06 GB/s
Shared memory - -
G-SYNC support +
DirectX 12 (12_1) 12 (12_1)
Shader Model 6.4 6.4
OpenGL 4.5 4.6
OpenCL 1.1 1.2
Vulkan 1.1.126 1.2.131
CUDA + +
CUDA cores 1536
Bus support PCI Express 3.0
SLI options +
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 383 Mh/s
Laptop size large medium sized
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support +
H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder +
Optimus + +
GameStream +
GeForce ShadowPlay +
GPU Boost 2.0
GameWorks +
BatteryBoost +
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