GeForce GTX 860M SLI vs GeForce GTX 950M

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 860M SLI vs GeForce GTX 950M 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 860M SLI vs GeForce GTX 950M: 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 860M SLI

2014

Why buy it

✅18.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

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.
❌60% higher power demand at 120W vs 75W.

GeForce GTX 950M

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 75W instead of 120W, a 45W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 860M 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 860M SLI is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 18.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 950M instead at 2,575 vs 2,500, 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 860M 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 950M 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 950M is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 860M SLI has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 860M SLI vs GeForce GTX 950M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 860M SLI

The GeForce GTX 860M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock speed is 1029 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,500 points.

GeForce GTX 950M

The GeForce GTX 950M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 914 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,575 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 860M SLI scores 2,500 and the GeForce GTX 950M reaches 2,575 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 860M SLI is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 950M uses Maxwell, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 860M SLI) vs 640 (GeForce GTX 950M).

Feature	GeForce GTX 860M SLI	GeForce GTX 950M
G3D Mark Score	2,500	2,575+3%
Architecture	Maxwell	Maxwell
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1280+100%	640

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 860M SLI	GeForce GTX 950M
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 860M SLI and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 950M.

Feature	GeForce GTX 860M SLI	GeForce GTX 950M
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 860M SLI draws 120W versus the GeForce GTX 950M's 75W — a 46.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 950M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 860M SLI) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 950M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.