Choosing the right GPU for gaming or work, it is often challenging to choose to compare two cards of different time generations, such as the NVIDIA GTX 960 and the AMD RX 580. In this article I try to make the essential points about these two cards straightforward and enable people to decide.
Introduction to GTX 960 and RX 580
The NVIDIA GTX 960 was launched in February 2015 and forms part of the Maxwell products. It is a mid-tier GPU that was fine for 1080p gaming at release. On AMD’s side, there RX 580 released in 2017 which uses Polaris architecture and has performance improvements sufficient for more challenging tasks.
Key Specifications Comparison
| Specification | NVIDIA GTX 960 | AMD RX 580 |
| Architecture | Maxwell | Polaris |
| Process Node | 28nm | 14nm |
| Base Clock | 1127 MHz | 1257 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1178 MHz | 1340 MHz |
| VRAM | 2GB or 4GB GDDR5 | 4GB or 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 112 GB/s | 256 GB/s |
| TDP | 120W | 185W |
And from the following table, it can also be seen that the RX 580 is much more robust in terms of VRAM, clock speed and memory width. But it also makes the mobile device of higher power consumption.
Gaming Performance
1080p Gaming Benchmarks:
| Game Title | GTX 960 (FPS) | RX 580 (FPS) |
| GTA V | 45-55 FPS | 60-75 FPS |
| The Witcher 3 | 35-45 FPS | 50-65 FPS |
| Fortnite | 50-60 FPS | 80-100 FPS |
| PUBG | 30-40 FPS | 50-70 FPS |
RX 580 provides higher frame rates more often making it suitable for today’s games at full HD 1080p. The GTX 960 is well capable of handling older games and lesser graphics intensive games at high quality but when it comes to the new graphics heavy games it simply can’t run the game at high settings.
Power Efficiency and Thermals
Power Consumption:
Compared to the 120W power consumption of the GTX 960 the RX 580 has a power consumption of 185W. This reduced power consumption makes the GTX 960 ideal for machines that are fitted with low capacity power supplies.
Thermal Performance:
It is cooler than the previous generation, which makes it good for small form factor builds or systems with limited airflow. The RX 580, however, has more potent third-party coolers which make temperature control feasible although the card consumes more power. But if you want the best performance, you should be using a well-vented case for your computer.
VRAM and Memory Bandwidth
In particular, the release of the 8GB VRAM model RX 580 is, for the most part, a game-changer when it comes to the games that came out in the last few years. The 4GB version of RX 580 is better than the GTX 960 in almost all the cases. More VRAM means there will be fewer hiccups in games and ability to run multiple applications with ease in productivity software.
Memory bandwidth is also in the favor of the RX 580. In this case, the RX 580 is faster with 256 GB/s to the GTX 960’s 112 GB/s and therefore handles more data at a go boosting memory operations.
API and Feature Support
While the RX 580 has Far Cry 5 DirectX 12 scores of 68.4 effective FPS at 1920×1080 and 52.5 fps at 3840×2160, both GPUs support DirectX 12 with RX 580 showing greater competency with modern APIs like Vulkan. This actually results to better functionality of such games that incorporate these technologies. This means that time will always be a great friend of the RX 580 as game developers carry out most optimizations to newer APIs.
Productivity and Content Creation
So if you’re into video editing or 3D modeling, then for sure, the RX 580 is your best bet. The higher VRAM and the faster of memory are more appropriate for heavy tasks such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Blender. Light editing tasks are, however, within reach for the GTX 960, more complex tasks challenging the video card.
Future-Proofing
Due to game developers continuously demanding more graphics quality, having an upgradeable GPU is very important. The RX 580’s performance, coupled with a higher VRAM, makes it far less of a dud. When compared to the latest games of the future, GTX 960 will still able to run older one and even though it will require a lot of tweaks for those games in the future, it will not be nearly as effective as competitors.
Pricing and Availability
Most of the GPUs are today located in the second-hand market, and both GPUs are no exception from the rule. The GTX 960 is cheaper, which will help attract consumers who are just looking for a bare bones upgrade for gaming, or games that have lower system requirements. Nevertheless, the RX 580 will provide you with a more efficient performance/CPU ratio and that makes it the better buy if you have the extra cash.
Final Verdict
Comparing GTX 960 with RX 580 depends on user’s requirements and his pocket allowing a high ranking for both. Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Scenario | Best Option |
| Casual Gaming at Low Settings | GTX 960 |
| Modern Games at 1080p High Settings | RX 580 |
| Power Efficiency | GTX 960 |
| Future-Proofing and VRAM Needs | RX 580 |
| Content Creation and Productivity | RX 580 |
| Tight Budget | GTX 960 |
In summary:
- But if you only play older or less graphic intense games and don’t want to spend too much on electricity and your wallet, GTX 960 is quite okay.
- For modern games or for any GPU required for creating contents then RX 580 is the best bet. It’s the more viable, long-term option even though it’s a larger draw in terms of power and cooling requirements.