Arc Graphics 130T vs GeForce GTX 960

Intel

Arc Graphics 130T

2025
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 960

2015Core: 1127 MHzBoost: 1178 MHz

Arc Graphics 130T vs GeForce GTX 960 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Arc Graphics 130T vs GeForce GTX 960: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Arc Graphics 130T

2025

Why buy it

  • GeForce GTX 960 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so Arc Graphics 130T is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 15W instead of 100W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Older hardware, Unknown of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 50.8% HIGHER MSRP
    $300 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 20.7 vs 30.8 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 960

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $101 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • Delivers 48.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.8 vs 20.7 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).

Trade-offs

  • 2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 566.7% higher power demand at 100W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Arc Graphics 130T is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.2% in PassMark G3D (6,208 vs 6,133), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Arc Graphics 130T is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2025 generation instead of 2015. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 960 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $101 cheaper on MSRP at $199 vs $300, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 48.9% (30.8 vs 20.7), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 960 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p headroom, Arc Graphics 130T has the stronger long-term case.

Arc Graphics 130T vs GeForce GTX 960 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Intel

Arc Graphics 130T

The Arc Graphics 130T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in January 6 2025. It features the Xe+ architecture. It has 7 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,208 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 960

The GeForce GTX 960 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 22 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1127 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,133 points. Launch price was $199.

Graphics Performance

The Arc Graphics 130T scores 6,208 and the GeForce GTX 960 reaches 6,133 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Arc Graphics 130T is built on Xe+ while the GeForce GTX 960 uses Maxwell 2.0. Shader units: 7 (Arc Graphics 130T) vs 1,024 (GeForce GTX 960).

FeatureArc Graphics 130TGeForce GTX 960
G3D Mark Score
6,208+1%
6,133
Architecture
Xe+
Maxwell 2.0
Shading Units
7
1024+14529%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 960 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Arc Graphics 130T leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureArc Graphics 130TGeForce GTX 960
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Arc Graphics 130T has 0 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 960 carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 960 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Arc Graphics 130T and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 960.

FeatureArc Graphics 130TGeForce GTX 960
VRAM Capacity
Shared
4 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
System
112 GB/s
Bus Width
System
128-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (Arc Graphics 130T) vs 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 960). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

FeatureArc Graphics 130TGeForce GTX 960
DirectX
12.2+2%
12 (12_1)
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
3
4+33%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: Xe Media Engine (Arc Graphics 130T) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960). Decoder: Xe Media Engine vs NVDEC (2nd Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1,H.266 (Arc Graphics 130T) vs HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8 (GeForce GTX 960).

FeatureArc Graphics 130TGeForce GTX 960
Encoder
Xe Media Engine
NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder
Xe Media Engine
NVDEC (2nd Gen)
Codecs
H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1,H.266
HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Arc Graphics 130T draws 15W versus the GeForce GTX 960's 100W — a 147.8% difference. The Arc Graphics 130T is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Arc Graphics 130T) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 960). Power connectors: Integrated vs 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 241mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75 C.

FeatureArc Graphics 130TGeForce GTX 960
TDP
15W-85%
100W
Recommended PSU
350W-13%
400W
Power Connector
Integrated
6-pin
Length
0mm
241mm
Height
0mm
111mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
75 C-12%
Perf/Watt
413.9+575%
61.3
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Arc Graphics 130T came in at $300, while the GeForce GTX 960 launched at $199. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 960 was 33.7% cheaper ($101 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 20.7 (Arc Graphics 130T) vs 30.8 (GeForce GTX 960) — the GeForce GTX 960 offers 48.8% better value. The newer card here is Arc Graphics 130T (2025 vs 2015).

FeatureArc Graphics 130TGeForce GTX 960
MSRP
$300
$199-34%
Performance per Dollar
20.7
30.8+49%
Codename
GM206
Release
January 6 2025
January 22 2015
Ranking
#386
#393

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