NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data splits cleanly along workload type. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 wins all three recorded head-to-head comparisons, but the margin tells the real story. In Geekbench Metal, the GTX 770 scores 9369 against 7172 for the GTX 950, a 30.6% advantage. That is the decisive victory, and it points to where the older Kepler card retains a clear edge: compute-heavy workloads that stress raw shader throughput and memory bandwidth.

The Geekbench OpenCL result is nearly a tie. The GTX 770 posts 15707, the GTX 950 posts 15662, a delta of only 0.3%. In this specific OpenCL test, the two cards are effectively interchangeable. The GTX 950's newer Maxwell 2.0 architecture closes the gap that the Metal test exposes, but it does not overtake the GTX 770. For users running OpenCL-accelerated tasks, the data shows no meaningful winner.

The Geekbench Vulkan result gives the GTX 770 a 14.5% lead, 19166 versus 16734. Vulkan is a lower-level API, and the Kepler architecture's larger shading unit count (1536 versus 768) likely explains the persistent advantage. The GTX 770 wins every recorded test, so the use-case split is not about picking a winner per workload; it is about recognizing that the GTX 770 dominates in Metal and Vulkan, while OpenCL is a statistical dead heat. The GTX 950 has no benchmark category where it leads.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectural generations. The GTX 770 uses the GK104 chip on the Kepler architecture, part of the GeForce 700 generation. The GTX 950 uses the GM206 chip on the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, part of the GeForce 900 generation. Both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the transistor counts and die sizes diverge. The GTX 770 packs 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, while the GTX 950 has 2,940 million transistors on a 228 mm² die. The smaller Maxwell chip achieves a higher transistor density: 12.9M per mm² versus 12.0M per mm².

The compute resources differ substantially. The GTX 770 has 1536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 950 has half the shading units at 768, plus 48 TMUs and 32 ROPs. The pixel rate tells a different story: the GTX 950's higher boost clock (1188 MHz versus 1085 MHz) gives it a 38.02 GPixel/s pixel rate, slightly ahead of the GTX 770's 34.72 GPixel/s. Texture rate favors the GTX 770 heavily, at 138.9 GTexel/s versus 57.02 GTexel/s, a reflection of the 128 TMUs versus 48. FP32 compute also favors the GTX 770: 3.333 TFLOPS versus 1.825 TFLOPS.

Memory is a major differentiator. Both cards have 2 GB of GDDR5, but the GTX 770 uses a 256-bit bus with 224.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the GTX 950 uses a 128-bit bus with 105.8 GB/s. The GTX 950's memory runs at 1653 MHz (6.6 Gbps effective) versus the GTX 770's 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective), but the narrower bus halves the bandwidth. The GTX 950 compensates with newer display outputs: it offers HDMI 2.0 and three DisplayPort 1.2 connections, while the GTX 770 provides HDMI 1.4a and a single DisplayPort 1.2. The GTX 950 also supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the GTX 770 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175.

The power envelope is dramatically different. The GTX 950 is rated at 90 W TDP with a single 6-pin connector and a suggested 250 W PSU. The GTX 770 draws 230 W, requires a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector, and needs a 550 W PSU. Physical dimensions also differ: the GTX 770 is 267 mm long, 111 mm tall, and 38 mm wide, while the GTX 950 is 202 mm long. The GTX 950 is the shorter, cooler, and more efficient card, but the GTX 770 counters with double the shading units and more than double the memory bandwidth.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench Metal test delivers the largest gap. The GTX 770 scores 9369, the GTX 950 scores 7172, and the delta is 30.6% in favor of the GTX 770. This is not a marginal difference; it is a decisive margin that suggests the Kepler card's wider memory bus and higher shader count matter greatly in Metal's compute and graphics workload. For any user prioritizing Metal performance, the data points unambiguously to the GTX 770.

The Geekbench OpenCL test is the closest result in the entire comparison. The GTX 770 posts 15707, the GTX 950 posts 15662, and the delta is a mere 0.3%. The GTX 950's Maxwell 2.0 architecture, with its higher boost clock and improved instruction efficiency, nearly erases the GTX 770's raw resource advantage. In practical terms, this difference is within run-to-run variance; the recorded data shows no meaningful winner for OpenCL.

The Geekbench Vulkan test restores the GTX 770's lead. It scores 19166 against 16734 for the GTX 950, a 14.5% margin. Vulkan's lower overhead tends to reward raw hardware throughput, and the GTX 770's 1536 shading units and 224.4 GB/s bandwidth provide that throughput. The GTX 950's Vulkan support is newer (version 1.4 versus 1.2.175), but the extra driver features do not translate into a performance win. Across all three tests, the GTX 770 wins by an average of 30.6%, 0.3%, and 14.5%, with no recorded test favoring the GTX 950.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 770 has an average benchmark score of 14747, while the GTX 950 averages 13189. The GTX 770 sits at the 57th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the 53rd percentile for the GTX 950.

Q: How does the GTX 770 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 770's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT with an average score of 14692, a 0.4% delta. The NVIDIA Quadro M2000 scores 14532 (1.5% behind), while the GeForce GTX 660 Ti scores 15063 (2.1% ahead) and the AMD Radeon Pro 560X scores 15082 (2.2% ahead).

Q: What is the closest benchmark result between the two cards?

A: The Geekbench OpenCL test is the closest, with the GTX 770 scoring 15707 and the GTX 950 scoring 15662, a delta of just 0.3%. This is effectively a tie in the recorded data.

Q: Which card requires more power from the system?

A: The GTX 770 has a 230 W TDP and requires a 550 W suggested PSU with a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector. The GTX 950 has a 90 W TDP and needs only a 250 W PSU with a single 6-pin connector.

Q: Do the cards support the same DirectX version?

A: No. The GTX 770 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. The GTX 950 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, giving it a newer feature set for API-level capabilities.

Q: Which card has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 770 has 224.4 GB/s bandwidth on a 256-bit bus, while the GTX 950 has 105.8 GB/s on a 128-bit bus. The GTX 770's bandwidth is more than double the GTX 950's, despite both having 2 GB of GDDR5 memory.

The Verdict

The benchmark data resolves the choice in favor of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 for raw performance. It wins all three recorded head-to-head tests, with the largest margin in Geekbench Metal (30.6%) and a solid 14.5% lead in Geekbench Vulkan. Its average benchmark score of 14747 places it higher than the GTX 950's 13189, and its percentile ranking (57th versus 53rd) confirms the gap. Users who prioritize compute throughput, shader count, or memory bandwidth should select the GTX 770 without hesitation.

The GTX 950's case rests on efficiency and modern features, not performance. It draws 90 W versus 230 W, needs a 250 W PSU versus 550 W, and fits in a 202 mm length versus 267 mm. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), Vulkan 1.4, and HDMI 2.0, all of which the GTX 770 lacks. For a system with a modest power supply, a small chassis, or a need for the latest display outputs, the GTX 950 is the sensible pick. The OpenCL result (0.3% delta) shows that for certain workloads, the GTX 950 can match the older card, but it cannot surpass it in any recorded test.

The data does not support buying the GTX 950 for performance reasons. The GTX 770 is the stronger card in every measured benchmark. The GTX 950 only makes sense when power constraints, physical size, or API feature requirements outweigh raw speed. Both cards are end-of-life products, so availability and system compatibility will drive the final decision, but the recorded measurements are clear: the GTX 770 is the faster GPU.

Specification Differences

The two cards diverge on nearly every hardware specification except for memory size, memory type, ROP count, process node, foundry, slot width, and bus interface. Both have 2 GB of GDDR5, 32 ROPs, use TSMC's 28 nm process, are dual-slot, and connect via PCIe 3.0 x16.

The GTX 770 uses the GK104 chip on Kepler architecture, while the GTX 950 uses the GM206 chip on Maxwell 2.0. The GTX 770 has 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die (12.0M per mm²); the GTX 950 has 2,940 million transistors on a 228 mm² die (12.9M per mm²). The GTX 770's base clock is 1046 MHz with a boost of 1085 MHz and memory at 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective). The GTX 950's base clock is 1024 MHz, boost is 1188 MHz, and memory runs at 1653 MHz (6.6 Gbps effective).

Memory configuration differs sharply: the GTX 770 has a 256-bit bus with 224.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the GTX 950 has a 128-bit bus with 105.8 GB/s. Shading units are 1536 versus 768, TMUs are 128 versus 48, and ROPs are 32 on both. Pixel rate favors the GTX 950 at 38.02 GPixel/s versus 34.72 GPixel/s, but texture rate strongly favors the GTX 770 at 138.9 GTexel/s versus 57.02 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 3.333 TFLOPS for the GTX 770 and 1.825 TFLOPS for the GTX 950.

Power and physical specs are the clearest differentiators. The GTX 770 has a 230 W TDP, a 6-pin plus 8-pin power connector, a 550 W suggested PSU, and dimensions of 267 mm length, 111 mm height, and 38 mm width. The GTX 950 has a 90 W TDP, one 6-pin connector, a 250 W suggested PSU, and a 202 mm length. Display outputs: the GTX 770 has 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2; the GTX 950 has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.2. API support: the GTX 770 runs DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175; the GTX 950 runs DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Release dates and launch MSRP also differ: the GTX 770 launched on 2013-05-29 at 399 USD, while the GTX 950 launched on 2015-08-19 at 159 USD.