GeForce GTX 950M vs GeForce RTX 3070

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 950M

2015Core: 914 MHzBoost: 1124 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 3070
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 950M

2015

Why buy it

  • Draws 75W instead of 220W, a 145W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (2,575 vs 22,172).
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 44.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • +761% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 193.3% higher power demand at 220W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than GeForce GTX 950M?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 2,575 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 950M is a 2015 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2015, 761.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 2 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3070 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $499 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 761.0% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is GeForce GTX 950M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. GeForce GTX 950M is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3070 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low23 FPS158 FPS
medium13 FPS140 FPS
high8 FPS123 FPS
ultra4 FPS104 FPS
1440p
low11 FPS134 FPS
medium6 FPS109 FPS
high3 FPS96 FPS
ultra1 FPS86 FPS
4K
low4 FPS80 FPS
medium2 FPS67 FPS
high1 FPS52 FPS
ultra1 FPS45 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low64 FPS470 FPS
medium36 FPS405 FPS
high26 FPS327 FPS
ultra16 FPS277 FPS
1440p
low29 FPS294 FPS
medium18 FPS246 FPS
high12 FPS213 FPS
ultra9 FPS179 FPS
4K
low10 FPS141 FPS
medium7 FPS120 FPS
high6 FPS105 FPS
ultra4 FPS83 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low116 FPS885 FPS
medium93 FPS712 FPS
high77 FPS619 FPS
ultra58 FPS499 FPS
1440p
low87 FPS692 FPS
medium70 FPS557 FPS
high58 FPS473 FPS
ultra43 FPS374 FPS
4K
low58 FPS479 FPS
medium46 FPS388 FPS
high39 FPS330 FPS
ultra29 FPS249 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low116 FPS600 FPS
medium93 FPS527 FPS
high77 FPS433 FPS
ultra58 FPS385 FPS
1440p
low87 FPS489 FPS
medium70 FPS433 FPS
high58 FPS339 FPS
ultra43 FPS297 FPS
4K
low58 FPS292 FPS
medium46 FPS270 FPS
high37 FPS238 FPS
ultra29 FPS200 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 950M and GeForce RTX 3070

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 950M

The GeForce GTX 950M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 914 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,575 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 950M scores 2,575 versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 22,172 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 761%. The GeForce GTX 950M is built on Maxwell while the GeForce RTX 3070 uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 950M) vs 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070). Raw compute: 1.439 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 950M) vs 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070). Boost clocks: 1124 MHz vs 1725 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
G3D Mark Score
2,575
22,172+761%
Architecture
Maxwell
Ampere
Process Node
28 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
640
5888+820%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.439 TFLOPS
20.31 TFLOPS+1311%
Boost Clock
1124 MHz
1725 MHz+53%
ROPs
16
96+500%
TMUs
40
184+360%
L1 Cache
0.31 MB
5.8 MB+1771%
L2 Cache
2 MB
4 MB+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 950M is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 950M comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3070 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 950M) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
8 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
448 GB/s
Bus Width
128-bit
256-bit+100%
L2 Cache
2 MB
4 MB+100%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 950M draws 75W versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 220W — a 98.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 950M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 950M) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3070). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin.

FeatureGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
TDP
75W-66%
220W
Recommended PSU
350W-46%
650W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
8-pin
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
34.3
100.8+194%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce GTX 950MGeForce RTX 3070
MSRP
$499
Codename
GM107
GA104
Release
March 13 2015
September 1 2020
Ranking
#626
#63