GeForce GTX 960M vs Radeon E8870PCIe

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 960M vs Radeon E8870PCIe 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 960M vs Radeon E8870PCIe: 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 960M

2015

Why buy it

✅77.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌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 13.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
❌102.7% higher power demand at 75W vs 37W.

Radeon E8870PCIe

2014

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 13.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($250 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 37W instead of 75W, a 38W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 960M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 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 960M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 77.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (3,375 vs 3,368), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce GTX 960M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2014. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon E8870PCIe 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, Radeon E8870PCIe is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 960M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 960M vs Radeon E8870PCIe Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon E8870PCIe

The Radeon E8870PCIe is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 25 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 575 MHz to 625 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 37W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,368 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 960M scores 3,375 and the Radeon E8870PCIe reaches 3,368 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 960M is built on Maxwell while the Radeon E8870PCIe uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 640 (Radeon E8870PCIe). Raw compute: 1.505 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 0.8 TFLOPS (Radeon E8870PCIe). Boost clocks: 1176 MHz vs 625 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Radeon E8870PCIe
G3D Mark Score	3,375	3,368
Architecture	Maxwell	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	640	640
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.505 TFLOPS+88%	0.8 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1176 MHz+88%	625 MHz
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	40	40
L1 Cache	320 KB+100%	160 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	0.25 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 960M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon E8870PCIe leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Radeon E8870PCIe
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 960M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon E8870PCIe carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 960M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 960M and 64-bit on the Radeon E8870PCIe. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon E8870PCIe) — the GeForce GTX 960M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Radeon E8870PCIe
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	0.25 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960M draws 75W versus the Radeon E8870PCIe's 37W — a 67.9% difference. The Radeon E8870PCIe is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 350W (Radeon E8870PCIe). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Radeon E8870PCIe
TDP	75W	37W-51%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	82	—
Perf/Watt	45.0	91.0+102%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 960M (2015 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	Radeon E8870PCIe
MSRP	—	$250
Codename	GM107	Venus
Release	March 13 2015	January 25 2014
Ranking	#552	#734

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