GeForce GTX 965M vs GeForce RTX 4060
GeForce GTX 965M
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GeForce RTX 4060
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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. The GeForce GTX 965M is positioned at rank #39 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Great cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 965M
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 4060
Why is GeForce RTX 4060 better than GeForce GTX 965M?
The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB represents approximately eight generations of advancement over the GTX 965M, delivering roughly 400-500% higher gaming performance. The 4060 Ti's Ada Lovelace architecture on 5nm delivers 22 TFLOPS compared to the 965M's 2.3 TFLOPS on 28nm Maxwell. This generational gap makes direct comparison largely academic rather than competitive.
The RTX 4060 Ti 16GB features modern technologies including ray tracing, DLSS 3.0 with Frame Generation, and 16GB GDDR6 memory for 1440p gaming. The GTX 965M was a capable 1080p mobile GPU in 2015 with 2-4GB GDDR5, but provides poor performance by 2024 standards. Memory bandwidth differs massively: 288 GB/s versus 78 GB/s.
This comparison illustrates the enormous progress in GPU technology over a decade. The GTX 965M struggles with modern titles even at lowest settings, while the RTX 4060 Ti 16GB handles current games at high-ultra 1440p settings. Users with aging GTX 965M laptops would see transformative gaming experiences upgrading to any modern desktop GPU.
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 4060 is significantly newer (2023 vs 2016). The GeForce RTX 4060 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 965M lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 4060 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 406.4% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (8 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 965M.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 965M | GeForce RTX 4060 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-406.4%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+406.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) | 🏆Elite Architecture (Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) / 5nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 3/4 + Frame Gen Support |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 4060 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 965M and GeForce RTX 4060
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.
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.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 965M | GeForce 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)
A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3 Frame Gen. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 965M lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 965M | GeForce RTX 4060 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | DLSS 3.5 |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | DLSS 3.0 (Native) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | Yes (DLSS 3.5) |
| Low Latency | Standard | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 965M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 80 GB/s (GeForce GTX 965M) vs 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) — a 240% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. 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.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 965M | GeForce 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.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 965M | GeForce 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).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 965M | GeForce 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.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 965M | GeForce 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 GeForce RTX 4060 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2016).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 965M | GeForce RTX 4060 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $299 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $299 |
| Codename | GM206S | AD107 |
| Release | 2016 | May 18 2023 |
| Ranking | #510 | #84 |
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