NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M Specifications
GeForce GTX 960M GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
GTX 960M Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce GTX 960M's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The GeForce GTX 960M by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 960M Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce GTX 960M's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
GeForce GTX 960M by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the GTX 960M, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
GTX 960M Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
Maxwell Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M is built on NVIDIA's Maxwell architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the GTX 960M will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 960M Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the GeForce GTX 960M to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce GTX 960M by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
NVIDIA API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
GeForce GTX 960M Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M is manufactured by NVIDIA as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the GeForce GTX 960M by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce GTX 960M Benchmark Scores
geekbench_openclSource
Geekbench OpenCL tests GPU compute performance using the cross-platform OpenCL API. This shows how NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M handles parallel computing tasks like video encoding and scientific simulations.
Top 5 Performers
Top 5 PerformersNearby Performers
Nearby Performersgeekbench_vulkanSource
Geekbench Vulkan tests GPU compute using the modern low-overhead Vulkan API. This shows how NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M performs with next-generation graphics and compute workloads. Vulkan offers better CPU efficiency than older APIs like OpenGL.
Top 5 Performers
Nearby Performers
About NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M is a mobile graphics solution built on the Maxwell architecture, positioned for laptops where power efficiency and moderate gaming performance intersect. With an average benchmark score of 9670, it sits at the 46th percentile of all GPUs, placing it firmly in the entry-level segment for its generation. The data indicates this is a part suited for 1080p gaming at medium to high settings in less demanding titles, or for creative workloads that benefit from CUDA acceleration. It is not a high-refresh-rate or max-settings part; instead, it delivers a balanced experience for users who prioritize portability and battery life over absolute frame rates. For those on a strict performance budget within a laptop form factor, this GPU offers a reliable baseline, but it will struggle with modern AAA titles at high detail presets.
Who Should Consider It
The GTX 960M is best suited for users targeting 1080p resolution with a preference for medium graphical presets in contemporary games, or high presets in older or less demanding esports titles. Its FP32 compute of 1.505 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 18.82 GPixel/s provide enough throughput for smooth gameplay in titles like League of Legends or Counter-Strike 2, but the 80.19 GB/s memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions or with high-resolution texture packs. Benchmark results suggest that users who prioritize frame rate consistency over visual fidelity will find this GPU adequate. For 1440p or 4K gaming, the data is clear: the 128-bit memory bus and 16 ROPs will bottleneck performance, making such resolutions impractical. This is a chip for the casual gamer or a student needing GPU acceleration for light video editing, not for the enthusiast chasing maximum detail.
Memory Subsystem
The GTX 960M comes equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 80.19 GB/s. This configuration is a double-edged sword: the 4 GB capacity is sufficient for modern game assets at 1080p, but the narrow bus and resulting bandwidth are modest by contemporary standards. In practice, the memory clock operates at 1253 MHz, translating to 5 Gbps effective. The data shows that while capacity rarely becomes a bottleneck at 1080p, bandwidth can cause stuttering when textures stream rapidly, particularly in open-world games. At higher resolutions, the 128-bit interface will severely limit fill-rate-bound scenarios, as the 18.82 GPixel/s pixel rate is quickly saturated. Users should treat this as a 1080p-class memory subsystem; pushing beyond that will expose the bandwidth constraint rather than the VRAM size.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The GTX 960M does not include dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores, as it predates the RTX architecture. Its feature set is instead anchored in the Maxwell generation's capabilities, which include DirectX 12 (11_0) support, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This API support ensures compatibility with modern game engines, but the lack of hardware-accelerated ray tracing means any such effects must be handled via software fallbacks, which is impractical given the GPU's compute throughput. The 640 shading units and 40 texture mapping units provide the raw shader power for traditional rasterization, but there is no hardware path for AI-accelerated features like DLSS. For users interested in ray tracing, the data indicates this GPU is not viable for that workload; instead, it focuses on delivering standard DirectX 11-era effects efficiently. The Vulkan 1.4 support is a notable positive, allowing for lower-overhead API access in compatible titles.
How It Compares
vs. AMD Radeon Pro WX 2100: The GTX 960M is statistically identical to this AMD workstation part, with a negligible delta of -0.1% in average benchmark score (9670 vs. 9675). In real-world terms, the performance difference is imperceptible, making the choice between them dependent on driver preferences or software ecosystem rather than raw speed.
vs. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost: This desktop card from an older generation scores 9659, placing the GTX 960M a mere 0.1% ahead. The data suggests that the mobile GTX 960M effectively matches a mid-range desktop GPU from the Kepler era, which highlights the efficiency gains of Maxwell but also shows that mobile parts do not outperform their desktop counterparts from previous generations by a meaningful margin.
vs. NVIDIA Tesla M10: The Tesla M10, a datacenter-oriented card, scores 9634, which is 0.4% lower than the GTX 960M. This comparison is academic, as the Tesla M10 is designed for virtual desktop infrastructure rather than gaming, but it confirms that the GTX 960M holds its own against a compute-focused sibling in raw benchmark terms.
vs. NVIDIA Tesla C2070: The older Tesla C2070 scores 9716, placing it 0.5% ahead of the GTX 960M. This is a surprising result, as the C2070 is a Fermi-era compute card with different architectural strengths, but the benchmark data shows it edges out the mobile GTX 960M slightly. The GTX 960M’s newer architecture does not translate into a decisive win here.
Benchmark Performance
The GTX 960M achieves an average benchmark score of 9670, with specific results of 11014 in Geekbench OpenCL and 8326 in Geekbench Vulkan. The large gap between these two scores—a 24% difference—indicates that the GPU performs significantly better under OpenCL compute workloads than under Vulkan graphics API calls. This suggests that the Maxwell architecture’s compute throughput is strong, but its graphics pipeline efficiency under Vulkan is comparatively weaker. Against its nearest rivals, the performance envelope is remarkably tight: the delta ranges from -0.5% (Tesla C2070) to +0.4% (Tesla M10). This means that in a pool of GPUs spanning multiple generations and market segments—from mobile gaming to datacenter compute—the GTX 960M lands in a narrow band where no single rival has a decisive advantage. The 46th percentile ranking confirms that it sits below the median of all GPUs, reinforcing its position as an entry-level part. For users, this translates to consistent but unremarkable performance; it will handle esports titles and older games with ease, but it will not compete with even mid-range desktop parts from the same era.
FAQ
Q: Does the GTX 960M support hardware ray tracing?
A: No, the GTX 960M does not have dedicated ray tracing cores. Its architecture is Maxwell, which lacks the RT and tensor cores found in newer RTX series GPUs.
Q: What is the maximum supported DirectX version?
A: The GPU supports DirectX 12 (11_0), meaning it can run DX12 titles but only at the 11_0 feature level, not the full 12_0 feature set.
Q: How much VRAM does the GTX 960M have and what type is it?
A: It has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 80.19 GB/s.
Q: Is the GTX 960M suitable for 4K gaming?
A: No, the 128-bit memory bus and 16 ROPs limit pixel throughput to 18.82 GPixel/s, which is insufficient for 4K resolution gaming.
Q: What is the average benchmark score of the GTX 960M?
A: The average benchmark score is 9670, with a Geekbench OpenCL score of 11014 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 8326.
Q: Does the GTX 960M support Vulkan?
A: Yes, it supports Vulkan 1.4, which allows access to modern low-overhead graphics APIs in compatible games.
Power and Cooling
The GTX 960M has a TDP of 75 W, which is modest for a discrete GPU and well-suited for thin-and-light laptops. It uses an MXM Module form factor with an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface, and it does not require any external power connectors—power is delivered entirely through the MXM slot. There is no suggested PSU rating provided, as this is a mobile part; however, the 75 W TDP means that a standard laptop power adapter in the 90-120 W range is typically sufficient, though this is not specified in the data. Cooling is portable-device dependent, as the display outputs are also marked as portable-device dependent. The lack of power connectors simplifies integration into laptops, but it also means that overclocking headroom is minimal, as the power delivery is fixed by the slot specification. For a desktop replacement laptop, this GPU will run warm under load, but the 75 W envelope allows for a single-fan cooling solution in most chassis designs. The 28 nm process node from TSMC, with 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die, contributes to this moderate power draw, making the GTX 960M an efficient choice for its performance class.
The AMD Equivalent of GeForce GTX 960M
Looking for a similar graphics card from AMD? The AMD Radeon RX 480 offers comparable performance and features in the AMD lineup.
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