Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M 2016 Refresh (N16E-GR) Review
For the original German review, see here.
The new Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M came to us in a pre-sample of the MSI GE72. It is based on the GM206 chip of the desktop GTX 960 and thus pin compatible with the weaker GTX 960M (GM107) with the same TDP. In theory, the chip also supports HDMI 2.0, but the notebook has to implement this.
We have already reviewed the MSI GE72 17-inch gaming notebook in e.g. the MSI GE72 6QF with GeForce 970M (or 960M). However, our test model comes with the new Skylake platform. The prototype status of the device was still noticeable here and there. Thus, there could have been some room for improvements in terms of performance.
Synthetic Benchmarks
With +13% on average, the new 965M performs significantly better than its predecessor. The higher clock rates definitely show through in the 3DMark graphics benchmarks. However, there remains a respectable difference of +19% to the GeForce GTX 970M in the GE72.
| MSI GE72 965M Ti GeForce GTX 965M, 6700HQ | Medion Erazer X7615-MD99293 GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZMTE128HMGR | MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1 | SCHENKER XMG P705 GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston SM2280S3120G | Acer Predator 17 NX.QK4EP.022 GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB | MSI GE72-6QF8H11 GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NU | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark | -12% | -12% | -12% | 29% | 19% | |
| 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics | 6160 | 5380 -13% | 5403 -12% | 5394 -12% | 7509 22% | 7450 21% |
| 1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics | 38935 | 34611 -11% | 34627 -11% | 34748 -11% | 52973 36% | 45543 17% |
| 3DMark 11 | ||||||
| 1280x720 Performance GPU | 8391 | 7016 -16% | 6980 -17% | 7136 -15% | 9743 16% | 9889 18% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -14% /
-13% | -15% /
-13% | -14% /
-13% | 23% /
25% | 19% /
19% |
Gaming Benchmarks
The difference is similar in our gaming tests at maximum details. However, the advantage of the test model falls at reduced settings, and it even falls behind the "old" 965M at minimum details. However, this might be due to the pre-series status of the device.
| MSI GE72 965M Ti GeForce GTX 965M, 6700HQ | Medion Erazer X7615-MD99293 GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZMTE128HMGR | SCHENKER XMG C405 GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Crucial M550 CT256M550SSD3 | MSI GE62-2QEUi716H21BW GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD1 | SCHENKER XMG P705 GeForce GTX 965M, 4720HQ, Kingston SM2280S3120G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Witcher 3 | |||||
| 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) | 20.2 | 16.8 -17% | |||
| Battlefield Hardline | |||||
| 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics Quality (DX11) AA:4x MS | 44.2 | 39.1 -12% | 38.7 -12% | ||
| Evolve | |||||
| 1920x1080 Very High Graphics Quality AA:1TX SM | 44.9 | 40.5 -10% | 37.9 -16% | ||
| Alien: Isolation | |||||
| 1920x1080 Ultra, On, Shadow Map 2048, HDAO AA:2x SM AF:16x | 61.3 | 55.2 -10% | 54.8 -11% | ||
| Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor | |||||
| 1920x1080 Ultra Preset (HD Package) | 35.4 | 29.3 -17% | 28.8 -19% | ||
| Thief | |||||
| 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FXAA & High SS AF:8x | 37.5 | 34.9 -7% | 34.2 -9% | ||
| Battlefield 4 | -9% | ||||
| 3840x2160 High Preset | 21.8 | ||||
| 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS | 43.1 | 39.1 -9% | |||
| Metro: Last Light | |||||
| 1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x | 42 | 38.7 -8% | |||
| Tomb Raider | |||||
| 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x | 67 | 59 -12% | 57.9 -14% | 57.3 -14% | |
| Crysis 3 | |||||
| 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:2xSM AF:16x | 26.2 | 23.9 -9% | |||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -13% /
-13% | -13% /
-13% | -11% /
-11% | -11% /
-11% |
Verdict
In our opinion, the new GeForce GTX 965M could have definitely been called GTX 965M Ti as had been originally envisaged. The higher clock rates unambiguously prove to have an impact in our tests and would have justified giving it a special name. However, the difference to the GTX 970M still remains significant. Nevertheless, the new GTX 965M is well suitable for games in Full HD with high details. Notebooks with the new GTX 965M are supposed to be launched in Q1 2016. So far, we only know that MSI with the GE62 and GE72 and Clevo (e.g. Schenker XMG) will use the new graphics cards.
Further gaming tests to the new and old GTX 965M can be found in our daily updated graphics card article.
| 3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics (sort by value) | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M | |
