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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price: ~£400
  • VRAM: ?
  • Memory bus width: 384 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 250 W

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

3.2

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the graphics card's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best graphics cards on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

3.2

Technical Score

10.0%

?

User score

Poor
3.2

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

2.3

Performance

24.0%

3.2

Memory

12.0%

3.7

Power & Cooling

11.0%

4.2

Platform & Features

5.0%

6.7

Design

4.0%

4.2

Connectivity & Media

Poor
?

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

?

User reviews

30.0%

?

Popularity

  • 4.6
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    ?

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 5.8
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    ?

    VRAM

    20.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 3.9
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    ?

    VRAM

    10.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 4.4
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    ?

    VRAM

    15.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 5.1
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    ?

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • No image
No image

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Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

Launched in 2010 as the flagship of the Fermi architecture, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 features 480 CUDA cores, a 701 MHz core clock, and 1.5 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus. It was the first consumer GPU to support DirectX 11 and interactive ray tracing, offering significant performance gains in demanding titles like Metro 2033. Its main strengths include leading-edge gaming performance for its era and advanced geometry processing via the PolyMorph Engine. However, the card is notorious for its massive 250W TDP, extreme operating temperatures that frequently exceed 90°C, and an exceptionally loud stock cooling solution.

Technical Specifications of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

?

Performance

24.0%

?

Memory

12.0%

?

Power & Cooling

11.0%

?

Platform & Features

5.0%

?

Design

4.0%

?

Connectivity & Media

3.2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a technical score of 3.19 points, which is lower than that of 96% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

0.0

User reviews

30.0%

1.0

Popularity

?
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you prefer a graphics card that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
1.0
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a popularity of 1 points, which is lower than 55.9% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

3.2

Overall score

40.0%

8.4

Price

4.8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a quality-to-price ratio of 4.8 points, which is lower than 97.5% of products in this category.
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Time Spy, a synthetic DirectX 12 test often used as a quick gaming-performance reference.
When it matters: When you need a fast rough performance sort before digging into game-specific reviews and frame-rate data.

Importance: LOW

?
3DMark Port Royal score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Port Royal, a synthetic test focused on ray tracing performance.
When it matters: When ray tracing matters in the games you actually play and you want one quick way to separate stronger and weaker RT cards.

Importance: LOW

N/A
PassMark (G3D) result
What it is: Overall GPU performance score in PassMark G3D benchmark
When it matters: When you need one broad score to sort cards into rough performance tiers.

Importance: LOW

?
PassMark (DirectCompute) result
What it is: PassMark score for DirectCompute performance tests
When it matters: When compute workloads matter alongside gaming performance.

Importance: LOW

1,899 points
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 scores 1899 points in PassMark DirectCompute, which is lower than 77.4% of graphics cards.
Floating-point performance
What it is: Theoretical floating-point compute performance of the GPU.
When it matters: When rendering, AI, or heavy compute work needs strong single-precision throughput.

Importance: LOW

1.345 TFLOPS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 delivers 1.345 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is lower than that of 98% of graphics cards.
Show more
VRAM
What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

Importance: HIGH

?
Memory type
What it is: Type of graphics memory used (GDDR6, HBM2e, etc.)
When it matters: When memory technology is part of the buying decision because it affects bandwidth class, power use, and product positioning.

Importance: LOW

GDDR5
GDDR version
What it is: Generation of GDDR memory used by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you want to separate older memory generations from newer ones before comparing bandwidth, power behavior, and market tier.

Importance: LOW

GDDR5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 uses GDDR5 memory, which is older than on 85% of graphics cards and equal to 13.2% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

Importance: HIGH

384 bit
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 uses a 384 bit memory bus, which is wider than that of 89.3% of graphics cards and equal to that of 7.3% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
What it is: Maximum data transfer rate between GPU and its memory
When it matters: When 4K gaming, ray tracing, or creator work can choke a slower memory subsystem.

Importance: HIGH

177.4 GB/s
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 reaches 177.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 89.8% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
What it is: Version of PCI Express interface supported
When it matters: When you are pairing the card with an older motherboard and want to avoid leaving bandwidth or future compatibility on the table.

Importance: LOW

2.0
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports PCIe 2.0, which is older than on 98.4% of graphics cards and equal to 1.3% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
What it is: Number of PCI Express lanes used for communication
When it matters: When limited lane width could bottleneck the card in some systems.

Importance: LOW

x16
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 uses x16 PCIe lanes, which is more than 31.5% of graphics cards and equal to 68.6% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
What it is: Highest supported DirectX API version
When it matters: When you play newer Windows games that depend on the latest graphics features.

Importance: LOW

?
Vulkan version
What it is: Highest supported Vulkan API version
When it matters: When modern games, emulators, or creative apps lean on Vulkan support.

Importance: LOW

N/A
OpenGL version
What it is: Highest supported OpenGL API version
When it matters: When older games or pro apps still depend on OpenGL compatibility.

Importance: LOW

4.6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 4.8% of graphics cards and equal to 95.2% of graphics cards.
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Max displays supported
What it is: Total number of external displays supported simultaneously
When it matters: When you run a multi-monitor desk for sim racing, trading, or editing.

Importance: LOW

2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports up to 2 displays, which is fewer than 98.1% of graphics cards and equal to 1.9% of graphics cards.
Max digital resolution
What it is: Maximum supported digital display resolution
When it matters: When you plan to drive 4K or 8K panels at their native resolution.

Importance: LOW

?
DisplayPort outputs
What it is: Number of DisplayPort video outputs
When it matters: When your setup needs several high-refresh monitors without adapters.

Importance: LOW

0
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 offers 0 DisplayPort outputs, which is fewer than 98.1% of graphics cards and equal to 1.9% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort version
What it is: Version of DisplayPort standard supported
When it matters: When your monitor setup depends on newer DisplayPort features for higher refresh rates, higher resolution, or better cable flexibility.

Importance: LOW

?
DisplayPort link rates
What it is: Supported data link rates for DisplayPort connections
When it matters: When you are pushing high resolution and refresh rate over DisplayPort.

Importance: LOW

N/A
Show more
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

Importance: MEDIUM

250 W
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a TDP of 250 W, which is higher than that of 58.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 6.1% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
What it is: Peak power draw of the graphics card under maximum load.
When it matters: When transient-heavy gaming loads could stress your power supply.

Importance: LOW

?
Recommended PSU wattage
What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

Importance: LOW

600 W
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 recommends a 600 W PSU, which is lower than that of 55.7% of graphics cards and equal to that of 7.5% of graphics cards.
Board power limit
What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

Importance: LOW

250 W
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a board power limit of 250 W, which is higher than that of 56.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 4.2% of graphics cards.
PCIe power spec
What it is: PCIe power delivery specification followed
When it matters: When you are checking whether the slot and external cables match the card's intended power-delivery standard.

Importance: LOW

?
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Size
What it is: Physical size of the GPU card
When it matters: When you need the card to fit a compact case without blocking nearby hardware.

Importance: LOW

?
Length
What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

Importance: LOW

267 mm
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 is 267 mm long, which is shorter than 59.6% of graphics cards and equal in length to 3.4% of graphics cards.
Height
What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

Importance: LOW

?
Slot width
What it is: Number of PCIe slots occupied by the card
When it matters: When you need room for another PCIe card or better airflow under the GPU.

Importance: LOW

2 slot/s
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 occupies 2 slot/s, which is slimmer than 49.2% of graphics cards and equal in width to 47.3% of graphics cards.
Weight
What it is: Total weight of the graphics card
When it matters: When sag, bracket support, or shipping stress matters in your build.

Importance: LOW

1,360 g
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 weighs 1360 g, which is heavier than 69.5% of graphics cards and equal in weight to 0.2% of graphics cards.
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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 vs the average graphics card

  • 128 bit wider memory bus
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a wider memory bus than the average graphics card (384 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
    What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
    When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a wider memory bus than the average graphics card (384 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.384 bit vs 256 bit
  • 24x larger L2 cache
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (768 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
    What it is: Total size of the GPU’s L2 cache memory
    When it matters: When cache size can help the GPU feed data faster in demanding scenes.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (768 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.768 MB vs 32 MB
  • 2 more DVI outputs
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.
    What it is: Number of DVI display outputs available
    When it matters: When you still use an older monitor that depends on DVI.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.2 vs 0
  • Better FP64 ratio
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:8 vs 1:64).
    What it is: Ratio of double-precision (FP64) to single-precision (FP32) performance
    When it matters: When you need to know whether FP64 is merely present or genuinely useful.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:8 vs 1:64).1:8 vs 1:64
  • Supports multi-GPU linking
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
    What it is: Supports NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFire multi-GPU setup
    When it matters: When you still run legacy multi-GPU gaming or rendering workflows.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
  • 7.7% lower PSU requirement
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (600 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
    When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (600 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.600 W vs 650 W
  • Better FP64 ratio
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:8 vs 1:64).
  • 128 bit wider memory bus
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a wider memory bus than the average graphics card (384 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
  • 24x larger L2 cache
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (768 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
  • Supports multi-GPU linking
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
  • 2 more DVI outputs
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.
  • 7.7% lower PSU requirement
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (600 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.

Total
Performance
Memory
Platform & Features
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
  • 25 fewer compute units
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (15 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 63.5% lower base clock speed
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (701 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 124 fewer TMUs
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (60 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 88.8% lower texture rate
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (42.1 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 87.3% lower pixel rate
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (21 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
  • 94.1% lower FP32 performance
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower FP32 performance than the average graphics card (1.3 TFLOPS vs 22.86 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.86 TFLOPS.
  • 16 fewer ROPs
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (48 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 94.2% lower compute throughput
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower compute throughput than the average graphics card (1.3 TFLOPS vs 23.105 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has compute throughput of 23.105 TFLOPS.
  • 3,872 fewer FP32 units
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer FP32 units than the average graphics card (480 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
  • 60% lower compute score
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower compute score than the average graphics card (1,899 points vs 4,745 points). The average graphics card has a compute score of 4,745 points.
  • 80.5% slower memory speed
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (3,696 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • 60.4% lower memory bandwidth
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (177.4 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • 47.2% slower VRAM clock
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (924 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
  • 50% smaller L1 cache
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (64 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
  • 8x larger process node
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (40 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
  • Older PCIe version
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports an older PCIe version than the average graphics card (2 vs 4.0).
  • 13 older
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,010 vs 2,023).
  • No XeSS support
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 does not support XeSS, the average graphics card does.
  • No mesh shaders
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 does not support mesh shaders, the average graphics card does.
  • No DirectStorage support
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 does not support DirectStorage, the average graphics card does.
  • Worse SAM support
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 offers worse SAM support than the average graphics card (no vs yes).
  • Older OpenCL version
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports an older OpenCL version than the average graphics card (1.1 vs 3.0).
  • Older shader model
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports an older shader model than the average graphics card (5.1 vs 6.8).
  • 100% fewer transistors
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer transistors than the average graphics card (3 million vs 21,900 million). The average graphics card has 21,900 million transistors.
  • 73.9% larger GPU die
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher GPU die size than the average graphics card (529 mm² vs 304.25 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 304.25 mm².
  • 3 fewer DisplayPort outputs
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer DisplayPort outputs than the average graphics card (0 vs 3). The average graphics card has 3 DisplayPort outputs.
  • No AV1 encoding
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • 2 fewer displays supported
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports fewer displays than the average graphics card (2 vs 4). The average graphics card supports 4 displays.
  • No AV1 decoding
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 does not support AV1 decoding, the average graphics card does.
  • No DSC support
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 does not support DSC, the average graphics card does.
  • Older HDMI version
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports an older HDMI version than the average graphics card (1.3a vs 2.1).
  • Older HDCP version
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports an older HDCP version than the average graphics card (1.2 vs 2.3).
  • 3 fewer monitors per output type
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 supports fewer monitors per output type than the average graphics card (1 vs 4). The average graphics card supports 4 monitors per output type.
  • 2 fewer fans
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).
  • No fan stop
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 does not support fan stop, the average graphics card does.
  • 16.3% higher TDP
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher TDP than the average graphics card (250 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 12 °C lower thermal ceiling
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (105 °C vs 93 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 93 °C.
  • 2.27x higher idle power draw
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher idle power draw than the average graphics card (25 W vs 11 W). The average graphics card has an idle power draw of 11 W.
  • 27 °C higher load temperature
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher load temperature than the average graphics card (94 °C vs 67 °C). The average graphics card has a load temperature of 67 °C.
  • 29.1 dB noisier under load
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher load noise level than the average graphics card (64.1 dB vs 35 dB). The average graphics card has a load noise level of 35 dB.
  • 37 dB noisier at idle
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher idle noise level than the average graphics card (37 dB vs 0 dB). The average graphics card has an idle noise level of 0 dB.
  • 7 °C higher idle temperature
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher idle temperature than the average graphics card (45 °C vs 38 °C). The average graphics card has an idle temperature of 38 °C.
  • No backplate
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 does not include a backplate, the average graphics card does.
  • 8x larger process node
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (40 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    What it is: Size of the manufacturing process in nanometers
    When it matters: When process node differences may affect power, heat, and overall efficiency.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (40 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.40 nm vs 5 nm
  • 2 fewer fans
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).
    What it is: Total number of cooling fans
    When it matters: When you compare cooler designs and want one more clue about thermal potential.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).1 vs 3
  • 25 fewer compute units
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (15 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    What it is: Total number of shader multiprocessors or compute units
    When it matters: When you want a better sense of the GPU's overall parallel hardware resources before relying on game benchmarks alone.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (15 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.15 vs 40
  • 63.5% lower base clock speed
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (701 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
    What it is: Base operating frequency of the GPU core under standard conditions
    When it matters: When you want to understand the card's guaranteed starting frequency instead of looking only at optimistic boost figures.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (701 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.701 MHz vs 1920 MHz
  • 124 fewer TMUs
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (60 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    What it is: Total count of texture mapping units on the GPU
    When it matters: When texture-heavy gaming performance matters and you want extra hardware context behind texture-rate claims.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (60 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.60 vs 184
  • 88.8% lower texture rate
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (42.1 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
    What it is: Number of textured pixels the GPU can process per second
    When it matters: When fast texture handling matters in high-refresh gaming workloads.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (42.1 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.42.1 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s
  • 87.3% lower pixel rate
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (21 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
    What it is: Number of pixels the GPU can render per second
    When it matters: When you play at high resolutions or care about older raster-heavy games.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (21 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.21.03 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s
  • 80.5% slower memory speed
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (3,696 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
    What it is: Effective memory data rate combining clock and bus width
    When it matters: When you compare how quickly each card can push data through its memory subsystem.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (3,696 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.3696 MHz vs 19000 MHz
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Third-party reviews

What customers like about NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480?

  • Top-tier single-GPU performance for its era, outperforming the Radeon HD 5870 in many DX11 titles
  • Support for then-new features like DirectX 11, PhysX, 3D Vision, and CUDA
  • Impressive GPGPU and Folding@home performance compared to previous generations
  • Strong tessellation capabilities which were highly beneficial for early DX11 games
  • Surprisingly long-term compatibility, with drivers supporting up to DirectX 12 in later years

What customers dislike about NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480?

  • Extremely high power consumption, often requiring over 250W for the card alone
  • Excessive heat output, with load temperatures notoriously reaching 90°C–97°C
  • Very loud stock cooling solution, often described as 'deafening' under full load
  • Relatively high launch price compared to competitive offerings like the HD 5800 series
  • Launched with fewer cores (480) than the architecture's full 512-core potential due to manufacturing yields
  • Poor power efficiency at idle compared to contemporary AMD alternatives

Expert reviews

T
techpowerup.com
26/03/2010
GeForce GTX 480 PCI-Express Scaling Review

The TechPowerUp GeForce GTX 480 PCI-Express Scaling Review demonstrates that NVIDIA's flagship card is highly resilient, showing only a 2% performance loss when moving from PCI-E 2.0 x16 to x8, and an 8% dip at x4. This highlights that high-bandwidth interfaces are not strictly necessary for maximum performance, a significant advantage for users with older motherboards. Conversely,...Read more

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guru3d.com
26/03/2010
GeForce GTX 470 & 480 review

The Guru3D review of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 highlights a 26.5 cm card featuring a robust heatpipe-based cooling assembly, 1536 MB of GDDR5 memory, and a 384-bit memory bus providing 177 GB/s bandwidth. Pros include the card's aggressive, dark, and premium design, alongside high-end specifications designed for maximum performance, while cons focus on its large form factor and the...Read more

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hardwarecanucks.com
26/03/2010
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 Review

The Hardware Canucks review of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 concludes that while the card redefines single-GPU performance, it is not a definitive knockout blow to ATI's competing HD 5000-series. A major pro highlighted in the review is its exceptional performance when image quality settings like anti-aliasing (AA) are enabled. Enabling AA expands the card's modest 8–11% baseline lead...Read more

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techspot.com
26/03/2010
Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 Review: Fermi Arrives

The TechSpot review of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 highlights the Fermi-based card as the fastest single-GPU solution upon its 2010 release, offering superior DirectX 11 performance, with up to 35% higher frame rates in titles like Far Cry 2 compared to the ATI Radeon HD 5870. However, the card is heavily criticized for being a "power addict," drawing 506 watts under load, reaching...Read more

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tomshardware.com
06/04/2011
Nvidia's GeForce GTX 480: Before And After A Year Of Driver Updates 🔥 Quick Fact: Upon release, this card was famously nicknamed "Thermy" due to its...

Summary of Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 Driver Evaluation This review evaluates the long-term performance impacts of Nvidia's software optimizations by tracking the GeForce GTX 480 across its first year of driver updates, comparing the launch software to three subsequent packages up to version 266.58. The testing reveals that Nvidia's aggressive post-launch driver development yields...Read more

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trustedreviews.com
04/05/2010
Zotac GeForce GTX 480Go to product viewer dialogue for this item. Review

The Zotac GeForce GTX 480 is highlighted as the fastest single-chip graphics card upon release, offering superior DirectX 11 performance and PhysX support that outpaces rivals like the ATI Radeon HD 5870. However, this raw power comes with significant drawbacks, specifically intense heat generation, excessive noise levels, and high power consumption under load. Due to these severe...Read more

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pcgamer.com
10/06/2010
GeForce GTX 480 review

The Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 is the fastest single-GPU graphics card on the market, delivering a massive performance leap over previous generations. Built on a new architecture featuring groups of 32 processing units and 48 raster operation (ROP) units, it packs twice the number of unified shader processors (480) and over three billion transistors compared to the older GTX 285. It...Read more

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hardwarecanucks.com
25/03/2010
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 Review

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 launched at a competitive $499 USD to challenge ATI’s seven-month monopoly in the DirectX 11 market, serving as NVIDIA's flagship single-GPU offering built on the new 40nm GF100 "Fermi" architecture. Architecturally, the card features a modular design utilizing 480 CUDA cores, 60 texture units, 48 ROPs, and a wide 384-bit memory interface paired with a...Read more

M
m.hexus.net
26/03/2010
NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 480Go to product viewer dialogue for this item. finally unleashed. Reviewed and rated.

Performance Supremacy vs. Efficiency Realities Tarinder Sandhu’s review for HEXUS highlights that NVIDIA's long-delayed GeForce GTX 480 safely claims the crown as the fastest single-GPU graphics card on the market. Built on the ambitious 40nm "Fermi" (GF100) architecture, it offers clear performance advantages over its main single-GPU competitor, the AMD Radeon HD 5870, delivering...Read more

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uk.pcmag.com
27/03/2010
Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 - Review 2010

Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 Review Summary The Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 marks Nvidia's long-awaited entry into the DirectX 11 video card market, utilising the new "Fermi" architecture to compete directly with AMD's 5000-series ATI Radeon HD cards. Boasting bragging rights as the fastest single-GPU video card on the market by a slim margin, it delivers fast performance and introduces...Read more

T
techradar.com
27/03/2010
Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 review

The Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 marks the long-awaited debut of Nvidia’s brand-new "Fermi" (GF100) DirectX 11 silicon architecture, which faced numerous launch delays before finally releasing. Positioned at a recommended launch price of just over £400, it sits squarely between AMD’s top-tier offerings: the Radeon HD 5870 and the dual-GPU HD 5970. At the time of its release, the GTX 480...Read more

T
tomshardware.com
26/03/2010
GeForce GTX 480 And 470: From Fermi And GF100 To Actual Shipping Products

This 2010 review from Tom's Hardware evaluates Nvidia's highly anticipated GeForce GTX 480 and 470 graphics cards, which introduced the Fermi (GF100) architecture to compete in the DirectX 11 market six months after AMD’s Radeon HD 5000 series. Designed with a heavy emphasis on parallel computing and geometry execution, the flagship GTX 480 ($500) and the mid-tier GTX 470 ($350)...Read more

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techpowerup.com
26/03/2010
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 Fermi Review

The TechPowerUp review of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 highlights the card's GF100 Fermi architecture and 1.5 GB of GDDR5 memory as delivering top-tier DirectX 11 performance and the fastest single-GPU speed upon release. However, significant drawbacks include excessive power draw (approx. 320 W under load), high operating temperatures, and a very loud cooling solution. Additionally,...Read more

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guru3d.com
03/06/2010
ASUS GeForce GTX 480 ENGGTX480 review

The Guru3D review of the ASUS GeForce GTX 480 (ENGGTX480) highlights an elite, reference-designed card featuring 480 CUDA cores, 1,536 MB of GDDR5 memory, and a 384-bit bus, offering top-tier DirectX 11 performance and high-resolution gaming capabilities. Key pros include chart-topping, future-proof performance alongside an "Overvolt Edition" bundle allowing substantial, secure...Read more

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guru3d.com
18/05/2010
GeForce GTX 480 4-way SLI review

The Guru3D review of the GeForce GTX 480 4-way SLI highlights an extreme benchmarking setup, pairing an overclocked Intel Core i7 980X with four GPUs on an EVGA X58 Classified board to achieve record-breaking 3DMark Vantage scores. This configuration demonstrates massive, near-perfect synthetic scaling, acting as an "uber-PC" designed specifically for breaking performance benchmarks...Read more

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computerbase.de
07/09/2018
GeForce GTX 480, 580, 680, 780, 980 und 1080 im Vergleich

This 2018 retrospective review by ComputerBase compares six generations of Nvidia's high-end graphics cards from 2010 to 2016 (GTX 480, 580, 680, 780, 980, and 1080) across eight games to evaluate long-term generational leaps. On the positive side, the review highlights staggering technological advancements, particularly a six-fold leap in energy efficiency over eight years. Major...Read more

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C
computerbase.de
27/03/2010
GeForce GTX 480 im Test: Nvidias neues Grafik-Flaggschiff sucht die Extreme

The ComputerBase review of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 highlights it as a highly anticipated but deeply flawed flagship GPU based on the complex Fermi (GF100) architecture. Released six months after ATi's competing Radeon HD 5000 series, the GTX 480 features 480 scalar shader units, 64 texture units, and a 1.5 GB GDDR5 memory pool running on a wide 384-bit interface. The review...Read more

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hardwareluxx.de
24/11/2010
Test: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 480 SuperOverclock

The review focuses on the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 480 SuperOverclock, a graphics card featuring the highest factory overclock for a GTX 480 at the time of its release, boasting a massive GPU clock bump to 820 MHz (up 120 MHz from stock) and a shader clock of 1614 MHz. While its release uniquely coincided with NVIDIA launching their newer GeForce GTX 580 flagship, this premium Gigabyte...Read more

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xataka.com
20/04/2010
NVidia GTX 480, la más potente de la nueva generación de gráficas a análisis

The NVIDIA GTX 480, evaluated through a final production unit manufactured by Point of View, stands as the most powerful single-GPU graphics card available in the market at the time of its release, trailing only behind the dual-GPU ATI 5970. Tested on a Windows Vista 64-bit system powered by an Intel Core i7 920 processor and 6 GB of DDR3 RAM, the high-end card demonstrated top-tier...Read more

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lucascalvi.it
31/03/2010
Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 in 3-way SLI: benchmark If you need more references, I can look up additional historical archives, check specific Italian tech...

This 2010 review from Luca Scalvi's blog evaluates the performance of a high-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 3-way SLI setup tested by MainGear. The test configuration featured an Intel i7 980X CPU, an EVGA 3X SLI Classified motherboard, and 6GB of Kingston HyperX DDR3 RAM. Benchmarks were conducted at a high resolution of 2560x1600 across demanding titles like Crysis Warhead, Far Cry 2,...Read more

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hwupgrade.it
30/04/2021
Da Fermi ad Ampere, 10 anni di GPU Nvidia GeForce: 44 modelli alla prova Desideri approfondire i dati relativi ai consumi energetici o alle temperatur...

summary of the comprehensive 10-year Nvidia GPU retrospective review: Review Summary This extensive review analyzes 44 Nvidia GeForce graphics cards across a 10-year span (2010–2020), tracking performance evolution from the Fermi architecture (GTX 400 series) up to the Ampere architecture (RTX 3000 series). Testing was conducted using a modern Ryzen 9 5900X platform across modern...Read more

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