NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two GPUs into very different usage profiles. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 dominates the shared tests, winning both recorded head-to-head comparisons. The GTX 950M, by contrast, does not win any of the overlapping tests. This is not a close contest in raw compute terms, but the GTX 950M has its own niche that the GTX 960 cannot occupy.

The GTX 960 takes the OpenCL workload decisively. Its score of 18,925 is nearly double the GTX 950M's 9,745, a 94.2% advantage. That is a massive gap for compute-oriented tasks. The Vulkan test tells a similar story, with the GTX 960 scoring 9,231 versus 6,525, a 41.5% lead. For anyone running applications that use these APIs, the GTX 960 is clearly the stronger part.

The GTX 950M, however, is a mobile part designed for laptops. It runs at a 75 W TDP and uses the IGP slot width, meaning it integrates into a portable chassis. The GTX 960 is a dual-slot desktop card with a 120 W TDP and a 1x 6-pin power connector. The GTX 950M also has 4 GB of memory compared to the GTX 960's 2 GB. The data does not show a memory-capacity benchmark, but the larger frame buffer on the GTX 950M suggests a different use case: one that values memory size over raw compute throughput.

So the split is clear. The GTX 960 wins every measurable performance test. The GTX 950M offers a lower-power, mobile-friendly configuration with double the VRAM. The data does not say which is better overall; it says they are built for different environments.

Architecture Differences

Both chips come from the Maxwell family, but they are not the same design. The GTX 960 uses the GM206 chip with Maxwell 2.0 architecture, while the GTX 950M uses the GM107 chip with the original Maxwell architecture. This is not a minor naming difference. Maxwell 2.0 brings feature-level changes in DirectX and Vulkan support.

The process node is identical at 28 nm, and both are manufactured by TSMC. The transistor counts diverge significantly. The GM206 packs 2,940 million transistors on a 228 mm² die, giving a density of 12.9M per mm². The GM107 has 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die, with a density of 12.6M per mm². The GTX 960's chip is roughly 54% larger by transistor count and 54% larger by die area, indicating a more complex design with more resources.

The compute units reflect this difference. The GTX 960 has 1,024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 950M has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. That is a 60% difference in shading units and TMUs, and a 100% difference in ROPs. The GTX 960 also clocks higher: its base is 1,127 MHz and boost is 1,178 MHz, versus 993 MHz base and 1,124 MHz boost for the GTX 950M.

Memory architecture is a major divergence. The GTX 960 uses GDDR5 with a 128-bit bus and a bandwidth of 112.2 GB/s. The GTX 950M uses DDR3 on the same 128-bit bus, but the bandwidth drops to 28.80 GB/s. That is a 74% reduction in memory bandwidth, which will severely bottleneck any memory-heavy workload. The GTX 950M compensates with 4 GB of memory versus 2 GB, but the data shows the bandwidth penalty is severe.

The API support also differs. The GTX 960 supports DirectX 12 with feature level 12_1, while the GTX 950M supports DirectX 12 with feature level 11_0. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. The DirectX feature level difference, not the architecture name, is what determines the feature set in games. The GTX 960 is the more capable part for modern DirectX 12 titles.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data includes two direct comparisons, and the GTX 960 wins both by substantial margins. The OpenCL test is the biggest gap. The GTX 960 scores 18,925 against the GTX 950M's 9,745. That is a 94.2% improvement for the GTX 960, meaning it nearly doubles the GTX 950M's OpenCL output. This is a compute-heavy workload, and the GTX 960's 2.413 TFLOPS FP32 performance versus 1,438.7 GFLOPS for the GTX 950M explains the gap. The GTX 960 has 1,024 shading units running at higher clocks, which directly translates to more parallel compute throughput.

The Vulkan test is closer but still one-sided. The GTX 960 scores 9,231, and the GTX 950M scores 6,525. The delta is 41.5%. Vulkan is a lower-level API that can reduce CPU overhead, but the GTX 960's higher fill rates and compute capacity still show. The GTX 960 has a pixel rate of 37.70 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 75.39 GTexel/s. The GTX 950M has 17.98 GPixel/s and 44.96 GTexel/s. Those are smaller gaps than the compute figures, which aligns with the smaller Vulkan delta.

The GTX 960 also holds a lead in the broader database. Its average benchmark score is 9,273, and the GTX 950M averages 8,135. The GTX 960 sits at the 45th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 950M is at the 42nd. The nearest rivals for the GTX 960 include the GTX 465 at 9,294 (0.2% higher) and the GTX 850M at 9,302 (0.3% higher). The GTX 950M's nearest rival is the R9 M360 at 8,129 (0.1% lower) and the GTX 980 at 8,167 (0.4% higher). The GTX 960's score is about 14% higher than the GTX 950M's average score, which is consistent with the head-to-head results.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 960 has an average benchmark score of 9,273, while the GTX 950M has 8,135. The GTX 960 is about 14% higher.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in the head-to-head tests?

A: The OpenCL test shows the largest difference, with the GTX 960 scoring 18,925 versus 9,745 for the GTX 950M, a 94.2% lead.

Q: Does the GTX 950M ever win any benchmark test?

A: No. In the recorded data, the GTX 960 wins all tests (2 wins for the GTX 960, 0 for the GTX 950M).

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 960 has 112.2 GB/s of bandwidth with GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 950M has 28.80 GB/s with DDR3 memory.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The GTX 960 has 1,024 shading units, compared to the GTX 950M's 640 shading units.

Q: What is the DirectX feature level of each GPU?

A: The GTX 960 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the GTX 950M supports DirectX 12 (11_0).

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measured category. The GTX 960 uses the GM206 chip with Maxwell 2.0 architecture, while the GTX 950M uses the GM107 with Maxwell architecture. The GTX 960 has 2,940 million transistors on a 228 mm² die, the GTX 950M has 1,870 million on 148 mm². Both are 28 nm from TSMC.

The clocks are higher on the GTX 960: base 1,127 MHz and boost 1,178 MHz, versus 993 MHz and 1,124 MHz. The GTX 960 has 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 950M has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The pixel rate is 37.70 GPixel/s for the GTX 960 and 17.98 GPixel/s for the GTX 950M. The texture rate is 75.39 GTexel/s versus 44.96 GTexel/s. FP32 is 2.413 TFLOPS for the GTX 960 and 1,438.7 GFLOPS for the GTX 950M.

The memory is the most striking difference. The GTX 960 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 112.2 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 950M has 4 GB of DDR3 on the same 128-bit bus but only 28.80 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 960 has a TDP of 120 W, requires a 6-pin power connector, and is a dual-slot card. The GTX 950M has a 75 W TDP, no power connector, and is an IGP part. The GTX 960 uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the GTX 950M uses PCIe 3.0 x8. The GTX 960 has multiple display outputs, while the GTX 950M's outputs are portable-device dependent.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear performance hierarchy, but it also shows a functional split. The GTX 960 is the superior compute and graphics part for desktop use. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks, has a higher average score, and offers more than double the memory bandwidth. The 94.2% lead in OpenCL and 41.5% lead in Vulkan mean it is the right choice for any application that relies on those APIs, from gaming to compute workloads.

The GTX 950M is not a competitor in raw performance, but it is also not in the same class. It is a mobile, low-power part with a 75 W TDP and no power connector, designed for laptops. Its 4 GB of memory is double the GTX 960's 2 GB, which could matter for workloads that need more frame buffer capacity, but the DDR3 type and low 28.80 GB/s bandwidth severely limit its usefulness in that role. The GTX 950M's average score of 8,135 places it at the 42nd percentile, close to the GTX 960's 45th percentile, but the gap in the tests themselves is much larger.

For a desktop system, the GTX 960 is the obvious pick from the data. For a portable system, the GTX 950M is the only option between these two, but the benchmark results show it will be significantly slower. The recorded data does not support any scenario where the GTX 950M outperforms the GTX 960. The GTX 960 is the better part in every measured category, and the only reason to choose the GTX 950M is if the form factor or power constraints of a laptop require it.