NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960A Comparison

The benchmark data presents an unusual comparison: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960A and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 are separated by two generations of architecture, yet their average benchmark scores are nearly identical. The GTX 960A posts an average score of 11,998, while the GTX 1080 averages 11,960, a difference of only 0.3%. However, this statistical tie in the aggregate metric masks a decisive performance gap in the one head-to-head test available: the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, where the GTX 1080 scores 51,204 versus the GTX 960A’s 11,998, a 76.6% advantage for the newer card. This page analyzes the data to clarify where each GPU wins, who should pick which, and what the specifications reveal about the underlying architectures.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 1080 wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark in the data, and it wins decisively. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 1080 delivers a score of 51,204, which is 76.6% higher than the GTX 960A’s 11,998. This is not a marginal victory; it is a dominant one. The GTX 1080’s performance in this compute-oriented workload reflects its far larger GPU: 2,560 shading units against 640, 160 texture mapping units against 40, and 64 ROPs against 16. The GTX 1080 also benefits from a 16 nm process node versus the GTX 960A’s 28 nm node, allowing it to pack 7,200 million transistors into a 314 mm² die, whereas the GTX 960A uses 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die.

Conversely, the GTX 960A does not win any benchmark in the data. Its single benchmark result, the Geekbench OpenCL score of 11,998, is lower than the GTX 1080’s score in the same test. However, the GTX 960A’s average score of 11,998 is 0.3% higher than the GTX 1080’s average of 11,960. This is because the GTX 1080’s average is pulled down by several low scores in other tests, such as its Passmark DirectX 12 score of 55 and its Passmark DirectX 10 score of 93. The GTX 960A, with only one benchmark result, avoids this dilution. In practical terms, the GTX 960A wins the aggregate average, but this is a statistical artifact rather than a demonstration of real-world superiority.

The GTX 1080 also wins on feature support. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the GTX 960A only supports DirectX 12 (11_0). Both cards support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. The GTX 1080’s higher DirectX feature level means it can handle more advanced rendering techniques in games that utilize them, giving it a clear edge in modern workloads.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the data, the GTX 1080 is the superior GPU for anyone who needs raw compute performance. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 51,204 is 76.6% higher than the GTX 960A’s 11,998, which means it can process compute-heavy tasks like physics simulations, video encoding, or machine learning inference more than four times faster. The GTX 1080’s memory subsystem also supports this: it has 8 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 320.3 GB/s of bandwidth, versus the GTX 960A’s 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, which delivers only 80.19 GB/s. For any workload that stresses memory bandwidth, the GTX 1080 wins by a wide margin.

The GTX 960A, however, is not without its niche. Its average benchmark score of 11,998 is essentially tied with the GTX 1080’s 11,960, and it outperforms the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT (11,842, 1.3% lower) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 (11,680, 2.7% lower). If the only metric that matters is the average score across all tests, the GTX 960A is competitive with these cards. But the GTX 960A’s single benchmark result is the Geekbench OpenCL test, which is heavily compute-oriented. In gaming or other graphics workloads, the GTX 960A’s lower pixel rate (18.82 GPixel/s versus 110.9 GPixel/s) and texture rate (47.04 GTexel/s versus 277.3 GTexel/s) would likely prove limiting. The data does not include gaming benchmarks, so any claim about gaming performance is speculative, but the specification differences strongly favor the GTX 1080.

For the vast majority of users, the GTX 1080 is the clear choice. It offers more memory, higher bandwidth, more compute units, and a more advanced architecture. The GTX 960A only makes sense in scenarios where power consumption is critical, as its 75 W TDP is far lower than the GTX 1080’s 180 W, and where the MXM form factor is required. But from a pure performance standpoint, the GTX 1080 wins every meaningful comparison in the data.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only head-to-head benchmark in the data is Geekbench OpenCL. The GTX 1080 scores 51,204, while the GTX 960A scores 11,998. The delta is -76.6% for the GTX 960A, meaning the GTX 1080 is 76.6% faster. This is the single most important number in this comparison because it directly measures both cards under the same workload. The GTX 1080’s score is 4.27 times higher than the GTX 960A’s, which aligns with its 4 times more shading units (2,560 versus 640) and its 4 times more texture mapping units (160 versus 40).

The GTX 1080’s advantage in OpenCL is also reflected in its other benchmark results. Its Geekbench Vulkan score is 30,398, and its Geekbench Metal score is 23,824, though the GTX 960A has no corresponding scores in the data. The GTX 1080’s Passmark G3D score is 15,586, and its Passmark GPU Compute score is 7,614. The GTX 960A has no Passmark scores, so a direct comparison in those tests is impossible. However, the GTX 1080’s OpenCL dominance, combined with its higher clock speeds (base 1607 MHz, boost 1733 MHz versus 1097 MHz base, 1176 MHz boost), suggests it will outperform the GTX 960A in any compute-heavy application.

The only metric where the GTX 960A comes out ahead is the average benchmark score, but this is misleading. The GTX 960A’s average of 11,998 is based on a single result, while the GTX 1080’s average of 11,960 is based on eleven results, including several low-scoring Passmark DirectX tests. The GTX 960A’s nearest rival list shows it is 0.3% ahead of the GTX 1080 in average score, but this is within the margin of error and does not reflect any real performance advantage. In the head-to-head test, the GTX 1080 wins by a landslide.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 960A has an average score of 11,998, which is 0.3% higher than the GTX 1080’s 11,960. However, this is based on a single benchmark for the GTX 960A versus eleven for the GTX 1080, and the GTX 1080 wins the only head-to-head test by 76.6%.

Q: What is the performance difference in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The GTX 1080 scores 51,204, while the GTX 960A scores 11,998. The GTX 1080 is 76.6% faster in this test.

Q: How do the memory specs compare?

A: The GTX 1080 has 8 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus with 320.3 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 960A has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 80.19 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The GTX 1080 has 2,560 shading units, while the GTX 960A has 640. The GTX 1080 also has 160 texture mapping units and 64 ROPs, versus 40 TMUs and 16 ROPs on the GTX 960A.

Q: What are the power requirements?

A: The GTX 960A has a TDP of 75 W and uses no power connectors. The GTX 1080 has a TDP of 180 W and requires a single 8-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 450 W.

Q: Which GPU supports a higher DirectX version?

A: The GTX 1080 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the GTX 960A supports DirectX 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 960A is built on NVIDIA’s Maxwell architecture, using the GM107 chip manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,870 million transistors into a 148 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 12.6 million per square millimeter. The GTX 1080, in contrast, uses the Pascal architecture with the GP104 chip, manufactured on a 16 nm process at TSMC. It contains 7,200 million transistors on a 314 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 22.9 million per square millimeter. The smaller process node and higher density allow the GTX 1080 to fit nearly four times as many transistors in just over twice the die area.

The architectural differences extend to the compute units. The GTX 960A has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The GTX 1080 has 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs — exactly four times as many in each category. This explains the GTX 1080’s massive lead in pixel rate (110.9 GPixel/s versus 18.82 GPixel/s) and texture rate (277.3 GTexel/s versus 47.04 GTexel/s). The GTX 1080 also has a much higher FP32 throughput at 8.873 TFLOPS, versus 1.505 TFLOPS for the GTX 960A. The GTX 1080 additionally supports FP16 at 138.6 GFLOPS, while the GTX 960A has no FP16 capability listed.

Neither card has ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as both predate the RTX series. The GTX 960A belongs to the GeForce 900A generation, while the GTX 1080 is part of the GeForce 10-series. The GTX 1080’s predecessor is the GeForce 900 series, and its successor is the GeForce 20 series, whereas the GTX 960A’s predecessor is the GeForce 800A, with no successor listed.

Specification Differences

The GTX 960A and GTX 1080 differ in almost every specification. The GTX 1080 has a base clock of 1607 MHz and a boost clock of 1733 MHz, compared to the GTX 960A’s 1097 MHz base and 1176 MHz boost. The GTX 1080’s memory runs at 1251 MHz with 10 Gbps effective speed, while the GTX 960A’s memory runs at 1253 MHz with 5 Gbps effective. The GTX 1080 offers 8 GB of GDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, yielding 320.3 GB/s bandwidth, versus 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 80.19 GB/s.

The physical specifications also differ. The GTX 960A is an MXM module with an MXM-B (3.0) interface, making it suitable for laptops and compact systems. The GTX 1080 is a dual-slot card with a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, measuring 267 mm in length, 112 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. The GTX 1080 requires a single 8-pin power connector and has a suggested PSU of 450 W, while the GTX 960A has no power connectors and a TDP of 75 W. The display outputs also differ: the GTX 1080 has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the GTX 960A’s outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent." The GTX 1080 was released on 2016-05-26, over a year after the GTX 960A’s 2015-03-12 release date. The GTX 1080 has a launch MSRP of 599 USD.