GeForce GTX 960M vs GeForce GTX 485M SLI

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The GeForce GTX 960M is positioned at rank 35 and the GeForce GTX 485M SLI is on rank 227, so the GeForce GTX 960M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 960M

#25

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

161%

#27

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

146%

#28

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

145%

#32

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

132%

#33

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

131%

#35

GeForce GTX 960M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

100%

#37

UHD Graphics 730 (Rocket Lake)

MSRP: $50|Avg: $50

98%

#46

Radeon RX 5500M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

88%

#48

GeForce GTX 980 (móvel)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

87%

#49

GeForce 610M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $20

87%

#50

GeForce GTX 1650 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $75

86%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 485M SLI

#53

Radeon RX 6850M XT

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

97%

#217

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

485%

#219

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

439%

#220

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

438%

#224

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

398%

#225

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

396%

#227

GeForce GTX 485M SLI

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#228

GeForce GT 750M Mac Edition

MSRP: $149|Avg: $40

99%

#230

Maxwell GPU Surface Book

MSRP: $150|Avg: $75

99%

#235

Radeon RX 540

MSRP: $99|Avg: $40

96%

#236

Radeon HD 6750M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

95%

#237

Radeon HD 7570M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $15

94%

#239

Arc Graphics 130T

MSRP: $300|Avg: $250

92%

#240

GeForce MX570 A

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

92%

#242

GeForce GT 645

MSRP: $99|Avg: $15

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 960M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (4 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 485M SLI.

Insight	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 485M SLI
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell (2014−2017))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / Fermi (2010−2014))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	—

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 960M remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 960M Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 485M SLI Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 960M and GeForce GTX 485M SLI

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.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 960M scores 3,375 and the GeForce GTX 485M SLI reaches 3,360 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 960M is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 485M SLI uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 768 (GeForce GTX 485M SLI).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 485M SLI
G3D Mark Score	3,375	3,360
Architecture	Maxwell	Fermi
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	640	768+20%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 485M SLI
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 960M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 485M SLI has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 960M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 485M SLI
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	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 960M) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 485M SLI). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.0. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 485M SLI
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (11_0)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6+15%	4.0
Max Displays	4+100%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (4th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960M) vs PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 485M SLI). Decoder: NVDEC (1st Gen) vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 485M SLI).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 485M SLI
Encoder	NVENC (4th Gen)	PureVideo HD VP4
Decoder	NVDEC (1st Gen)	PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960M draws 75W versus the GeForce GTX 485M SLI's 100W — a 28.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 960M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 485M SLI). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 82 vs 92°C.