GeForce GTX 960M vs GeForce GTX 1060

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 960M

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 75W instead of 180W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,375 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅+198.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 960M: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 960M is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌140% higher power demand at 180W vs 75W.

GeForce GTX 960M

2015

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 75W instead of 180W, a 105W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+198.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 960M: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 960M is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,375 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌140% higher power demand at 180W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than GeForce GTX 960M?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 3,375 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while GeForce GTX 960M 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 GTX 1060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2016 generation instead of 2015, 198.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 GB, and a 16nm process instead of 28nm. 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 GTX 1060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce GTX 1060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $249 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 198.2% 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 960M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 960M 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 GTX 1060 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.

GeForce GTX 960M Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	27 FPS	117 FPS
medium	17 FPS	105 FPS
high	11 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	6 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	13 FPS	103 FPS
medium	7 FPS	87 FPS
high	4 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	2 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	5 FPS	55 FPS
medium	3 FPS	49 FPS
high	2 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	1 FPS	37 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960M Open GeForce GTX 1060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	79 FPS	216 FPS
medium	49 FPS	181 FPS
high	37 FPS	148 FPS
ultra	22 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	37 FPS	134 FPS
medium	27 FPS	107 FPS
high	17 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	12 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	12 FPS	62 FPS
medium	10 FPS	51 FPS
high	8 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	5 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960M Open GeForce GTX 1060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	152 FPS	453 FPS
medium	122 FPS	362 FPS
high	101 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	340 FPS
medium	91 FPS	272 FPS
high	76 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	76 FPS	226 FPS
medium	61 FPS	181 FPS
high	51 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	113 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960M Open GeForce GTX 1060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	152 FPS	358 FPS
medium	121 FPS	302 FPS
high	101 FPS	260 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	111 FPS	299 FPS
medium	91 FPS	254 FPS
high	76 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	170 FPS
medium	49 FPS	133 FPS
high	38 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	30 FPS	102 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960M Open GeForce GTX 1060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 960M and GeForce GTX 1060

GeForce GTX 960M

The GeForce GTX 960M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1096 MHz to 1176 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,375 points.

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 960M scores 3,375 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 198.2%. The GeForce GTX 960M is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 1.505 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1176 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	3,375	10,064+198%
Architecture	Maxwell	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	640	2560+300%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.505 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+490%
Boost Clock	1176 MHz	1733 MHz+47%
ROPs	16	64+300%
TMUs	40	160+300%
L1 Cache	320 KB	960 KB+200%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 960M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	192 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (4th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960M) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: NVDEC (1st Gen) vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 960M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960M	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC (4th Gen)	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	NVDEC (1st Gen)	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,H.265	H.264,H.265/HEVC

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960M draws 75W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 82.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 960M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 960M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 173mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.