GeForce GTS 160M vs NVS 510

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 GTS 160M vs NVS 510 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 GTS 160M vs NVS 510: 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 GTS 160M

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 68W, a 23W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌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 1.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $449 MSRP).

NVS 510

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($449 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 1 GB).
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌51.1% higher power demand at 68W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

NVS 510 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (680 vs 679), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTS 160M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

NVS 510 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, NVS 510 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTS 160M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTS 160M vs NVS 510 Technical Specifications

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

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.

NVS 510

The NVS 510 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 4 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 902 MHz to 1033 MHz. It has 512 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 68W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 680 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTS 160M scores 679 and the NVS 510 reaches 680 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTS 160M is built on Kepler while the NVS 510 uses Maxwell, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GTS 160M) vs 512 (NVS 510). Raw compute: 0.7296 TFLOPS (GeForce GTS 160M) vs 1.058 TFLOPS ×2 (NVS 510). Boost clocks: 950 MHz vs 1033 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTS 160M	NVS 510
G3D Mark Score	679	680
Architecture	Kepler	Maxwell
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	512 ×2+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7296 TFLOPS	1.058 TFLOPS ×2+45%
Boost Clock	950 MHz	1033 MHz+9%
ROPs	16	16 ×2
TMUs	32	32 ×2
L1 Cache	32 KB	256 KB+700%
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	1 MB+300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTS 160M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The NVS 510 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTS 160M	NVS 510
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTS 160M has 1 GB of VRAM, while the NVS 510 carries 2 GB. NVS 510 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTS 160M and 64-bit on the NVS 510. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (GeForce GTS 160M) vs 1 MB (NVS 510) — the NVS 510 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTS 160M	NVS 510
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	2 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	1 MB+300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTS 160M) vs 12 (11_0) (NVS 510). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTS 160M	NVS 510
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	12 (11_0)+8%
OpenGL	3.3	4.6+39%
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTS 160M) vs 1st Gen NVENC (NVS 510). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs 1st Gen NVDEC (VP5). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTS 160M) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (NVS 510).

Feature	GeForce GTS 160M	NVS 510
Encoder	PureVideo HD VP2	1st Gen NVENC
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	1st Gen NVDEC (VP5)
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTS 160M draws 45W versus the NVS 510's 68W — a 40.7% difference. The GeForce GTS 160M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTS 160M) vs 350W (NVS 510). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 90°C vs 65°C.

Feature	GeForce GTS 160M	NVS 510
TDP	45W-34%	68W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	—	160mm
Height	—	69mm
Slots	0-100%	1
Temp (Load)	90°C	65°C-28%
Perf/Watt	15.1+51%	10.0

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is NVS 510 (2015 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce GTS 160M	NVS 510
MSRP	—	$449
Codename	GK107	GM107
Release	March 22 2012	November 4 2015
Ranking	#828	#826

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