NVIDIA partners announce GTX GeForce 960 with 4GB of video memory
ASUS, EVGA, Gigabyte and MSI have all announced 4GB versions of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards to better enable 4K and multi-monitor gaming. Read on for more details.
NVIDIA released its mid-range GeForce GTX 960 to cater to fans of MOBA games like League of Legends and Dota 2. Add-in card manufacturers were not far behind, quickly slapping on custom coolers and light overclocks onto their cards. However, the GTX 960 was never meant to accommodate intense gaming at more than 1080p resolutions, which explains its meagre 2GB of video RAM.
NVIDIA card partners have moved to address this shortcoming and several major manufacturers have now announced 4GB versions of this popular mass-market card.
ASUS
ASUS Strix GeForce GTX 960 4GB GDDR5 (Image source: ASUS)
The ASUS Strix GeForce GTX 960 4G GDDR5 boasts 4GB of RAM and a factory-overclocked GPU base clock of 1228MHz over its 2GB sibling and a GPU boost clock of 1291MHz in the default Gaming mode. Its plethora of display outputs includes a single DVI port, one HDMI 2.0 port and three DisplayPort outputs. The factory overclock and larger video RAM should ensure that gamers will be able to wage their battles on 4K displays or multiple monitors should they so wish – at lowered settings of course.
EVGA
EVGA GTX 960 4GB SSC ACX 2.0+ (Image Source: EVGA)
EVGA has released three variants of the GTX 960 with 4GB of beefed-up video RAM. The EVGA GTX 960 4GB FTW ACX 2.0+ boasts a base and boost clock of 1304MHz and 1367MHz respectively, which remain unchanged from the 2GB edition. It's slightly more aggressive clock speeds would appear to give it a slight edge over the other cards here.
The EVGA GTX 960 4GB SSC ACX 2.0+ is the same card as its 2GB self and features slightly lower clock and boost speeds of 1279MHz and 1342MHz than the FTW edition. Finally, the EVGA GTX 960 4GB ACX 2.0+ has a base and boost clock of 1127MHz and 1178MHz, the same as NVIDIA's reference card.
EVGA doesn’t appear to have changed anything going from 2GB to 4GB of RAM in its cards, and the increased video memory would appear to be a simple nod to gamers who are not satisfied with 1080p or single displays.
Gigabyte
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 G1 Gaming 4GB (Image Source: Gigabyte)
The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 G1 Gaming 4GB sports Gigabyte’s Windforce cooler with three fans which – you guessed it – appears unchanged from the 2GB edition. Clock and boost speeds are the same as in the 2GB variant.
Gigabyte has also updated its GTX 960 Windforce to a 4GB version, ensuring that gamers who don’t see a need for three fans will still be able to get their super-high resolution gaming fix and indulge in rich graphics and textures with a two-fan card design from Gigabyte. Unlike its 2GB variant, the 4GB version now comes with a metal backplate for extra rigidity and support.
The company has also included support for its new One-click Overclocking feature built into its OC Guru II software. With a single click of the mouse, Gigabyte enables gamers to choose between OC or ECO Mode, enabling them to easily select the profile that best meets their performance and power draw requirements.
MSI
MSI GeForce GTX 960 Gaming 4G (Image Source: TechPowerUp)
Gigabyte is not the only company to decide that adding backplates is a good way to add value to their graphics cards. The MSI GeForce GTX 960 Gaming 4G includes a sturdy metal backplate – something which the 2GB variant lacked – to complement its doubled video RAM and striking black and red cooling shroud. This should please gamers, who will be happy to learn that they will be shelling out for more than just additional video memory.
Source: ASUS, EVGA, Gigabyte (1), (2), MSI
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.