GeForce GTX 580 vs GTX 960
Aggregate performance score
We've compared GeForce GTX 960 and GeForce GTX 580, covering specs and all relevant benchmarks.
GTX 960 outperforms GTX 580 by a substantial 32% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.
| Place in the ranking | 343 | 409 |
| Place by popularity | 53 | not in top-100 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | 9.03 | 2.06 |
| Power efficiency | 9.11 | 3.39 |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) | Fermi 2.0 (2010−2014) |
| GPU code name | GM206 | GF110 |
| Market segment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Release date | 22 January 2015 (10 years ago) | 9 November 2010 (14 years ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $199 | $499 |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.
GTX 960 has 338% better value for money than GTX 580.
Detailed specifications
General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.
| Pipelines / CUDA cores | 1024 | 512 |
| Core clock speed | 1127 MHz | 772 MHz |
| Boost clock speed | 1178 MHz | no data |
| Number of transistors | 2,940 million | 3,000 million |
| Manufacturing process technology | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 120 Watt | 244 Watt |
| Maximum GPU temperature | no data | 97 °C |
| Texture fill rate | 75.39 | 49.41 |
| Floating-point processing power | 2.413 TFLOPS | 1.581 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32 | 48 |
| TMUs | 64 | 64 |
Form factor & compatibility
Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).
| Bus support | PCI Express 3.0 | PCI-E 2.0 x 16 |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |
| Length | 241 mm | 267 mm |
| Height | 4.376" (11.1 cm) | 4.376" (111 mm) (11.1 cm) |
| Width | 2-slot | 2-slot |
| Recommended system power (PSU) | 400 Watt | no data |
| Supplementary power connectors | 1x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |
| SLI options | + | + |
VRAM capacity and type
Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.
| Memory type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Maximum RAM amount | 4 GB | 1536 MB |
| Memory bus width | 128 Bit | 384 Bit |
| Memory clock speed | 7.0 GB/s | 2004 MHz (4008 data rate) |
| Memory bandwidth | 112 GB/s | 192.4 GB/s |
| Shared memory | - | - |
Connectivity and outputs
Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.
| Display Connectors | Dual Link DVI-I, HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2 | Mini HDMITwo Dual Link DVI |
| Multi monitor support | 4 displays | + |
| HDMI | + | + |
| HDCP | + | - |
| Maximum VGA resolution | 2048x1536 | 2048x1536 |
| G-SYNC support | + | - |
| Audio input for HDMI | Internal | Internal |
Supported technologies
Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.
| GameStream | + | - |
| GeForce ShadowPlay | + | - |
| GPU Boost | 2.0 | no data |
| GameWorks | + | - |
API compatibility
List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.
| DirectX | 12 (12_1) | 12 (11_0) |
| Shader Model | 6.4 | 5.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.4 | 4.2 |
| OpenCL | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| Vulkan | + | + |
| CUDA | + | + |
Synthetic benchmark performance
Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.
Combined synthetic benchmark score
This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.
Passmark
This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.
3DMark 11 Performance GPU
3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.
3DMark Vantage Performance
3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.
3DMark Fire Strike Graphics
Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.
GeekBench 5 OpenCL
Geekbench 5 is a widespread graphics card benchmark combined from 11 different test scenarios. All these scenarios rely on direct usage of GPU's processing power, no 3D rendering is involved. This variation uses OpenCL API by Khronos Group.
Octane Render OctaneBench
This is a special benchmark measuring graphics card performance in OctaneRender, which is a realistic GPU rendering engine by OTOY Inc., available either as a standalone program, or as a plugin for 3DS Max, Cinema 4D and many other apps. It renders four different static scenes, then compares render times with a reference GPU which is currently GeForce GTX 980. This benchmark has nothing to do with gaming and is aimed at professional 3D graphics artists.
Unigine Heaven 4.0
This is an old DirectX 11 benchmark, a newer version of Unigine 3.0 with relatively small differences. It displays a fantasy medieval town sprawling over several flying islands. The benchmark is still sometimes used, despite its significant age, as it was released back in 2013.
Gaming performance
Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.
Average FPS across all PC games
Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:
| 900p | 70−75
+29.6%
| 54
−29.6%
|
| Full HD | 62
−53.2%
| 95
+53.2%
|
| 1200p | 100−110
+28.2%
| 78
−28.2%
|
| 4K | 30
+42.9%
| 21−24
−42.9%
|
Cost per frame, $
| 1080p | 3.21
+63.6%
| 5.25
−63.6%
|
| 4K | 6.63
+258%
| 23.76
−258%
|
- GTX 960 has 64% lower cost per frame in 1080p
- GTX 960 has 258% lower cost per frame in 4K
FPS performance in popular games
Full HD
Low Preset
| Counter-Strike 2 | 27−30
+33.3%
|
21−24
−33.3%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 30−35
+34.8%
|
21−24
−34.8%
|
| Elden Ring | 45−50
+40%
|
35−40
−40%
|
Full HD
Medium Preset
| Battlefield 5 | 50−55
+30.8%
|
35−40
−30.8%
|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 27−30
+33.3%
|
21−24
−33.3%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 30−35
+34.8%
|
21−24
−34.8%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 65−70
+35.4%
|
45−50
−35.4%
|
| Metro Exodus | 40−45
+30.3%
|
30−35
−30.3%
|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 35−40
+22.6%
|
30−35
−22.6%
|
| Valorant | 60−65
+36.2%
|
45−50
−36.2%
|
Full HD
High Preset
| Battlefield 5 | 50−55
+30.8%
|
35−40
−30.8%
|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 27−30
+33.3%
|
21−24
−33.3%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 30−35
+34.8%
|
21−24
−34.8%
|
| Dota 2 | 33
−30.3%
|
40−45
+30.3%
|
| Elden Ring | 45−50
+40%
|
35−40
−40%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 55−60
+21.3%
|
45−50
−21.3%
|
| Fortnite | 85−90
+27.5%
|
65−70
−27.5%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 65−70
+35.4%
|
45−50
−35.4%
|
| Grand Theft Auto V | 49
+14%
|
40−45
−14%
|
| Metro Exodus | 40−45
+30.3%
|
30−35
−30.3%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 110−120
+25.6%
|
90−95
−25.6%
|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 35−40
+22.6%
|
30−35
−22.6%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 49
+36.1%
|
35−40
−36.1%
|
| Valorant | 60−65
+36.2%
|
45−50
−36.2%
|
| World of Tanks | 200−210
+21.8%
|
160−170
−21.8%
|
Full HD
Ultra Preset
| Battlefield 5 | 50−55
+30.8%
|
35−40
−30.8%
|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 27−30
+33.3%
|
21−24
−33.3%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 30−35
+34.8%
|
21−24
−34.8%
|
| Dota 2 | 55−60
+32.6%
|
40−45
−32.6%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 55−60
+21.3%
|
45−50
−21.3%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 65−70
+35.4%
|
45−50
−35.4%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 110−120
+25.6%
|
90−95
−25.6%
|
| Valorant | 60−65
+36.2%
|
45−50
−36.2%
|
1440p
High Preset
| Dota 2 | 21−24
+43.8%
|
16−18
−43.8%
|
| Elden Ring | 24−27
+38.9%
|
18−20
−38.9%
|
| Grand Theft Auto V | 24−27
+41.2%
|
16−18
−41.2%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 140−150
+112%
|
65−70
−112%
|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 14−16
+40%
|
10−11
−40%
|
| World of Tanks | 110−120
+29.4%
|
85−90
−29.4%
|
1440p
Ultra Preset
| Battlefield 5 | 30−35
+33.3%
|
24−27
−33.3%
|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 14−16
+27.3%
|
10−12
−27.3%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 12−14
+33.3%
|
9−10
−33.3%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 35−40
+44.4%
|
27−30
−44.4%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 35−40
+39.3%
|
27−30
−39.3%
|
| Metro Exodus | 35−40
+40%
|
24−27
−40%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 20−22
+33.3%
|
14−16
−33.3%
|
| Valorant | 40−45
+33.3%
|
30−33
−33.3%
|
4K
High Preset
| Counter-Strike 2 | 10−12
+57.1%
|
7−8
−57.1%
|
| Dota 2 | 27−30
+22.7%
|
21−24
−22.7%
|
| Elden Ring | 10−12
+37.5%
|
8−9
−37.5%
|
| Grand Theft Auto V | 27−30
+22.7%
|
21−24
−22.7%
|
| Metro Exodus | 10−12
+57.1%
|
7−8
−57.1%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 45−50
+34.3%
|
35−40
−34.3%
|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 10−11
+25%
|
8−9
−25%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 27−30
+22.7%
|
21−24
−22.7%
|
4K
Ultra Preset
| Battlefield 5 | 14−16
+36.4%
|
10−12
−36.4%
|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 10−12
+57.1%
|
7−8
−57.1%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 4−5
+33.3%
|
3−4
−33.3%
|
| Dota 2 | 27−30
+22.7%
|
21−24
−22.7%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 20−22
+33.3%
|
14−16
−33.3%
|
| Fortnite | 18−20
+38.5%
|
12−14
−38.5%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 21−24
+37.5%
|
16−18
−37.5%
|
| Valorant | 18−20
+50%
|
12−14
−50%
|
This is how GTX 960 and GTX 580 compete in popular games:
- GTX 960 is 30% faster in 900p
- GTX 580 is 53% faster in 1080p
- GTX 960 is 28% faster in 1200p
- GTX 960 is 43% faster in 4K
Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:
- in PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS, with 1440p resolution and the High Preset, the GTX 960 is 112% faster.
- in Dota 2, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the GTX 580 is 30% faster.
All in all, in popular games:
- GTX 960 is ahead in 62 tests (98%)
- GTX 580 is ahead in 1 test (2%)
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 15.85 | 11.99 |
| Recency | 22 January 2015 | 9 November 2010 |
| Maximum RAM amount | 4 GB | 1536 MB |
| Chip lithography | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 120 Watt | 244 Watt |
GTX 960 has a 32.2% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 4 years, a 166.7% higher maximum VRAM amount, a 42.9% more advanced lithography process, and 103.3% lower power consumption.
The GeForce GTX 960 is our recommended choice as it beats the GeForce GTX 580 in performance tests.
Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
Other comparisons
We selected several comparisons of graphics cards with performance close to those reviewed, providing you with more options to consider.
