GeForce GTX 965M vs GeForce RTX 4060

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 965M

2016Core: 944 MHzBoost: 1150 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

2023Core: 1830 MHzBoost: 2460 MHz

GeForce GTX 965M vs GeForce RTX 4060 Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce GTX 965M 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 965M 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 965M

2016

Why buy it

  • Draws 50W instead of 115W, a 65W 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).
  • 2016 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 65.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

  • 227.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs Unknown 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

  • 130% higher power demand at 115W vs 50W.

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 227.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 406.4% in PassMark G3D (19,548 vs 3,860), 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 965M 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 today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 965M vs GeForce RTX 4060 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

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 965M scores 3,860 versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 19,548 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 406.4%. The GeForce GTX 965M 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 965M) vs 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060). Raw compute: 2.355 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 965M) vs 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060). Boost clocks: 1150 MHz vs 2460 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 965MGeForce RTX 4060
G3D Mark Score
3,860
19,548+406%
Architecture
Maxwell 2.0
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
28 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
1024
3072+200%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.355 TFLOPS
15.11 TFLOPS+542%
Boost Clock
1150 MHz
2460 MHz+114%
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 965M 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 965M is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 965MGeForce 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 965M 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: 80 GB/s (GeForce GTX 965M) vs 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) — a 240% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 965M and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 965M) vs 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 965MGeForce RTX 4060
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
8 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
80 GB/s
272 GB/s+240%
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB
24 MB+2300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce GTX 965M) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 965MGeForce RTX 4060
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th Gen (HEVC) (GeForce GTX 965M) vs NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP6) vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 965M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060).

FeatureGeForce GTX 965MGeForce RTX 4060
Encoder
NVENC 5th Gen (HEVC)
NVENC 8th gen
Decoder
PureVideo HD (VP6)
NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 965M draws 50W versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 115W — a 78.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 965M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 965M) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 240mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 73°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 965MGeForce RTX 4060
TDP
50W-57%
115W
Recommended PSU
350W-36%
550W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
8-pin
Length
0mm
240mm
Height
0mm
111mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
80°C
73°C-9%
Perf/Watt
77.2
170.0+120%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 (2023 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 965MGeForce RTX 4060
MSRP
$299
Codename
GM206S
AD107
Release
2016
May 18 2023
Ranking
#510
#84

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.