NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670: Outdated Warrior or Budget Option in 2025?
An analysis of the capabilities and limitations of this legendary card in modern realities
1. Architecture and Key Features
Kepler Architecture: The Beginning of a New Era
Released in 2012, the GTX 670 is based on the Kepler architecture (GK104 chip), which marked a breakthrough for NVIDIA thanks to its energy efficiency and support for DirectX 11. The manufacturing process is 28 nm, which was cutting edge at the time. The card has 1344 CUDA cores, dynamic overclocking via GPU Boost (base clock at 915 MHz, boost up to 980 MHz), and support for PCIe 3.0.
What’s Missing?
The GTX 670 does not support modern technologies such as ray tracing (RTX), DLSS, or FidelityFX. These features emerged in later generations of cards (starting from the RTX 20 series). Its capabilities are limited to basic graphical tasks without hardware acceleration for AI or complex effects.
2. Memory: Modest Resources for Modern Standards
GDDR5 and Bandwidth
The card is equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 256-bit bus. The bandwidth is 192 GB/s. This was sufficient for games made between 2012 and 2015, but by 2025, even at minimal settings in projects like Cyberpunk 2077 or Starfield, this amount becomes a critical limitation. High-resolution textures and complex shaders quickly drain resources, leading to lag and dropping FPS.
Advice: For comfortable performance in 2025, a minimum of 6–8 GB of VRAM is recommended. The GTX 670 will only be suitable for older games or less demanding indie projects.
3. Gaming Performance: Nostalgia Instead of Power
1080p: A Basic Level
In 2010s games like The Witcher 3 or GTA V, the GTX 670 achieves around 40–50 FPS on medium settings. However, in modern AAA titles, the situation is different:
- Cyberpunk 2077 (Low, 1080p): 15–20 FPS.
- Elden Ring (Low, 1080p): 20–25 FPS.
- Fortnite (Medium, 1080p): 30–35 FPS (without shadow effects enabled).
4K? Forget It
The card is not intended for resolutions above 1080p. Even 1440p in most games becomes a daunting task due to a lack of memory and computational power.
4. Professional Tasks: A Very Limited Niche
CUDA: A Plus for Old Applications
CUDA support allows the GTX 670 to be used in programs like Adobe Premiere Pro or Blender, but only for simple tasks. Rendering complex 3D scenes will take much longer compared to modern cards with Tensor cores.
Scientific Computing: Not Relevant
For machine learning or neural network tasks, at least 8 GB VRAM and architecture supporting FP16/INT8 are required. The GTX 670 is hopelessly outdated in this regard.
5. Power Consumption and Heat Output: Not the Worst Figures
TDP 170 W: Modest for 2025
By current standards, the card is relatively energy-efficient. A system with the GTX 670 requires a power supply of 450–500 W (including a safety margin).
Cooling: Noise vs. Temperatures
Reference models with a turbofan could reach temperatures of 80°C under load. It is recommended to use a case with good ventilation (2–3 fans) and regularly clean the system of dust.
6. Comparison with Competitors: Time Spares No One
Direct Competitors of 2012:
- AMD Radeon HD 7970: 3 GB GDDR5, slightly higher performance in DX11, but similar issues with modern games.
Modern Analogs (2025):
- NVIDIA RTX 3050 (8 GB GDDR6): Support for DLSS 3, RTX, new model prices — $250–300.
- AMD Radeon RX 6600 (8 GB GDDR6): Better performance at 1080p, $200–230.
The GTX 670 lags behind even budget new releases of 2025 by 3–4 times in speed.
7. Practical Advice: Caution, Retro Card!
Power Supply: Minimum 450 W (80+ Bronze). Ensure there is an 8-pin power connector.
Compatibility:
- Motherboards: PCIe 3.0 is backward compatible with PCIe 4.0/5.0, but performance will not improve.
- Drivers: Official NVIDIA support has been discontinued. The last versions are from 2021. There may be issues with Windows 11 and new games.
Tip: Consider the GTX 670 only as a temporary solution or for building a retro PC.
8. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low price on the secondary market ($30–50).
- Energy efficiency for its class.
- CUDA support for basic tasks.
Cons:
- 2 GB VRAM is critically low.
- No support for modern technologies (RTX, DLSS).
- Lack of drivers for new OS and games.
9. Final Conclusion: Who Is the GTX 670 Suitable for in 2025?
This card is a choice for:
1. Retro computer enthusiasts building PCs for games from the 2000s to 2010s.
2. Office systems where image output and working with 2D applications are required.
3. A temporary solution if the main card fails.
Why Not Buy a New One?
The GTX 670 has been discontinued, and any new equivalents (if found) will be overvalued. It’s better to look at budget models from 2023 to 2025 — they will ensure stable performance under current conditions.
Conclusion
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 is a significant milestone in GPU history, but by 2025 its time has passed. Unless you are a collector or on a tight budget, invest in more modern solutions. Technology does not stand still, and even $200 today will grant access to cards with AI rendering support and 4K gaming capabilities.