Contents:HighlightsSummaryGaming PerformanceBenchmark PerformanceTechnical SpecsRelated ComparisonsRelated GPUs
Performance
GeForce GTX 960
10,767.510% of 104,598
GeForce RTX 3090471% better
61,51859% of 104,598
The GeForce RTX 3090 has 471% better performance than the GeForce GTX 960 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
Performance per dollar
GeForce GTX 96032% better
54.1134% of 161.45
GeForce RTX 3090
41.0425% of 161.45
The GeForce GTX 960 has 32% better value for the money than the GeForce RTX 3090 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
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Summary
#
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 10.29% 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 RTX 3090 GPU
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is a desktop graphics card that launched in Q3 2020 with a MSRP of $1,499. It is built on the Ampere GPU microarchitecture (codename GA102) and is manufactured on a 8 nm process.
Memory
The RTX 3090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, with a 1,219 MHz memory clock and a 384 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 936.2 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 RTX 3090 includes 10,496 CUDA cores, the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 1,395 MHz and can dynamically boost its clock speed up to 1,695 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 328 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 112 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing. Additionally, the GPU features 328 tensor cores optimized for AI-accelerated workloads and 82 RT cores dedicated to real-time ray tracing calculations.
Compatibility & Power Consumption
The RTX 3090 is a large graphics card, occupying 3 PCIe 4.0 x16 expansion slots. It supports HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4a display connections. With a thermal design power (TDP) of 350 W and a large, 3-slot size, it is recommended to use a power supply of 750 W and a case with sufficient space to accommodate the card. Compare your card's model and your case's dimensions to verify compatibility.
Benchmark Performance & Value
The RTX 3090 has the 15th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 58.81% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Its 61,518 score and $1,499 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 41.04. This is the 71st best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
General Info
General overview of the GPU, including details like its manufacturer, release date, launch price, and current production status.
| Info | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | NVIDIA | NVIDIA |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | Ampere |
| Market Segment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Release Date | Q1 2015 | Q3 2020 |
| Launch Price (MSRP) | $199 | $1,499 |
| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |
| Shop | Check Price | Check Price |
Gaming Performance
#
Select a game to compare FPS metrics
Black Myth: Wukong
Once Human
The First Descendant
F1 24
Senua's Saga Hellblade 2
Ghost of Tsushima
Dragon's Dogma 2
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
Black Myth: Wukong | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Low - 1080p | -- | 132 FPS |
| Medium - 1080p | -- | 101 FPS |
| High - 1080p | -- | 79 FPS |
| Ultra - 1080p | -- | 47 FPS |
| QHD - 1440p | -- | 36 FPS |
| 4K UHD - 2160p | -- | 22 FPS |
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 RTX 3090
| GPU | Frames Per Second | |
|---|---|---|
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 32 | +45% |
| GeForce RTX 3090 | 22 | |
| GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | 13 | -41% |
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 RTX 3090
| GPU | Cost Per Frame | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | 30.69 | -55% |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 31.22 | -54% |
| GeForce RTX 3090 | 68.14 | |
Benchmark Performance
#
Performance
GeForce GTX 960
10,767.510% of 104,598
GeForce RTX 3090471% better
61,51859% of 104,598
The GeForce RTX 3090 has 471% 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 RTX 3090 is ranked 15th with a score of 61,518.
Performance per dollar
GeForce GTX 96032% better
54.1134% of 161.45
GeForce RTX 3090
41.0425% of 161.45
The GeForce GTX 960 has 32% better value for the money than the GeForce RTX 3090 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The GeForce GTX 960 is ranked 61st with a performance per dollar of 54.11, and the GeForce RTX 3090 is ranked 71st with a performance per dollar of 41.04.
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
| GPU | Benchmark Performance | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER | 68,373 | +535% |
| Radeon RX 7800 XT | 65,610.5 | +509% |
| GeForce RTX 3090 | 61,518 | +471% |
| GeForce RTX 3080 Ti | 60,980 | +466% |
| GeForce RTX 4070 | 59,969 | +457% |
| Radeon R9 380 | 12,191 | +13% |
| Radeon R9 280X | 10,792 | +0% |
| GeForce GTX 960 | 10,767.5 | |
| GeForce GTX 680 | 10,216.5 | -5% |
| GeForce GTX 1050 Ti | 9,453 | -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 or
| GPU | Performance Per Dollar | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB) | 58.2 | +8% |
| Radeon R7 370 | 57.17 | +6% |
| GeForce GTX 960 | 54.11 | |
| GeForce GTX 950 | 52.52 | -3% |
| GeForce RTX 3080 Ti | 50.86 | -6% |
| GeForce GTX 970 | 48.73 | -10% |
| GeForce RTX 2080 Ti | 47.21 | -13% |
| GeForce RTX 3090 | 41.04 | -24% |
| GeForce RTX 3090 Ti | 34.76 | -36% |
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
| Benchmark | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics | -- | 19,198 |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | -- | 18,739 |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Graphics | 49,917.5 | 231,612 (+363.99%) |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Standard Graphics | 7,915.5 | 47,241 (+496.82%) |
| 3DMark Night Raid Graphics | -- | 142,919 |
| 3DMark 11 Performance Score | 9,875.5 | 47,895 (+384.99%) |
| Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64 Bit | 120 | 368 (+206.67%) |
| PassMark G3D Mark | 6,079 | 26,746 (+339.97%) |
| PassMark G2D Mark | 682 | 1,046 (+53.37%) |
Benchmarks Source: Notebookcheck
Technical Specs
#
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.
| Spec | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Codename | GM206 | GA102 |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | Ampere |
| Process Size | 28 nm | 8 nm |
| Transistors | 2,940 million | 28,300 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.
| Spec | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Size | 2 GB | 24 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6X |
| Memory Bandwidth | 112.2 Gb/s | 936.2 Gb/s |
| Memory Clock | 1,753 MHz | 1,219 MHz |
| Memory Interface | 128 bit | 384 bit |
| L1 Cache | 48 KB | 128 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1,024 KB | 6 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.
| Spec | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 2 slots | 3 slots |
| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Thermal Design Power (TDP) | 120 W | 350 W |
| Suggested PSU | 300 W | 750 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | 1x 12-pin |
| Outputs | DVI, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 | HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4a |
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.
| Spec | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| CUDA Cores | 1,024 | 10,496 |
| Stream Multiprocessors (SM) | -- | 82 |
| Texture Mapping Units (TMU) | 64 | 328 |
| Render Output Units (ROP) | 32 | 112 |
| Tensor Cores | -- | 328 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | -- | 82 |
| Core Clock Speed | 1,127 MHz | 1,395 MHz |
| Core Clock Speed (Boost) | 1,178 MHz | 1,695 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.
| Spec | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel Fill Rate | 37.7 GPixel/s | 189.8 GPixel/s |
| Texture Fill Rate | 75.39 GTexel/s | 556 GTexel/s |
| FP32 Performance | 2.41 TFLOPS | 35.58 TFLOPS |
| FP64 Performance | 75.39 GFLOPS | 556 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.
| Spec | GeForce GTX 960 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_1) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |
| OpenCL | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Shader Model | 6.8 | 6.8 |
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* Performance rating, performance per dollar, and rankings are based on the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark and MSRP.