GeForce GTX 960M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
GeForce GTX 960M
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Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
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 Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is on rank 479, so the GeForce GTX 960M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 960M
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3.7% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 960M offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 960M | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-3.7%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+3.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / Terascale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GTX 960M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 960M holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $150), it costs 67% less, resulting in a 189.3% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 960M | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+189.3%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($50) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($150) |
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 960M and Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
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 HD 6990M Crossfire
The Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 12 2011. It features the Terascale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 715 MHz. It has 2240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 960M scores 3,375 and the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire reaches 3,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 960M is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire uses Terascale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 2,240 (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 960M | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,375 | 3,500+4% |
| Architecture | Maxwell | Terascale 2 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 640 | 2240+250% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 960M | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 960M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire 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 | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| 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 11.0 (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Vulkan: 1.3 vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 960M | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_0)+9% | 11.0 |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | N/A |
| OpenGL | 4.6+5% | 4.4 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 6+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (4th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960M) vs None (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Decoder: NVDEC (1st Gen) vs UVD 3.0. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 960M | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (4th Gen) | None |
| Decoder | NVDEC (1st Gen) | UVD 3.0 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265 | MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 960M draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire's 50W — a 40% difference. The Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 0mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 82 vs 90.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 960M | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 75W | 50W-33% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 0mm | 0mm |
| Height | 0mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 0 | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | 82-9% | 90 |
| Perf/Watt | 45.0 | 70.0+56% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 960M costs 66.7% less ($100 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 67.5 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 23.3 (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire) — the GeForce GTX 960M offers 189.7% better value. The GeForce GTX 960M is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2011).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 960M | Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $699 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50-67% | $150 |
| Performance per Dollar | 67.5+190% | 23.3 |
| Codename | GM107 | Blackcomb XTX |
| Release | March 13 2015 | July 12 2011 |
| Ranking | #552 | #517 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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