GeForce GTX 960 vs Radeon 540X

When comparing GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon 540X, 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 960 and Radeon 540X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon 540X is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon 540X is only used in laptop graphics. It has 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 Radeon 540X here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 960 Radeon 540X
Power consumption (TDP) 120 Watt 50 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x8
Supplementary power connectors 1x 6-pins None
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 4 GB 2 GB
Display Connectors 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
Recommended system power (PSU) 400 Watt
  Check Price Check Price
  • GeForce GTX 960 has 140% more power consumption, than Radeon 540X.
  • GeForce GTX 960 is connected by PCIe 3.0 x16, and Radeon 540X uses PCIe 3.0 x8 interface.
  • GeForce GTX 960 has 2 GB more memory, than Radeon 540X.
  • GeForce GTX 960 is used in Desktops, and Radeon 540X - in Laptops.
  • GeForce GTX 960 is build with Maxwell architecture, and Radeon 540X - with GCN 4.0.
  • GeForce GTX 960 is manufactured by 28 nm process technology, and Radeon 540X - by 14 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon 540X is 5993 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 960.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 35−40 6−7
ultra / 1080p 21−24 3−4
QHD / 1440p 16−18 0−1
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 60−65 14−16
medium / 1080p 40−45 7−8
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 960 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 412% more, than Radeon 540X.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 960 Radeon 540X
Architecture Maxwell GCN 4.0
Code name GM206 Lexa
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 22 January 2015 12 August 2019
Pipelines 1024 512
Core clock speed 1127 MHz
Boost Clock 1178 MHz 1219 MHz
Transistor count 2,940 million 2,200 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 14 nm
Texture fill rate 72 billion/sec 33.47
Floating-point performance 2,413 gflops
Length 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Memory bus width 128 Bit 64 Bit
Memory clock speed 7.0 GB/s 6000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 112 GB/s 112.0 GB/s
Shared memory - -
G-SYNC support +
DirectX 12 (12_1) 12 (12_0)
Shader Model 6.4 6.4
OpenGL 4.4 4.6
OpenCL 1.2 2.0
Vulkan 1.1.126 1.2.131
CUDA +
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.27 kh/s
CUDA cores 1024
Bus support PCI Express 3.0
Height 4.376" (11.1 cm)
SLI options +
Multi monitor support 4 displays
HDCP +
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI Internal
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 318 Mh/s
Decred / DCR (Decred) 0.92 Gh/s
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 8 Mh/s
Zcash / ZEC (Equihash) 141.47 Sol/s
GameStream +
GeForce ShadowPlay +
GPU Boost 2.0
GameWorks +
  Check Price Check Price