NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M in 2025: Retrospective and Relevance
Overview of a Mobile Graphics Card for Enthusiasts and Owners of Older Systems
1. Architecture and Key Features
Kepler Architecture: A Legacy from 2013
The GTX 765M is based on the Kepler architecture, which debuted in 2012-2013. This graphics card was built on a 28nm process, which was standard for its time. At its core lies the GK106 chip with 768 CUDA cores, which provided sufficient performance for gaming in the mid-2010s.
Lack of Modern Technologies
Being part of the GTX series rather than the RTX series, the GTX 765M does not support ray tracing (RTX), DLSS, or FidelityFX. These features emerged later with the Turing (2018) and Ampere (2020) architectures. For upscaling or anti-aliasing, the card relied on FXAA and Adaptive VSync, which seems outdated today.
Key Feature: Optimization for Laptops
The main advantage of the GTX 765M is its energy efficiency for mobile systems. It was used in gaming and multimedia laptops like the MSI GE70 or ASUS ROG G750, providing a balance between performance and battery life.
2. Memory
GDDR5 and Modest Specifications
The card was equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 128-bit bus. Its effective memory frequency reached 4000 MHz, ensuring a bandwidth of up to 64 GB/s. For games released between 2013 and 2015, this was sufficient, but in 2025, 2 GB is critically low even for indie projects.
Limitations for Modern Tasks
Memory capacity affects textures and resolutions. For instance, in Hogwarts Legacy (2023), the minimum requirement is 4 GB, while Starfield (2023) requires 8 GB. The GTX 765M will struggle with such games due to insufficient VRAM.
3. Gaming Performance
Retro Gaming: What Can You Play in 2025?
The GTX 765M is suitable for classics:
- The Witcher 3 (2015): ~30 FPS on medium settings at 1080p.
- CS:GO (2012): 60-90 FPS in Full HD.
- GTA V (2015): 40-50 FPS on high settings.
Modern Titles: Unrealistic Expectations
Even "light" games like Fortnite will require lowering the resolution to 720p and disabling effects to achieve 30 FPS. Ray tracing is unavailable, and DLSS is absent—upscaling is impossible.
Resolutions: Only 1080p and Below
The card is not designed for 1440p or 4K. Even in older projects, increasing resolution leads to FPS dropping below 20.
4. Professional Tasks
CUDA: Limited Support
With 768 CUDA cores, the card can handle basic tasks:
- Rendering in Blender: only simple scenes (render times are 5-10 times higher than with the RTX 3060).
- Video editing: working with projects up to 1080p in DaVinci Resolve, but exports will take much longer.
OpenCL and Scientific Computing
For machine learning or simulations, the GTX 765M is unsuitable due to low memory and outdated drivers.
5. Power Consumption and Heat Dissipation
TDP of 75 Watts: A Plus for Laptops
The low power consumption for a gaming card allowed it to be used in thin systems. However, over time, thermal paste dries out and coolers get clogged with dust, leading to overheating.
Cooling Recommendations
- Regular cleaning of the cooling system.
- Replacing thermal paste every 2-3 years.
- Using cooling pads.
6. Comparison with Competitors
AMD Radeon HD 8770M: An Equal Competitor
The main competitor from 2013, the HD 8770M, offered similar specs: 2 GB of GDDR5 and 384 stream processors. In gaming, the GTX 765M was around 10-15% faster due to driver optimization.
In 2025: Both Cards Are Obsolete
Even budget integrated GPUs like the AMD Ryzen 5 8600G (Radeon 760M) are 2-3 times more powerful than the GTX 765M.
7. Practical Advice
Power Supply: For Enthusiasts Only
Since the GTX 765M is a mobile GPU, the choice of PSU is not relevant. Owners of older laptops should check the battery condition (replacement may be necessary).
Compatibility with Platforms
- Supports DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.5.
- Drivers: official updates ceased in 2019. For Windows 10/11, use community-modified drivers.
8. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low power consumption.
- Support for older games and OS.
- Availability on the secondary market ($50-80).
Cons:
- No support for modern APIs (DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.3).
- 2 GB of VRAM is insufficient for most tasks.
- Lack of DLSS/FSR technologies.
9. Final Conclusion: Who is the GTX 765M Suitable For?
This graphics card is an artifact of the retro gaming era. In 2025, it is only relevant for:
- Owners of Old Laptops looking to extend their life.
- Enthusiasts who collect vintage hardware.
- Users working with office applications and browsers.
For gaming and professional tasks, it's better to consider budget modern GPUs, such as the NVIDIA RTX 3050 (Laptop) or AMD Radeon RX 6500M. The GTX 765M remains a niche solution, a reminder of how quickly technology evolves.
Note: New GTX 765M units have not been sold since 2016. Prices for used models can range from $50 to $100 depending on their condition.