GeForce GTX 960 vs Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

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 960

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌233.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 30W.

Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

2023

Why buy it

✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 960: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 960 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.
✅Draws 30W instead of 100W, a 70W reduction.
✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, Unknown of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 30.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 960

2015

Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

2023

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).

Why buy it

✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 960: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 960 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.
✅Draws 30W instead of 100W, a 70W reduction.
✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌233.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 30W.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, Unknown of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 30.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 960 better than Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 6,133 vs 6,000 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce GTX 960 is the overall package: you are getting no meaningful modern upscaling stack.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2015 and a 4nm process instead of 28nm. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 960 can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $199 MSRP. GeForce GTX 960 is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce GTX 960 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $199 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 2.2% higher G3D Mark. Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS is the newer 2023 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture, lower power draw (30W vs 100W), and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS make more sense than GeForce GTX 960?

Yes. Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still fine for 1080p, but 1440p and especially 4K require more compromise. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (30W vs 100W), future-proofing, and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 960. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 960 currently gives you 2.2% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%.

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.

GeForce GTX 960 Benchmark Check

Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 960	Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
1080p
low	103 FPS	97 FPS
medium	87 FPS	84 FPS
high	72 FPS	67 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	40 FPS
1440p
low	90 FPS	87 FPS
medium	77 FPS	75 FPS
high	56 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	31 FPS
4K
low	28 FPS	28 FPS
medium	26 FPS	27 FPS
high	18 FPS	17 FPS
ultra	15 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960 Open Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 960	Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
1080p
low	139 FPS	111 FPS
medium	109 FPS	77 FPS
high	88 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	53 FPS	36 FPS
1440p
low	77 FPS	76 FPS
medium	57 FPS	46 FPS
high	42 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	27 FPS	35 FPS
medium	19 FPS	23 FPS
high	16 FPS	18 FPS
ultra	11 FPS	13 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960 Open Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 960	Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
1080p
low	276 FPS	270 FPS
medium	221 FPS	216 FPS
high	184 FPS	180 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	135 FPS
1440p
low	207 FPS	202 FPS
medium	166 FPS	162 FPS
high	138 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	101 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	135 FPS
medium	110 FPS	108 FPS
high	92 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	68 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960 Open Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 960	Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
1080p
low	168 FPS	157 FPS
medium	139 FPS	129 FPS
high	125 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	117 FPS	115 FPS
medium	99 FPS	96 FPS
high	89 FPS	84 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	65 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	66 FPS
medium	55 FPS	54 FPS
high	45 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	33 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960 Open Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 960 and Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

GeForce GTX 960

The GeForce GTX 960 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 22 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1127 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,133 points. Launch price was $199.

Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS

The Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS is manufactured by Qualcomm. It was released in October 26 2023. The boost clock speed is 1250 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,000 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 960 scores 6,133 and the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS reaches 6,000 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 960) vs 1,536 (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1250 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
G3D Mark Score	6,133+2%	6,000
Process Node	28 nm	4 nm
Shading Units	1024	1536+50%
Boost Clock	1178 MHz	1250 MHz+6%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 960 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 960 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS has 0 MB. The GeForce GTX 960 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 112 GB/s (GeForce GTX 960) vs 135 GB/s (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS) — a 20.5% advantage for the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	112 GB/s	135 GB/s+21%
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960 draws 100W versus the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS's 30W — a 107.7% difference. The Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 960) vs 1W (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS
TDP	100W	30W-70%
Recommended PSU	400W	1W-100%
Power Connector	6-pin	Integrated
Length	241mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75 C	—
Perf/Watt	61.3	200.0+226%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 960 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS launched at $0. The Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS costs 100+% less ($199 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 30.8 (GeForce GTX 960) vs Infinity (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS) — the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS offers Infinity% better value. The Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2015).