NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q

VS
Performance
GeForce GTX 960
10,767.510% of 104,737
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q119% better
23,54022% of 104,737

The GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q has 119% better performance than the GeForce GTX 960 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

Performance per dollar
GeForce GTX 960
54.1134% of 161.45
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
No data available

The GeForce GTX 960 has 34% of the performance per dollar compared to the leader for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark: AMD Radeon RX 7600.

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Summary

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About the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 GPU

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 is an end-of-life desktop graphics card that released in Q1 2015 with a MSRP of $199. It is built on the Maxwell 2.0 GPU microarchitecture (codename GM206) and is manufactured on a 28 nm process.

Memory

The GTX 960 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, with a 1,753 MHz memory clock and a 128 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 112.2 Gb/s, which affects how fast it can transfer data to and from memory. GPU memory stores temporary data that helps the GPU with complex math and graphics operations. More memory is generally better, as not having enough can cause performance bottlenecks.

Cores and Clock Speeds

The GTX 960 includes 1,024 CUDA cores, the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 1,127 MHz and can dynamically boost its clock speed up to 1,178 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 64 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 32 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing.

Compatibility & Power Consumption

The GTX 960 occupies 2 PCIe expansion slots. It supports DVI, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 display connections. NVIDIA recommends a power supply of at least 300 W to handle the GPU's thermal design power (TDP) of 120 W.

Benchmark Performance & Value

The GTX 960 has the 172nd best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 10.28% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Its 10,767.5 score and $199 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 54.11. This is the 61st best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

About the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q GPU

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q is an end-of-life mobile graphics card that released in Q2 2017. It is built on the Pascal GPU microarchitecture (codename GP104B) and is manufactured on a 16 nm process.

Memory

The GTX 1080 Max-Q has 8 GB of GDDR5X memory, with a 1,251 MHz memory clock and a 256 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 320.3 Gb/s, which affects how fast it can transfer data to and from memory. GPU memory stores temporary data that helps the GPU with complex math and graphics operations. More memory is generally better, as not having enough can cause performance bottlenecks.

Cores and Clock Speeds

The GTX 1080 Max-Q includes 2,560 CUDA cores, the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 1,277 MHz and can dynamically boost its clock speed up to 1,366 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 160 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 64 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing.

Compatibility & Power Consumption

The GPU has a thermal design power (TDP) of 150 W. A power supply not strong enough to handle this might result in system crashes and potentially damage your hardware.

Benchmark Performance

The GTX 1080 Max-Q has the 99th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 22.48% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090.

General Info

General overview of the GPU, including details like its manufacturer, release date, launch price, and current production status.

InfoGeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
ManufacturerNVIDIANVIDIA
ArchitectureMaxwell 2.0Pascal
Market SegmentDesktopMobile
Release DateQ1 2015Q2 2017
Launch Price (MSRP)$199--
Production StatusEnd-of-lifeEnd-of-life
ShopCheck PriceCheck Price

Gaming Performance

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Select a game to compare FPS metrics

Display FPS for God of War
God of War
Display FPS for Outriders
Outriders
Display FPS for Cyberpunk 2077 (1.0)
Cyberpunk 2077 (1.0)
Display FPS for Immortals Fenyx Rising
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Display FPS for DIRT 5
DIRT 5
Display FPS for Watch Dogs: Legion
Watch Dogs: Legion
Display FPS for Mafia: Definitive Edition
Mafia: Definitive Edition

FPS Benchmarks

This table showcases the average frame rate (FPS) achieved both GPUs in at various resolutions. Frame rate is a crucial indicator of how smoothly the GPU can run the game. A higher FPS generally translates to a smoother gameplay experience.

  • Frames Per Second
FPS data for God of War
God of War
GeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
Low - 1080p
--
--
Medium - 1080p
--
61 FPS
High - 1080p
--
53 FPS
Ultra - 1080p
--
37 FPS
QHD - 1440p
--
--
4K UHD - 2160p
--
--
FPS Source: Notebookcheck

Compare Frames Per Second (FPS)

The average frame rate (FPS) in can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative performance. Generally, higher FPS results in a smoother gameplay experience.

Choose Baseline GPU:GeForce GTX 960 orGeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q

Compare Cost Per Frame

The average cost per frame in can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative value. Generally, a lower cost per frame implies better value for your money.

Choose Baseline GPU:GeForce GTX 960 orGeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
GPUCost Per Frame
Our database does not have enough data to compare the FPS per dollar with other GPUs.

Benchmark Performance

#
Performance
GeForce GTX 960
10,767.510% of 104,737
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q119% better
23,54022% of 104,737

The GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q has 119% better performance than the GeForce GTX 960 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

The GeForce GTX 960 is ranked 172nd with a score of 10,767.5, and the GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q is ranked 99th with a score of 23,540.

Performance per dollar
GeForce GTX 960
54.1134% of 161.45
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
No data available

The GeForce GTX 960 has 83% of the performance per dollar compared to the leader for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090.

GeForce GTX 960's 54.11 performance per dollar ranks it 61st among the other benchmarked GPUs in our database.

Relative Performance

The average score in the benchmark test can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative performance. Generally, powerful GPUs tend to have higher scores.

Choose Baseline GPU:GeForce GTX 960 or
GPUBenchmark Performance
Radeon RX 5600M24,213+125%
Quadro RTX 4000 Max-Q23,574+119%
GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q23,540+119%
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile22,575.5+110%
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q22,089+105%
Radeon R9 38012,191+13%
Radeon R9 280X10,792+0%
GeForce GTX 96010,767.5
GeForce GTX 68010,216.5-5%
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti9,453-12%

Relative Value For Money

The average performance per dollar in the benchmark test can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative value. A higher score implies a better value for your money.

Choose Baseline GPU:GeForce GTX 960 orGeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
GPUPerformance Per Dollar
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti68.01+26%
Radeon R9 38061.26+13%
GeForce GT 103059.84+11%
GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB)58.2+8%
Radeon R7 37057.17+6%
GeForce GTX 96054.11
GeForce GTX 95052.52-3%
GeForce GTX 97048.73-10%
Radeon R9 390X41.83-23%
GeForce GTX 750 Ti36.09-33%

Benchmark Scores

This table showcases the average performance scores achieved by both GPUs across industry-standard benchmark tests. These scores provide a valuable insight into overall performance. Powerful GPUs tend to have higher scores.

  • Popular
BenchmarkGeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
3DMark Time Spy Graphics
--
5,868.5
3DMark Time Spy Score
--
5,591.5
3DMark Cloud Gate Graphics
49,917.5
114,542
(+129.46%)
3DMark Fire Strike Standard Graphics
7,915.5
18,191.5
(+129.82%)
3DMark 11 Performance Score
9,875.5
16,910.5
(+71.24%)
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64 Bit
120
(+7.91%)
111.2
PassMark G3D Mark
6,077
11,521
(+89.58%)
PassMark G2D Mark
667
736
(+10.34%)
Unigine Heaven 3.0 DirectX 11
--
197
Benchmarks Source: Notebookcheck

Technical Specs

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Graphics Processor

General information about the graphics processing unit like their architecture, manufacturing process size, and transistor count. Newer GPU architectures generally bring efficiency improvements and may introduce technologies that enhance graphical capabilities.

SpecGeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
CodenameGM206GP104B
ArchitectureMaxwell 2.0Pascal
Process Size28 nm16 nm
Transistors2,940 million7,200 million

Memory Details

Memory specifications like their capacity, bandwidth, and clock speeds. GPU memory stores graphics data like frames, textures, and shadows which helps display rendered images. These specs are crucial for graphics-intense applications like gaming and 3D modeling.

SpecGeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
Memory Size2 GB8 GB
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5X
Memory Bandwidth112.2 Gb/s320.3 Gb/s
Memory Clock1,753 MHz1,251 MHz
Memory Interface128 bit256 bit
L1 Cache48 KB48 KB
L2 Cache1,024 KB2 MB

Board Compatibility

Compatibility information like their slot size, bus interface, power consumption, and display support. These specs are useful for verifying compatibility with your motherboard, power supply, and monitor.

SpecGeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
Slots2 slots--
Bus InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
Thermal Design Power (TDP)120 W150 W
Suggested PSU300 W--
Power Connectors1x 6-pin--
OutputsDVI, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2Device Dependent

Cores & Clock Speeds

Processing power information like its cores and clock speed. These specs impact how fast they can process graphics. Each type of core or component serves a specific computational purpose.

SpecGeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
CUDA Cores1,0242,560
Stream Multiprocessors (SM)--20
Texture Mapping Units (TMU)64160
Render Output Units (ROP)3264
Core Clock Speed1,127 MHz1,277 MHz
Core Clock Speed (Boost)1,178 MHz1,366 MHz

Theoretical Performance

Theoretical performance numbers derived from the raw specifications of the different components like core count and clock speeds. While these provide a glimpse into peak processing power, they do not represent real-world performance.

SpecGeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
Pixel Fill Rate37.7 GPixel/s87.42 GPixel/s
Texture Fill Rate75.39 GTexel/s218.6 GTexel/s
FP32 Performance2.41 TFLOPS6.99 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance75.39 GFLOPS218.6 GFLOPS

API Support

Graphics API versions supported by these graphics cards. APIs evolve over time, introducing new features and functionalities. Older GPUs may not support recent versions.

SpecGeForce GTX 960GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
DirectX12 (12_1)12 (12_1)
OpenCL3.03.0
OpenGL4.64.6
Shader Model6.86.8

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* Performance rating, performance per dollar, and rankings are based on the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark and MSRP.