The GeForce GTX 960M, released by NVIDIA in 2015, was hailed as a mid-range graphics card that packed a punch. It was designed to provide smooth performance for mainstream gamers and content creators. Fast-forward to today, and the question on everyone’s mind is: is 960M still good? With the rapid advancement of technology and the release of newer, more powerful graphics cards, it’s natural to wonder if the GTX 960M can still hold its own.
Performance And Specs
To answer the question, let’s take a closer look at the GTX 960M’s performance and specs. The card is based on the Maxwell architecture and features 640 CUDA cores, 40 texture units, and 16 ROPs. It has a base clock speed of 1,097 MHz and a boost clock speed of 1,176 MHz. The GTX 960M also has 4GB of GDDR5 memory and a 128-bit memory bus.
In terms of performance, the GTX 960M is still capable of handling modern games at lower to medium settings. It can handle resolutions up to 1080p (1920×1080) and frame rates of around 60 FPS in games like League of Legends, Overwatch, and Dota 2. However, when it comes to more demanding games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or The Witcher 3, the GTX 960M starts to struggle, producing frame rates in the low to mid-30s.
Comparison To Modern Graphics Cards
So, how does the GTX 960M compare to modern graphics cards? To put things into perspective, let’s look at some of the more recent mid-range graphics cards from NVIDIA and AMD.
NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, released in 2019, is a significant upgrade over the GTX 960M. With 1,536 CUDA cores, 96 texture units, and 48 ROPs, the GTX 1660 Ti offers around 30% more performance than the GTX 960M. It also has 6GB of GDDR6 memory and a 192-bit memory bus.
AMD’s Radeon RX 560X, released in 2018, is another mid-range graphics card that gives the GTX 960M a run for its money. With 1,024 stream processors, 64 texture units, and 16 ROPs, the RX 560X offers similar performance to the GTX 960M. However, it has 4GB of GDDR5 memory and a 128-bit memory bus.
Gaming Performance
When it comes to gaming performance, the GTX 960M is still capable of handling modern games at lower to medium settings. However, it starts to struggle with more demanding games. Here are some gaming benchmarks to give you an idea of the GTX 960M’s performance:
| Game | Resolution | Frame Rate (FPS) |
|---|---|---|
| League of Legends | 1080p | 60-70 |
| Overwatch | 1080p | 55-65 |
| Dota 2 | 1080p | 50-60 |
| Assassin’s Creed Odyssey | 1080p | 30-35 |
| The Witcher 3 | 1080p | 25-30 |
Power Consumption And Battery Life
One of the biggest advantages of the GTX 960M is its power consumption. With a TDP of around 65W, it’s a relatively low-power graphics card. This makes it an excellent choice for laptops and notebooks, where battery life is a concern.
In terms of battery life, the GTX 960M can help laptops and notebooks achieve upwards of 6-8 hours of moderate use. This is thanks to NVIDIA’s Optimus technology, which allows the graphics card to switch between integrated and discrete graphics processing.
Conclusion
So, is the GTX 960M still good? The answer is yes, but with some caveats. While it’s still capable of handling modern games at lower to medium settings, it’s no longer a top-of-the-line graphics card. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option for casual gaming and content creation, the GTX 960M might be a good choice.
However, if you’re looking for more serious gaming performance or want to future-proof your system, you might want to consider more modern graphics cards like the GTX 1660 Ti or RX 560X. These cards offer significantly better performance and are more suitable for demanding games and applications.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, the GTX 960M is still a good graphics card, but it’s no longer the top dog in the mid-range market. While it offers decent performance and power efficiency, it’s been surpassed by more modern graphics cards. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option for casual gaming, the GTX 960M might be a good choice. However, for more serious gamers and content creators, it’s worth considering more modern options.
What Is The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M?
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M is a mid-range graphics card designed for laptops. It’s based on the Maxwell architecture and was released in 2015. The GTX 960M is positioned as a more affordable option for those who want to play games at high settings but don’t need the top-tier performance of higher-end graphics cards.
The GTX 960M features 640 CUDA cores, 40 texture units, and 16 ROPs. It has a base clock speed of 1,097 MHz and a boost clock speed of up to 1,153 MHz. The graphics card also comes with 2GB or 4GB of GDDR5 memory, depending on the variant. Overall, the GTX 960M is a capable graphics card for its time, but its performance may not hold up as well against modern games.
Is The GeForce GTX 960M Still Good For Gaming?
The GeForce GTX 960M can still handle modern games, but its performance may vary depending on the game and the settings. For example, it can handle games like Fortnite, League of Legends, and Overwatch at high settings and frame rates. However, more demanding games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, The Witcher 3, and Cyberpunk 2077 may require lower settings and resolutions to achieve smooth performance.
In general, the GTX 960M is best suited for playing games at 1080p resolution with medium to high graphics settings. If you’re looking to play games at 1440p or 4K resolutions, you may need to reduce the graphics settings or consider a more powerful graphics card. Additionally, the GTX 960M may struggle with newer games that utilize more advanced graphics features like ray tracing and AI-enhanced graphics.
How Does The GeForce GTX 960M Compare To Newer Graphics Cards?
The GeForce GTX 960M is significantly slower than newer graphics cards from NVIDIA and AMD. For example, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is around 50-60% faster than the GTX 960M, while the AMD Radeon RX 560X is around 20-30% faster. The performance gap is even more pronounced when comparing the GTX 960M to more recent graphics cards like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and AMD Radeon RX 6800M.
If you’re looking to upgrade from a GTX 960M, you may want to consider newer graphics cards that offer better performance and more advanced features like ray tracing, AI-enhanced graphics, and variable rate shading. However, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option for casual gaming, the GTX 960M may still be a viable choice.
Can The GeForce GTX 960M Handle 4K Resolution?
The GeForce GTX 960M can handle 4K resolution, but it may struggle with demanding games and graphics-intensive applications. The graphics card’s performance may be limited by its memory bandwidth and processing power, which can result in lower frame rates and reduced graphics quality.
In general, the GTX 960M is best suited for playing games at 1080p or 1440p resolutions, rather than 4K. If you need to play games at 4K resolution, you may want to consider a more powerful graphics card like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 or AMD Radeon RX 6900M.
Is The GeForce GTX 960M Still Worth Buying?
The GeForce GTX 960M can still be a good option for those on a budget or looking for a mid-range graphics card for casual gaming. However, it’s essential to consider the age of the graphics card and its limited performance compared to newer graphics cards.
If you can find a good deal on a GTX 960M, it may still be a viable choice for playing older games or less demanding titles. However, if you’re looking for better performance and more advanced features, you may want to consider newer graphics cards that offer better value for the price.
What Are The Alternatives To The GeForce GTX 960M?
Some alternatives to the GeForce GTX 960M include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, GTX 1660, and AMD Radeon RX 560X. These graphics cards offer better performance and more advanced features, such as ray tracing, AI-enhanced graphics, and variable rate shading.
Another option is to consider integrated graphics solutions like Intel Iris Xe or AMD Ryzen graphics, which can provide decent performance for casual gaming and general use. However, these integrated graphics solutions may not be suitable for demanding games or graphics-intensive applications.
Can I Upgrade My Laptop’s Graphics Card?
In most cases, it’s not possible to upgrade a laptop’s graphics card. Laptops often have soldered or proprietary graphics cards that are difficult or impossible to replace. Additionally, the power and thermal constraints of laptops can limit the performance of graphics cards.
If you need better graphics performance, it may be better to consider a desktop computer or a newer laptop with a more powerful graphics card. Alternatively, you can explore external graphics solutions like eGPUs, but these may require a compatible laptop and can add additional cost and complexity.