GeForce GT 720 vs GeForce GTS 160M

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 720

2014Core: 993 MHz
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTS 160M

2012Core: Up to 900 MHzBoost: 950 MHz
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GeForce GT 720 vs GeForce GTS 160M 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.

GeForce GT 720 vs GeForce GTS 160M FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GT 720 vs GeForce GTS 160M: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

GeForce GT 720

2014

Why buy it

  • 2.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 13.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($49 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 1 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 42.2% higher power demand at 64W vs 45W.

GeForce GTS 160M

2012

Why buy it

  • Draws 45W instead of 64W, a 19W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GT 720 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2012 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 13.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $49 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GT 720 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 2.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTS 160M instead at 679 vs 659, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GT 720 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 1 GB of VRAM and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2012. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GT 720 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GT 720 vs GeForce GTS 160M Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 720

The GeForce GT 720 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 29 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 64W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 659 points. Launch price was $89.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTS 160M

The GeForce GTS 160M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 22 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from Up to 900 MHz to 950 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 679 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 720 scores 659 and the GeForce GTS 160M reaches 679 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 720 is built on Kepler while the GeForce GTS 160M uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 720) vs 384 (GeForce GTS 160M). Raw compute: 0.7626 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 720) vs 0.7296 TFLOPS (GeForce GTS 160M).

FeatureGeForce GT 720GeForce GTS 160M
G3D Mark Score
659
679+3%
Architecture
Kepler
Kepler
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
384
384
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.7626 TFLOPS+5%
0.7296 TFLOPS
ROPs
16
16
TMUs
32
32
L1 Cache
32 KB
32 KB
L2 Cache
256 KB
256 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GT 720GeForce GTS 160M
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 720 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTS 160M carries 1 GB. GeForce GT 720 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GT 720 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTS 160M.

FeatureGeForce GT 720GeForce GTS 160M
VRAM Capacity
2 GB+100%
1 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
L2 Cache
256 KB
256 KB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 720) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTS 160M). OpenGL: 4.5 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce GT 720GeForce GTS 160M
DirectX
11.0
11.1 (10_0)
OpenGL
4.5+36%
3.3
Max Displays
3+50%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1.0 (GeForce GT 720) vs PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTS 160M). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs PureVideo HD VP2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 720) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTS 160M).

FeatureGeForce GT 720GeForce GTS 160M
Encoder
NVENC 1.0
PureVideo HD VP2
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP5
PureVideo HD VP2
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 720 draws 64W versus the GeForce GTS 160M's 45W — a 34.9% difference. The GeForce GTS 160M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 250W (GeForce GT 720) vs 350W (GeForce GTS 160M). Power connectors: None vs Legacy. Typical load temperature: 55°C vs 90°C.

FeatureGeForce GT 720GeForce GTS 160M
TDP
64W
45W-30%
Recommended PSU
250W-29%
350W
Power Connector
None
Legacy
Length
145mm
Height
69mm
Slots
1
0-100%
Temp (Load)
55°C-39%
90°C
Perf/Watt
10.3
15.1+47%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GT 720 (2014 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce GT 720GeForce GTS 160M
MSRP
$49
Codename
GK107
GK107
Release
May 29 2014
March 22 2012
Ranking
#777
#828

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