GeForce GTX 485M SLI vs GeForce GTX 960A

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 GTX 485M SLI vs GeForce GTX 960A 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 GTX 485M SLI vs GeForce GTX 960A: 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 GTX 485M SLI

2011

Why buy it

✅24.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌2011 hardware with 2 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 17.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌33.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 75W.

GeForce GTX 960A

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 17.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 75W instead of 100W, a 25W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 485M SLI across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2015 hardware with 2 GB 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?

GeForce GTX 485M SLI is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 24.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 960A instead at 3,465 vs 3,360, 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 GTX 485M SLI 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?

GeForce GTX 960A 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, GeForce GTX 960A is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 485M SLI has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 485M SLI vs GeForce GTX 960A Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 485M SLI

The GeForce GTX 485M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 6 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 575 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,360 points.

GeForce GTX 960A

The GeForce GTX 960A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1029 MHz to 1085 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,465 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 485M SLI scores 3,360 and the GeForce GTX 960A reaches 3,465 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 485M SLI is built on Fermi while the GeForce GTX 960A uses Maxwell, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 485M SLI) vs 640 (GeForce GTX 960A).

Feature	GeForce GTX 485M SLI	GeForce GTX 960A
G3D Mark Score	3,360	3,465+3%
Architecture	Fermi	Maxwell
Process Node	40 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	768+20%	640

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 485M SLI	GeForce GTX 960A
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 2 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 485M SLI and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 960A.

Feature	GeForce GTX 485M SLI	GeForce GTX 960A
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 485M SLI) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 960A). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 485M SLI	GeForce GTX 960A
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12
Max Displays	2	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 485M SLI) vs NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 960A). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs NVDEC 1st Gen.

Feature	GeForce GTX 485M SLI	GeForce GTX 960A
Encoder	PureVideo HD VP4	NVENC 1st Gen
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	NVDEC 1st Gen
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP	—

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 485M SLI draws 100W versus the GeForce GTX 960A's 75W — a 28.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 960A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 485M SLI) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 960A). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 485M SLI	GeForce GTX 960A
TDP	100W	75W-25%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	—	1mm
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	92°C	—
Perf/Watt	33.6	46.2+38%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 960A (2015 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce GTX 485M SLI	GeForce GTX 960A
MSRP	—	$199
Codename	N11E-GTX-A1	GM107
Release	January 6 2011	March 13 2015
Ranking	#542	#546

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