When NVIDIA introduced the GeForce GTX 980 and GeForce GTX 970 last September, the performance-packed graphics cards were met with high acclaim. Users and critics alike lauded the GPUs for their unprecedented performance and were surprised such a feature-laden piece of hardware could be so efficient.
But that performance came at a hefty price.
Unless you’re a dedicated gamer, you probably wouldn’t understand why someone would want to spend hundreds of dollars to upgrade their GPU every couple of years. But video games advance at such a rapid pace that those who don’t upgrade are seemingly left in the proverbial video game dust. Thankfully for gamers on a budget, NVIDIA just made it a lot easier (and cheaper) to upgrade your PC to the next generation of gaming.
The Sweet Spot GPU
NVIDIA’s release of the GeForce GTX 960 signifies an important milestone for gamers: For the first time ever, advanced technology and performance on a GPU is now affordable for the masses.
GeForce GTX 960 Full Specs
Engine
- CUDA Cores: 1127
- Base Clock (MHz): 1178
- Boost Clock (MHz): 72
- Texture Fill Rate (GigaTexels/sec): 72
Memory
- Memory Clock: 7.0 Gbps
- Standard Memory Config: 2 GB
- Memory Interface: GDDR5
- Memory Interface Width: 128-bit
- Memory Bandwidth (GB/sec): 112
Technology Support
- NVIDIA SLI Ready: Yes (2-way)
- NVIDIA G-Sync-Ready: Yes
- NVIDIA GameStream-Ready: Yes
- GeForce ShadowPlay: Yes
- NVIDIA GPU Boost: 2.0
- Dynamic Super Resolution: Yes
- MFAA: Yes
- NVIDIA GameWorks: Yes
- Microsoft DirectX: 12 API
- OpenGL: 4.4
- CUDA: Yes
- Bus Support: PCI Express 3.0
- OS Certification: Windows 8 & 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Linux, FreeBSD x86
Display Support
- Maximum Digital Resolution: 5120×3200
- Maximum VGA Resolution: 2048×1536
- Standard Display Connectors: Dual Link DVI-I, HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2
- Multiple Monitors: 4 Displays
- HDCP: Yes
- Audio Input for HDMI: Internal
Dimensions
- Height: 4.376 inches
- Length: 9.5 inches
- Width: Dual-width
Thermal and Power
- Maximum GPU Temperature: 208°F
- Graphics Card Power: 120 W
- Minimum Recommended System Power: 400 W
- Supplementary Power Connectors: 1x 6-pins
Starting at a very reasonable $199 price point, the GTX 960 features the same Maxwell architecture found in the more expensive GTX 980 and GTX 970. This means the GTX 960 is the perfect GPU for gamers, overclockers, or any computer user who simply wants more out of their PC. And because it also delivers an impressive 60 frames per second on full HD 1080p displays, it also means it’s future proof – for now.
The Last GPU You’ll Need for a While
Microsoft made a lot of major announcements yesterday and among them was putting gaming at the forefront of Windows 10. Not only will the world’s most popular operating system now work seamlessly with your Xbox One, it will also feature a new graphics API intended to set the standard for the future of video games.
“Direct X makes your games better. For CPU-bound games, DirectX 12 will increase the performance of those games by up to 50 percent.”
–Phil Spencer, Head of Microsoft’s Xbox Division and Microsoft Studios
First introduced at last year’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, DirectX 12 will help developers control hardware resources more directly. The GeForce GTX 960 was developed with this idea in mind and will support DirectX 12 to bring stunning PC graphics unlike any you’ve ever seen. Those equipped with a GeForce GTX 980 and GeForce GTX 970 can also take advantage of DirectX 12 but will do so at a significantly higher cost.
DirectX 12 Features
- Enhanced graphics technology to squeeze every ounce of performance from hardware
- Greater complexity and detail on your current PC
- Allows games to run faster and have richer visuals
Over 100 game studios are already using the DirectX 12 API for upcoming titles and the GeForce GTX 960 is ready to help you play them all.
Currently, over 70% of gaming PCs are based on DirectX 11. NVIDIA realizes this could present a potential problem so they are also supporting DirectX 11 GPUs with the DirectX 12 API. No other GPU manufacturer is this committed to the future of gaming on the PC and proves NVIDIA is focused on providing gamers with the best overall experience.
Are you ready for it?
What do you think? Is NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 960 the best GPU for the money? Let us know in the comments below!
