GeForce GTS 160M vs Radeon R8 M535DX

NVIDIA

GeForce GTS 160M

2012Core: Up to 900 MHzBoost: 950 MHz
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VS
AMD

Radeon R8 M535DX

2014
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GeForce GTS 160M vs Radeon R8 M535DX 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 GTS 160M vs Radeon R8 M535DX 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 Radeon R8 M535DX: 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

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon R8 M535DX across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 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 4.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • 50% higher power demand at 45W vs 30W.

Radeon R8 M535DX

2014

Why buy it

  • 87.7% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Draws 30W instead of 45W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2014 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon R8 M535DX is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 87.7% in average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTS 160M instead at 679 vs 670, 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 GTS 160M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R8 M535DX 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, Radeon R8 M535DX 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 Radeon R8 M535DX Technical Specifications

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

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.

AMD

Radeon R8 M535DX

The Radeon R8 M535DX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 4 2014. It features the GCN architecture. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 670 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTS 160M scores 679 and the Radeon R8 M535DX reaches 670 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTS 160M is built on Kepler while the Radeon R8 M535DX uses GCN, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GTS 160M) vs 896 (Radeon R8 M535DX).

FeatureGeForce GTS 160MRadeon R8 M535DX
G3D Mark Score
679+1%
670
Architecture
Kepler
GCN
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
384
896+133%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTS 160M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R8 M535DX leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTS 160MRadeon R8 M535DX
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTS 160M has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R8 M535DX carries 512 MB. GeForce GTS 160M 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 Radeon R8 M535DX.

FeatureGeForce GTS 160MRadeon R8 M535DX
VRAM Capacity
1 GB+100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTS 160M draws 45W versus the Radeon R8 M535DX's 30W — a 40% difference. The Radeon R8 M535DX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTS 160M) vs 350W (Radeon R8 M535DX). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTS 160MRadeon R8 M535DX
TDP
45W
30W-33%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
PCIe-powered
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
90°C
Perf/Watt
15.1
22.3+48%
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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon R8 M535DX (2014 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce GTS 160MRadeon R8 M535DX
MSRP
$150
Codename
GK107
Release
March 22 2012
June 4 2014
Ranking
#828
#800

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