GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q vs GTX 960

Place in the ranking	342	189
Place by popularity	53	not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation	9.16	no data
Power efficiency	9.11	26.04
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)	Turing (2018−2022)
GPU code name	GM206	TU106B
Market segment	Desktop	Laptop
Release date	22 January 2015 (9 years ago)	29 January 2019 (5 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	$199	no data

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

no data

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	2304
Core clock speed	1127 MHz	885 MHz
Boost clock speed	1178 MHz	1185 MHz
Number of transistors	2,940 million	10,800 million
Manufacturing process technology	28 nm	12 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	120 Watt	80 Watt
Texture fill rate	75.39	170.6
Floating-point processing power	2.413 TFLOPS	5.46 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	64
TMUs	64	144
Tensor Cores	no data	288
Ray Tracing Cores	no data	36

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).

Laptop size	no data	large
Bus support	PCI Express 3.0	no data
Interface	PCIe 3.0 x16	PCIe 3.0 x16
Length	241 mm	no data
Height	4.376" (11.1 cm)	no data
Width	2-slot	no data
Recommended system power (PSU)	400 Watt	no data
Supplementary power connectors	1x 6-pin	None
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	GDDR6
Maximum RAM amount	4 GB	8 GB
Memory bus width	128 Bit	256 Bit
Memory clock speed	7.0 GB/s	1500 MHz
Memory bandwidth	112 GB/s	384.0 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	No outputs
Multi monitor support	4 displays	no data
HDMI	+	-
HDCP	+	-
Maximum VGA resolution	2048x1536	no data
G-SYNC support	+	+
Audio input for HDMI	Internal	no data

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	+	-
VR Ready	no data	+

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX	12 (12_1)	12 Ultimate (12_1)
Shader Model	6.4	6.5
OpenGL	4.4	4.6
OpenCL	1.2	1.2
Vulkan	+	1.2.131
CUDA	+	7.5

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.

GTX 960 15.85

RTX 2070 Max-Q 30.19
+90.5%

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.

GTX 960 6095

RTX 2070 Max-Q 11608
+90.5%

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.

GTX 960 10768

RTX 2070 Max-Q 22089
+105%

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.

GTX 960 30751

RTX 2070 Max-Q 48510
+57.8%

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.

GTX 960 7916

RTX 2070 Max-Q 17335
+119%

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

GTX 960 49918

RTX 2070 Max-Q 106564
+113%

3DMark Ice Storm GPU

Ice Storm Graphics is an obsolete benchmark, part of 3DMark suite. Ice Storm was used to measure entry level laptops and Windows-based tablets performance. It utilizes DirectX 11 feature level 9 to display a battle between two space fleets near a frozen planet in 1280x720 resolution. Discontinued in January 2020, it is now superseded by 3DMark Night Raid.

GTX 960 310860

RTX 2070 Max-Q 413114
+32.9%

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:

Full HD	62 −59.7%	99 +59.7%
1440p	27−30 −111%	57 +111%
4K	30 −36.7%	41 +36.7%

Cost per frame, $

1080p	3.21	no data
1440p	7.37	no data
4K	6.63	no data

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Counter-Strike 2	27−30 −111%	55−60 +111%
Cyberpunk 2077	30−35 −100%	60−65 +100%
Elden Ring	45−50 −108%	100−110 +108%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Battlefield 5	50−55 −49%	76 +49%
Counter-Strike 2	27−30 −111%	55−60 +111%
Cyberpunk 2077	30−35 −3.2%	32 +3.2%
Forza Horizon 4	65−70 −112%	130−140 +112%
Metro Exodus	40−45 −116%	93 +116%
Red Dead Redemption 2	35−40 −65.8%	60−65 +65.8%
Valorant	60−65 −134%	150 +134%

Full HD
High Preset

Battlefield 5	50−55 −100%	102 +100%
Counter-Strike 2	27−30 −111%	55−60 +111%
Cyberpunk 2077	30−35 +14.8%	27 −14.8%
Dota 2	33 −209%	102 +209%
Elden Ring	45−50 −108%	100−110 +108%
Far Cry 5	55−60 −45.6%	83 +45.6%
Fortnite	85−90 −62.5%	140−150 +62.5%
Forza Horizon 4	65−70 −112%	130−140 +112%
Grand Theft Auto V	49 −83.7%	90 +83.7%
Metro Exodus	40−45 −58.1%	68 +58.1%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	110−120 −89.4%	214 +89.4%
Red Dead Redemption 2	35−40 −26.3%	48 +26.3%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	49 −106%	100−110 +106%
Valorant	60−65 +0%	64 +0%
World of Tanks	200−210 −35.8%	270−280 +35.8%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	50−55 −27.5%	65 +27.5%
Counter-Strike 2	27−30 −111%	55−60 +111%
Cyberpunk 2077	30−35 +34.8%	23 −34.8%
Dota 2	55−60 −112%	121 +112%
Far Cry 5	55−60 −126%	129 +126%
Forza Horizon 4	65−70 −112%	130−140 +112%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	110−120 +44.9%	78 −44.9%
Valorant	60−65 −102%	129 +102%

1440p
High Preset

Dota 2	21−24 −130%	50−55 +130%
Elden Ring	24−27 −124%	55−60 +124%
Grand Theft Auto V	24−27 −121%	50−55 +121%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	140−150 −19.9%	170−180 +19.9%
Red Dead Redemption 2	14−16 −107%	29 +107%
World of Tanks	110−120 −77.3%	190−200 +77.3%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	30−35 −71.9%	55 +71.9%
Counter-Strike 2	14−16 −92.9%	27−30 +92.9%
Cyberpunk 2077	12−14 −125%	27−30 +125%
Far Cry 5	35−40 −138%	90−95 +138%
Forza Horizon 4	35−40 −113%	80−85 +113%
Metro Exodus	35−40 −106%	72 +106%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	20−22 −135%	45−50 +135%
Valorant	40−45 −138%	95 +138%

4K
High Preset

Counter-Strike 2	10−12 −164%	27−30 +164%
Dota 2	27−30 −156%	69 +156%
Elden Ring	10−12 −136%	24−27 +136%
Grand Theft Auto V	27−30 −156%	69 +156%
Metro Exodus	10−12 −100%	22 +100%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	45−50 −113%	100 +113%
Red Dead Redemption 2	10−11 −90%	19 +90%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	27−30 −156%	69 +156%

4K
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	14−16 −93.3%	29 +93.3%
Counter-Strike 2	10−12 −164%	27−30 +164%
Cyberpunk 2077	4−5 −175%	10−12 +175%
Dota 2	27−30 −244%	93 +244%
Far Cry 5	20−22 −105%	40−45 +105%
Fortnite	18−20 −77.8%	32 +77.8%
Forza Horizon 4	21−24 −118%	45−50 +118%
Valorant	18−20 −206%	55 +206%

This is how GTX 960 and RTX 2070 Max-Q compete in popular games:

RTX 2070 Max-Q is 60% faster in 1080p
RTX 2070 Max-Q is 111% faster in 1440p
RTX 2070 Max-Q is 37% faster in 4K

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

in PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the GTX 960 is 45% faster.
in Dota 2, with 4K resolution and the Ultra Preset, the RTX 2070 Max-Q is 244% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

GTX 960 is ahead in 3 tests (5%)
RTX 2070 Max-Q is ahead in 59 tests (94%)
there's a draw in 1 test (2%)

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	15.85	30.19
Recency	22 January 2015	29 January 2019
Maximum RAM amount	4 GB	8 GB
Chip lithography	28 nm	12 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	120 Watt	80 Watt

RTX 2070 Max-Q has a 90.5% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 4 years, a 100% higher maximum VRAM amount, a 133.3% more advanced lithography process, and 50% lower power consumption.

The GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q is our recommended choice as it beats the GeForce GTX 960 in performance tests.

Be aware that GeForce GTX 960 is a desktop card while GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q is a notebook one.

Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.