GeForce GTX 960
NVIDIA
G3D Mark
6,133
MSRP
$199
AVG Price
$45
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.
Overview
The GeForce GTX 960 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 22 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1127 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,133 points. Launch price was $199.
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 960
FPS Benchmarks
Predicted performance for GeForce GTX 960 across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 7800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Counter-Strike 2
Cyberpunk 2077
Delta Force
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Grand Theft Auto V
Honkai: Star Rail
League of Legends
Left 4 Dead 2
Monster Hunter Wilds
Path of Exile 2
Technical Analysis
Detailed breakdown of GeForce GTX 960 specifications and capabilities.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 960 scores 6,133 in the G3D Mark benchmark (the standard measure of rasterization GPU performance), placing it in the Budget tier as a Legacy generation graphics card. It is built on the Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) architecture (codename: GM206), manufactured on a 28 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 1024 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 64 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 32 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 2.413 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance. Boost clock reaches 1178 MHz from a base of 1127 MHz.
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 |
|---|---|
| G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score | 6,133 |
| ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generation | Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) |
| CodenameInternal GPU die codename | GM206 |
| Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient | 28 nm |
| Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute | 1024 |
| TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling | 64 |
| ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending | 32 |
| Boost ClockMaximum GPU frequency under load | 1178 MHz |
| Base ClockGuaranteed minimum GPU frequency | 1127 MHz |
| Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance | 2.413 TFLOPS |
| Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second | 75.39 GTexel/s |
| PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generation | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| Transistor Count | 2,940 million |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #393 |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 960 is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 video memory connected via a 128-bit memory bus, delivering 112 GB/s of bandwidth. Memory operates at 8 Gbps effective speed.
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 |
|---|---|
| VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures | 4 GB |
| VRAM TypeMemory technology generation | GDDR5 |
| Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth | 128-bit |
| Memory SpeedEffective memory data rate | 8 Gbps |
| BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAM | 112 GB/s |
| L1 Cache | 384 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1024 kB |
Advanced Features & APIs
Graphics API support: DirectX 12 (12_1), Vulkan 1.3, OpenGL 4.6— latest API versions enable the most advanced rendering features like ray tracing and mesh shaders.
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA Reflex | ❌ Not Supported |
| DLSS Frame Generation | ❌ Not Supported |
| DLSS Super Resolution | ❌ Not Supported |
| DirectXMicrosoft graphics API version | 12 (12_1) |
| VulkanCross-platform graphics API | 1.3 |
| OpenGLLegacy graphics API | 4.6 |
| Compute APIGPGPU framework (CUDA/ROCm/OpenCL) | CUDA 5.2, OpenCL 3.0 |
| Multi-GPUSLI/CrossFire/NVLink support | 2-way SLI |
Display & Media
Display outputs: DVI-Ix 0, HDMI 2.0x 1, DisplayPort 1.2 x3x 2 — supports up to 4 simultaneous displays. Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen), decoder: NVDEC (2nd Gen)— dedicated hardware for video encoding/decoding accelerates streaming, recording, and video playback. Supported codecs: HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8.
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 |
|---|---|
| 0 PortsNumber of 0 display connectors | DVI-Ix |
| 1 PortsNumber of 1 display connectors | HDMI 2.0x |
| 2 PortsNumber of 2 display connectors | DisplayPort 1.2 x3x |
| Max DisplaysMaximum simultaneously connected monitors | 4 |
| Hardware EncoderVideo encoding engine version | NVENC (5th Gen) |
| Hardware DecoderVideo decoding engine version | NVDEC (2nd Gen) |
| CodecsSupported video compression formats | HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 960 draws 120 Watt under load (TDP) — a 400W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 6-pin. Physical size: 241mm long, 111mm tall, occupying 2 expansion slots, weighing 586g— verify your case has clearance before purchasing. Typical temperatures: 40 C at idle, 75 C under load.
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 |
|---|---|
| TDPPower consumption under load | 120 Watt |
| Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage | 400W |
| Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type | 6-pin |
| Card LengthGPU card length — check case clearance | 241mm |
| Card Height | 111mm |
| Slot WidthExpansion slots occupied | 2-slot |
| Weight | 586g |
| Idle TemperatureTypical temperature at desktop idle | 40 C |
| Load TemperatureTypical temperature under gaming load | 75 C |
Value Analysis
At an average price of $45 (MSRP: $199), the GeForce GTX 960 delivers 136 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #393 among all indexed GPUs.
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 |
|---|---|
| MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price | $199 |
| Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days | $45 |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #393 |
| Release Date | January 22 2015 |
| Release Year | 2015 |
Specifications Reference
Raw spec sheet for quick lookup. The analysis cards above explain what these fields mean in practice.
2 categories
Technical Specifications
19 specs
Technical Specifications
19 specs
| ROPs | 32 |
| TMUs | 64 |
| Vram | 4 GB |
| L1 Cache | 384 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1024 kB |
| Core Clock | 1127 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1178 MHz |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 |
| Memory Speed | 8 Gbps |
| Shading Units | 1024 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 112 GB/s |
| Memory Bus Width | 128-bit |
| Transistor Count | 2,940 million |
| Frame Generation | NVIDIA Reflex: No | DLSS Frame Generation: No | DLSS Super Resolution: No |
| Texture Fill Rate | 75.39 |
| Manufacturing Process | 28 nm |
| Power Consumption (TDP) | 120 Watt |
| Floating Point Performance | 2.413 TFLOPS |
General Information
5 specs
General Information
5 specs
| Codename | GM206 |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) |
| Launch Price | $199 |
| Release Date | January 22 2015 |
| Performance Ranking Position | 393 |
Similar Performance
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AMD (12)
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Our Recommendation for GeForce GTX 960
Suggested pairings based on performance balance
Minimum (Avoid Bottleneck) (12)
Recommended (Balanced) (12)
High-End (Max Performance) (12)
Popular Comparisons
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