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 960 vs GeForce RTX 4060 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 960 vs GeForce RTX 4060: 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 960

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Draws 100W instead of 115W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 30.8 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅180.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 112.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 30.8 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌15% higher power demand at 115W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 4060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 180.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 218.7% in PassMark G3D (19,548 vs 6,133), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce GTX 960 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 28nm, and 24 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 4060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $100 more expensive on MSRP at $299 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 112.1% (65.4 vs 30.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 960 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 960

The GeForce GTX 960 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 22 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1127 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,133 points. Launch price was $199.

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 960 scores 6,133 versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 19,548 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 218.7%. The GeForce GTX 960 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 4060 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 960) vs 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060). Raw compute: 2.413 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 960) vs 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 2460 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 4060
G3D Mark Score	6,133	19,548+219%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	28 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	1024	3072+200%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.413 TFLOPS	15.11 TFLOPS+526%
Boost Clock	1178 MHz	2460 MHz+109%
ROPs	32	48+50%
TMUs	64	96+50%
L1 Cache	0.38 MB	3 MB+689%
L2 Cache	1 MB	24 MB+2300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce GTX 960 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 960 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 4060
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 960 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 4060 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 112 GB/s (GeForce GTX 960) vs 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) — a 142.9% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 960 and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 960) vs 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 4060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	112 GB/s	272 GB/s+143%
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	1 MB	24 MB+2300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 960) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 4060
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960) vs NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060). Decoder: NVDEC (2nd Gen) vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8 (GeForce GTX 960) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 4060
Encoder	NVENC (5th Gen)	NVENC 8th gen
Decoder	NVDEC (2nd Gen)	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960 draws 100W versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 115W — a 14% difference. The GeForce GTX 960 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 960) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 C vs 73°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 4060
TDP	100W-13%	115W
Recommended PSU	400W-27%	550W
Power Connector	6-pin	8-pin
Length	241mm	240mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75 C	73°C-3%
Perf/Watt	61.3	170.0+177%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 960 came in at $199, while the GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 960 was 33.4% cheaper ($100 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 30.8 (GeForce GTX 960) vs 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 112.3% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 (2023 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 4060
MSRP	$199-33%	$299
Performance per Dollar	30.8	65.4+112%
Codename	GM206	AD107
Release	January 22 2015	May 18 2023
Ranking	#393	#84

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