NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX: An Obsolete Warrior or a Museum Exhibit?
Analysis of a 2012 Graphics Card in the Realities of 2025
Introduction
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX is a mobile graphics card released in 2012 for gaming laptops. After 13 years, it seems like a relic but is still found in used devices. In this article, we'll evaluate what this model is capable of in 2025 and who might still find it useful.
Architecture and Key Features
Kepler Architecture: A Breakthrough of Its Time
The GTX 675MX is built on the Kepler architecture (28 nm), which set new standards for energy efficiency in 2012. The card features 960 CUDA cores and a clock speed of up to 758 MHz. However, technologies like RTX (ray tracing), DLSS, or FidelityFX are absent, having only appeared in the RTX 20xx series and newer.
Features for the DirectX 11 Era
The card supports DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.5, allowing it to run games from the late 2000s to early 2010s at high settings. Notable features include NVIDIA Optimus (switching between discrete and integrated graphics for power saving) and PhysX for enhanced physics in games like Borderlands 2.
Memory: Modest Specs for Modern Tasks
GDDR5 and 256-Bit Bus
The GTX 675MX employs GDDR5 memory, available in 2 GB or 4 GB (depending on the variant), with a bandwidth of up to 115.2 GB/s. This was sufficient for games from 2012 to 2015, but in 2025, even 4 GB is critically low. Modern projects like Cyberpunk 2077 require a minimum of 6–8 GB of video memory.
Bottlenecking at 4K
Even for rendering at 1080p, the card struggles: high-resolution textures and post-processing quickly fill the memory, causing FPS drops.
Gaming Performance: Nostalgia for the Past
FPS in Older Games
In games from 2012 to 2014, the GTX 675MX shows decent results:
- The Witcher 2: 45–55 FPS on high settings (1080p);
- Skyrim: 60 FPS (ultra, 1080p);
- Battlefield 3: 50–60 FPS (high, 1080p).
Modern Games: Minimum Settings and Lag
In 2025, the card can only handle indie projects or games at low settings:
- Fortnite: 25–35 FPS (1080p, low);
- CS2: 40–50 FPS (720p, low);
- Elden Ring: less than 20 FPS (720p, minimum).
Ray Tracing and Upscaling
There is no support for hardware ray tracing or DLSS. Running games with RTX effects (via mods) leads to FPS dropping below 10 frames.
Professional Tasks: Very Limited Applicability
CUDA for Basic Tasks
With its 960 CUDA cores, the card can accelerate rendering in Blender or Adobe Premiere Pro (through Mercury Playback Engine), but processing speeds are 5–10 times slower than modern GPUs like the RTX 4050.
3D Modeling and Scientific Calculations
For work in Autodesk Maya or SolidWorks, simple scenes will suffice, but complex projects will lag. In scientific simulations (for instance, based on OpenCL), the GTX 675MX lags behind even integrated graphics in the Ryzen 5 8600G.
Power Consumption and Heat Output
TDP 100W: A Challenge for Laptops
With a TDP of 100W, the card requires a robust cooling system. In 2025, even budget laptops offer more effective solutions. Under sustained load, the GPU temperature reaches 90–95°C, which shortens the device's lifespan.
Cooling Recommendations
If using the GTX 675MX in a PC (via an external chassis), a case with 2–3 fans and thermal paste replacement every 6–12 months will be necessary.
Comparison with Competitors
AMD Radeon HD 7970M: A Rival from the Past
The main competitor in 2012, the Radeon HD 7970M, offered similar specs: 2 GB GDDR5, 1280 stream processors. In games, the GTX 675MX often performed better due to optimization for NVIDIA but fell short in compute tasks.
In 2025: Budget Alternatives
Comparing the GTX 675MX to modern GPUs is pointless. Even the mobile RTX 2050 (2023) is 3–4 times more powerful and supports DLSS.
Practical Recommendations
Power Supply: At Least 400W
For building a PC with the GTX 675MX (if you find a compatible motherboard), a 400W PSU with a 6-pin PCIe connector will be needed.
Compatibility with Platforms
The card only works on PCIe 3.0 x16. Modern motherboards with PCIe 5.0 are backward compatible, but NVIDIA drivers ceased updates in 2021.
Drivers: End of Support
The last WHQL drivers for the GTX 675MX were released in 2020. Some games from 2023–2025 may require community patches or mods to run.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low price on the second-hand market ($20–50);
- Support for legacy projects and older OS (Windows 7, 8);
- Sufficient for office tasks and video playback.
Cons:
- Struggles with modern games and applications;
- High power consumption;
- Lack of support for new technologies (RTX, DLSS, AV1).
Final Conclusion: Who is the GTX 675MX For?
1. Collectors and Retro Hardware Enthusiasts — for reviving old laptops or running classic games from the 2000s.
2. Owners of Obsolete PCs — as a temporary solution until an upgrade.
3. Office Tasks — if graphics work is not required.
Why Not to Buy in 2025?
Even budget GPUs like the Intel Arc A380 ($120) or the AMD Radeon RX 6400 ($130) offer better performance, support for modern APIs, and energy efficiency. The GTX 675MX is only a choice for very niche scenarios.
Conclusion
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX is a symbol of an era when Kepler challenged AMD. But in 2025, it is more of a museum exhibit than a tool for gaming or work. Purchase it only if you want to dive into nostalgia or build a retro system.