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GeForce GTX 880M, 870M, And 860M: Mobile GPUs, Tested

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Nvidia is in the process of rolling out its GeForce GTX 800M-series graphics modules. Despite the new name, we're still looking at GK104-based GPUs. One thing is for sure, though: the processor is running faster than ever. We benchmark three models.

How We Test Nvidia's GeForce GTX 800M Graphics

Origin PC supplied all the hardware needed to test the latest GeForce modules, and the previous set of data we generated was also facilitated by Origin PC. This is how the company's Eon17-S looks for 2014, when ordered in white:

Using the stats reported by GPU-Z, this is how our hardware and software is being benchmarked. The notebook needed to be custom-ordered to retain the previously-used Core i7-4930MX, since that processor was replaced by Intel's slightly-faster Core i7-4940MX.

Test System Configuration
CPUIntel Core i7-4930MX: 3.0 to 3.9 GHz, 8 MB Shared L3 Cache, FCPGA946
Motherboard, ChassisOrigin PC Eon17-S: Intel HM87 Express, 4 x DIMM, 3 x SATA/2 x mSATA/1 x eSATA 6Gb/s, HDMI, Dual DisplayPort, 17.3" FHD 1080p
Cooling SystemDual-blower air: 2 x CPU pipes, 2 x GPU pipes, 1 x GDDR5 pipe
RAMKingston 99U5469-041.A00LF (8 GB) 2 x 4 GB DDR3-1600 CAS 11-11-11-28, Dual-Channel Mode
GeForce GTX 800M GraphicsNvidia GeForce GTX 880M: 954-993 MHz GPU, 8 GB GDDR5-5000 Nvidia GeForce GTX 870M: 941-967 MHz GPU, 6 GB GDDR5-4008 Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M: 797-915 MHz GPU, 4 GB GDDR5-4008
GeForce GTX 700M GraphicsNvidia GeForce GTX 780M: 771-797 MHz GPU, 4 GB GDDR5-5000 Nvidia GeForce GTX 770M: 706-797 MHz GPU, 3 GB GDDR5-4008 Nvidia GeForce GTX 765M: 797-863 MHz GPU, 2 GB GDDR5-4008
StorageSamsung 840 Pro MZ-7PD256, 256 GB SSD
SoundIntegrated HD Audio
NetworkRealtek 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth v4.0+LE Combo Half Mini-Card module
PowerChicony A12-230P1A: 100-240 VAC to 19.5 VDC, 11.8 A
System Software
OSMicrosoft Windows 7 Home Premium x64
GeForce GTX 800M GraphicsNvidia GeForce Mobile 337.50 WHQL
GeForce GTX 700M GraphicsNvidia GeForce Mobile 332.21 WHQL

Nvidia's newest modules are tested with the company's new 337.50 driver, which could have thrown a wrench in our plans to compare last generation's hardware to the latest and greatest (at least as far as isolating the graphics modules was concerned). Fortunately, we found that the games we're using are barely affected by the update.

The Eon17-S’s only potential benchmarking issue is that its 1920x1080 panel resolution is too low to maximally stress Nvidia’s potent Kepler-based GK104 GPU. StarTech's MDP2DVID dual-link DVI adapter supplies the bandwidth to feed our aging Dell 30" screen its native 2560x1600 resolution from the notebook’s DisplayPort output, pushing slightly beyond the capabilities of QHD-equipped machines.

3D Games
Arma 3Version 1.08.113494, 30-Sec. Fraps "Infantry Showcase" Test Set 1: Standard Preset, No AA, Standard AF Test Set 2: Ultra Preset, 8x FSAA, Ultra AF
Battlefield 4Version 1.0.0.1, DirectX 11, 100-Sec. Fraps "Tashgar" Test Set 1: High Quality Preset, No AA, 4X AF, SSAO Test Set 2: Ultra Quality Preset,  4X MSAA, 16X AF, HBAO
Far Cry 3V. 1.05, DirectX 11, 50-sec. Fraps "Amanaki Outpost" Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA, Standard ATC., SSAO Test Set 2: Ultra Quality, 4x MSAA, Enhanced ATC, HDAO
F1 2012Steam version, in-game benchmark Test Set 1: High Quality Preset, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Quality Preset, 8x AA
Metro: Last LightSteam version, Built-In Benchmark, "Frontline" SceneTest Set 1: DX11, Med Quality, 4x AF, Low Blur, No SSAA, No Tesselation, No PhysXTest Set 2: DX11, High Quality, 16x AF, Normal Blur, SSAA, Tesselation Normal, No PhysX
Tomb RaiderSteam version, Built-In Benchmark Test Set 1: High Quality Preset (8x AF, FXAA), Motion Blur, Screen Effects Test Set 2: Ultimate Quality, (16x AF,  FXAA), Tesselation, TressFX
Synthetic
3DMark ProfessionalVersion 1.1, SystemInfo 4.17.0.0, Fire Strike Benchmark (Extreme Off/On)
35 Comments Comment from the forums
  • CaptainTom 23 April 2014 07:15
    Eh these generations are all the same cards. Show us a 980M with full maxwell. Then we'll talk...
    Reply
  • dscudella 23 April 2014 08:05
    Looks like maybe two more generations before we see single gpu 4K mobile gaming.
    Reply
  • Puiucs 23 April 2014 08:21
    we need them to finish working on 20nm fast. TSMC just can't do it anymore. global foundries has 14nm only on paper too....
    Reply
  • guvnaguy 23 April 2014 11:09
    I'm actually fairly impressed. Their website says a max of 6 hours battery on "UMA" mode. Would you be able to test this, Tom?

    Previously I wouldn't consider getting a gaming laptop due to their short battery life, even when not gaming. But if a laptop with this kind of hardware can manage 5 - 6 hours, I'd consider it...
    Reply
  • ubercake 23 April 2014 11:30
    Page one gives the impression you might include desktop cards so we could get a frame of reference with regard to desktop v laptop GPU performance. Then I looked immediately at the BF4 page and found no desktop GPUs in the performance charts?
    Reply
  • Ninjawithagun 23 April 2014 11:54
    Highly disappointed overall by the 800M series performance. I can feel assured that my GTX780Ms in my Alienware 18 will serve me well for at least another year. So, whatever happened to multi-core GPUs?? The concept works well for desktop CPUs, yet we have not seen it in desktop or mobile GPUs as of yet? ATI's Hawaii GPU comes close in certain aspects regarding behavior like a multi-core GPU by handing off processes to other chips within the die. One step closer to a next-gen GPU, yet still so far...
    Reply
  • jrharbort 23 April 2014 13:24
    A shame this didn't include the Maxwell-based 860M. It performs much more in line with what we'd expect from a true next-gen mobile chip (I'm currently using said chip, and still exercising its capabilities). I can say it's roughly 30% faster than the previous gen 765M, and benchmarks by others have shown it to be twice as fast as the GTX 660M while staying at a max of 50W TDP. I've yet to do any real benchmarking myself, so if anyone cares to see any, leave me some suggestions of what to use (preferably free software).
    Reply
  • hannibal 23 April 2014 14:13
    Is there any way of knowing if you get kepler 860 or maxwell 860 when you buy a laptop?
    I hate these kind of naming tricks... Even 860a and 860b or anything that gives out what you will get.
    Reply
  • jrharbort 23 April 2014 14:24
    Is there any way of knowing if you get kepler 860 or maxwell 860 when you buy a laptop?
    I hate these kind of naming tricks... Even 860a and 860b or anything that gives out what you will get.
    It is difficult to know unless you get more specific information from the manufacturer before purchase (or find benchmarks of the computer model you're looking at beforehand). The MSi GE60 Apache Pro was the first notebook to feature the Maxwell-based 860M.
    Reply
  • dstarr3 23 April 2014 14:38
    So, whatever happened to multi-core GPUs?? The concept works well for desktop CPUs, yet we have not seen it in desktop or mobile GPUs as of yet?

    GPUs have been multi-core for ages now. Well beyond desktop cores, even. The GTX880M in particular is a 1,536-core GPU. Similar numbers have been around for a long time.
    http://www.geforce.com/hardware/notebook-gpus/geforce-gtx-880m/specifications
    Reply