GeForce GTX 590 vs GeForce GTX 960M

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 590 vs GeForce GTX 960M 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 590 vs GeForce GTX 960M: 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 590

2011

Why buy it

✅51.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2011 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌386.7% higher power demand at 365W vs 75W.

GeForce GTX 960M

2015

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Draws 75W instead of 365W, a 290W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 590 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2015 hardware with 4 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 4.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $699 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 590 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 51.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 960M instead at 3,375 vs 3,341, 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 590 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 590 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 590 vs GeForce GTX 960M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 590

The GeForce GTX 590 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 24 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 607 MHz. It has 1024 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 365W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,341 points. Launch price was $699.

GeForce GTX 960M

The GeForce GTX 960M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1096 MHz to 1176 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,375 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 590 scores 3,341 and the GeForce GTX 960M reaches 3,375 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 590 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 960M uses Maxwell, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 640 (GeForce GTX 960M). Raw compute: 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 1.505 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 960M).

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	GeForce GTX 960M
G3D Mark Score	3,341	3,375+1%
Architecture	Fermi 2.0	Maxwell
Process Node	40 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1024 ×2+60%	640
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.244 TFLOPS ×2	1.505 TFLOPS+21%
ROPs	48 ×2+200%	16
TMUs	64 ×2+60%	40
L1 Cache	1 MB+223%	0.31 MB
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	GeForce GTX 960M
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)

The GeForce GTX 590 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 960M carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 960M gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 590 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 960M. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (GeForce GTX 590) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 960M) — the GeForce GTX 960M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	GeForce GTX 960M
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 590) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 960M). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	GeForce GTX 960M
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (11_0)
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP5) vs NVDEC (1st Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 590) vs MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 960M).

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	GeForce GTX 960M
Encoder	—	NVENC (4th Gen)
Decoder	PureVideo HD (VP5)	NVDEC (1st Gen)
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 590 draws 365W versus the GeForce GTX 960M's 75W — a 131.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 960M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 700W (GeForce GTX 590) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 960M). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 90°C vs 82.

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	GeForce GTX 960M
TDP	365W	75W-79%
Recommended PSU	700W	350W-50%
Power Connector	2x 8-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	—	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	90°C	82-9%
Perf/Watt	9.2	45.0+389%

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Value Analysis

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

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	GeForce GTX 960M
MSRP	$699	—
Codename	GF110	GM107
Release	March 24 2011	March 13 2015
Ranking	#555	#552

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