GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q vs GeForce GTX 960M

When comparing GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q and GeForce GTX 960M, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q and GeForce GTX 960M is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q and GeForce GTX 960M are Laptop Graphics Cards

Note: GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q and GeForce GTX 960M are only used in laptop graphics. They have lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q or GeForce GTX 960M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q GeForce GTX 960M
Power consumption (TDP) 150 Watt 75 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 MXM-B (3.0)
Supplementary power connectors None
Memory type GDDR5X GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 8 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors No outputs No outputs
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  • GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q has 100% more power consumption, than GeForce GTX 960M.
  • GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q is connected by PCIe 3.0 x16, and GeForce GTX 960M uses MXM-B (3.0) interface.
  • GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q has 4 GB more memory, than GeForce GTX 960M.
  • Both cards are used in Laptops.
  • GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q is build with Pascal architecture, and GeForce GTX 960M - with Maxwell.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q is 5 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 960M.
  • GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q is manufactured by 16 nm process technology, and GeForce GTX 960M - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q is 7500 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 960M.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 50−55 18−20
ultra / 1080p 35−40 10−11
QHD / 1440p 27−30 4−5
4K / 2160p 16−18 4−5
low / 720p 80−85 35−40
medium / 1080p 60−65 21−24
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 187% more, than GeForce GTX 960M.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 1080 Max Q GeForce GTX 960M
Architecture Pascal Maxwell
Code name N17E-G3 Max-Q N16P-GX
Type Laptop Laptop
Release date 30 May 2017 12 March 2015
Pipelines 2560 640
Core clock speed 1101 - 1290 MHz 1096 MHz
Boost Clock 1278 - 1468 MHz 1202 MHz
Transistor count 7,200 million 1,870 million
Manufacturing process technology 16 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 234.9 47.04
Floating-point performance 7,516 gflops 1,505 gflops
Memory bus width 256 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 10000 MHz 2500 MHz
Memory bandwidth 320.3 GB/s 80 GB/s
Shared memory - -
G-SYNC support +
VR Ready +
DirectX 12 (12_1) 12 (11_0)
Shader Model 6.4 5.1
OpenGL 4.6 4.5
OpenCL 1.2 1.2
Vulkan 1.2.131 1.1.126
CUDA 6.1 +
CUDA cores 640
Bus support PCI Express 3.0
SLI options +
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 175 Mh/s
Laptop size large medium sized
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support +
H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder +
Optimus +
GameStream +
GeForce ShadowPlay +
GPU Boost 2.0
GameWorks +
BatteryBoost +
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