NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M: A Review of an Outdated but Still Relevant Solution for Budget-Conscious Users
April 2025
Despite being released over ten years ago, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M continues to attract attention from users seeking budget-friendly solutions for gaming and basic work tasks. In this article, we will discuss how justified its use is in 2025 and who might still find it useful.
Architecture and Key Features
Foundation: Maxwell and 28 nm
The GTX 970M is built on the Maxwell architecture, which was groundbreaking at the time due to improved energy efficiency. The card is manufactured using a 28-nm process, which was standard in 2014 but now looks archaic compared to 5-nm and 6-nm chips.
Unique Features (and Their Absence)
The GTX 970M does not support modern technologies like RTX ray tracing, DLSS, or FidelityFX. Its strengths lie in stability and tried-and-true features:
- NVIDIA Optimus – automatic switching between integrated and discrete graphics to save energy in laptops.
- ShadowPlay – recording gameplay with minimal impact on performance.
- PhysX – accelerating physical calculations in games (such as in Borderlands 2 or Batman: Arkham Knight).
Memory: Speed and Limitations
Technical Specifications
- Memory Type: GDDR5.
- Size: 3 GB (rarely 6 GB in modified versions).
- Bus: 192-bit.
- Bandwidth: 120 GB/s.
Impact on Performance
For games in 2025, 3 GB of video memory is a serious limitation. For example, in Hogwarts Legacy at medium settings (1080p), FPS drops can occur due to insufficient VRAM. However, in less demanding titles like CS2 or Dota 2, the card performs confidently (60+ FPS).
Gaming Performance: What Can You Run?
1080p (Full HD)
- The Witcher 3: 40–45 FPS at medium settings.
- Grand Theft Auto V: 55–60 FPS at high settings.
- Cyberpunk 2077: 25–30 FPS at low settings (without ray tracing).
1440p and 4K
At 1440p, comfortable gaming is only possible in older titles (Skyrim, Overwatch). 4K is impractical: even in League of Legends, FPS hardly reaches 40.
Professional Tasks: Not for Intensive Projects
Thanks to CUDA cores (1280 in total), the GTX 970M can speed up rendering in Blender or Adobe Premiere Pro, but its 3 GB of memory becomes a bottleneck. Examples include:
- Rendering a 10-minute video at 1080p in Premiere Pro: ~15–20 minutes.
- Simple 3D models in AutoCAD: smooth operation, but complex scenes cause stuttering.
For scientific calculations (e.g., in MATLAB), the card is only suitable for educational tasks.
Power Consumption and Heat Generation
- TDP: 81 W (for the mobile version).
- Cooling Recommendations:
- In laptops: regular cleaning of fans and replacing thermal paste.
- In desktop PCs (when using through an external enclosure): a case with at least two fans.
Comparison with Competitors
Key competitors from 2014–2015:
- AMD Radeon R9 M395X: Comparable performance but higher power consumption (100 W TDP). In Vulkan games (Doom Eternal), AMD shows better results.
- NVIDIA GTX 980M: 15–20% more powerful but more expensive even in 2025 (new units from $300).
In 2025, even budget newcomers like Intel Arc A580 or AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT outperform the GTX 970M by 2–3 times.
Practical Advice
Power Supply
For PCs with the GTX 970M (external chassis or desktop equivalent), a 450 W power supply is sufficient (e.g., Corsair CX450).
Compatibility
- Platforms: Works with motherboards supporting PCIe 3.0.
- Drivers: Official support ended in 2022, but the latest versions (v473.xx) are stable.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low power consumption for the performance level.
- CUDA support for basic work tasks.
- Availability on the secondary market (price $50–80 for used).
Cons:
- Only 3 GB of video memory.
- No support for modern technologies (DLSS, RTX).
- Outdated drivers.
Final Conclusion: Who is the GTX 970M For?
This graphics card is an option for:
1. Owners of old laptops looking to extend their lifespan for office applications and undemanding games.
2. Students studying 3D modeling or basic video editing.
3. Budget-conscious gamers ready to play indie projects or older AAA titles.
However, for modern games at high settings or professional tasks, it’s better to consider newer solutions—such as the NVIDIA RTX 3050 or AMD RX 6600.
In 2025, the GTX 970M is an example of a "workhorse" that, despite its age, can still prove useful. However, it should be chosen only when sticking to a strict budget or for specific use cases.