GeForce GTX 880M vs GeForce GTX 965M

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 880M vs GeForce GTX 965M 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 880M vs GeForce GTX 965M: 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 880M

2014

Why buy it

✅17.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌144% higher power demand at 122W vs 50W.

GeForce GTX 965M

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 50W instead of 122W, a 72W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 880M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2016 hardware with 4 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 880M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 17.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 965M instead at 3,860 vs 3,826, 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 880M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 965M 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 965M is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 880M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 880M vs GeForce GTX 965M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 880M

The GeForce GTX 880M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 122W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,826 points.

GeForce GTX 965M

The GeForce GTX 965M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in 2016. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 944 MHz to 1150 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,860 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 880M scores 3,826 and the GeForce GTX 965M reaches 3,860 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 880M is built on Kepler while the GeForce GTX 965M uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 1,024 (GeForce GTX 965M). Raw compute: 3.05 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 2.355 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 965M). Boost clocks: 993 MHz vs 1150 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 880M	GeForce GTX 965M
G3D Mark Score	3,826	3,860
Architecture	Kepler	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1536+50%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.05 TFLOPS+30%	2.355 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	993 MHz	1150 MHz+16%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	128+100%	64
L1 Cache	128 KB	384 KB+200%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 880M	GeForce GTX 965M
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 880M has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 965M carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 880M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 80 GB/s (GeForce GTX 965M) — a 100% advantage for the GeForce GTX 880M. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 880M and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 965M. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 1 MB (GeForce GTX 965M) — the GeForce GTX 965M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 880M	GeForce GTX 965M
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s+100%	80 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_0 (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce GTX 965M). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 880M	GeForce GTX 965M
DirectX	12_0	12 Ultimate
Max Displays	0	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 880M) vs NVENC 5th Gen (HEVC) (GeForce GTX 965M). Decoder: NVDEC 1st Gen vs PureVideo HD (VP6).

Feature	GeForce GTX 880M	GeForce GTX 965M
Encoder	NVENC 1st Gen	NVENC 5th Gen (HEVC)
Decoder	NVDEC 1st Gen	PureVideo HD (VP6)
Codecs	—	H.264,H.265/HEVC

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 880M draws 122W versus the GeForce GTX 965M's 50W — a 83.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 965M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 880M) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 965M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 0mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots.