NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 in 2025: Is It Worth Considering This Legend of the Past?
Analyzing who this graphics card is suitable for more than ten years after its release.
1. Architecture and Key Features: An Outdated Foundation
Kepler Architecture: A Legacy from 2013
The GTX 760 is based on the Kepler architecture, released in 2013. This was one of the first NVIDIA lines focused on optimizing energy efficiency, but by modern standards, its capabilities are modest. The manufacturing process is 28 nm, which is twice that of current GPUs (5-7 nm in 2025). The card lacks support for ray tracing (RTX), DLSS, or FidelityFX. Its key feature is basic graphics rendering through CUDA cores, without hardware acceleration for AI algorithms. For comparison, even a budget RTX 3050 offers 2-3 times more computational power and support for modern technologies.
2. Memory: Limited Resources for Modern Tasks
GDDR5 and 2/4 GB: A Thing of the Past
The GTX 760 is equipped with GDDR5 memory of 2 or 4 GB (depending on the version) with a 256-bit bus. The bandwidth is 192 GB/s. This was sufficient for games in the 2010s, but by 2025, even indie projects like Hades II or Silksong require a minimum of 4-6 GB VRAM to run at medium settings in 1080p. Modern AAA titles (GTA VI, Starfield) with high-resolution textures will experience loading delays, and at 4K, the card is utterly incapable.
3. Gaming Performance: Only for Retro Gaming
1080p: 30-40 FPS on Low Settings
In 2025, the GTX 760 is only suitable for undemanding games. For example:
- CS2: 60-70 FPS on low settings.
- Fortnite: 30-40 FPS (without support for Nanite or Lumen).
- The Witcher 3: 25-35 FPS on medium settings.
1440p and 4K: Not Recommended
Even at 1440p, FPS will drop to 15-20 in most projects. Ray tracing is absent, and without DLSS or FSR, boosting performance is impossible.
4. Professional Tasks: Minimal Usefulness
CUDA: Basic Capabilities
With 1152 CUDA cores, the GTX 760 can handle simple editing in DaVinci Resolve or Blender, but rendering a complex 3D scene will take hours. In comparison, the RTX 4060 performs similar tasks 4-5 times faster thanks to Ada Lovelace cores. In scientific calculations (OpenCL/CUDA), the card even falls behind integrated solutions like the AMD Ryzen 8700G.
5. Power Consumption and Heat Generation: Surprisingly Power-Hungry
TDP 170W: Needs a Power Margin
Despite its modest performance, the GTX 760 consumes up to 170W. A power supply of at least 500W is required (80+ Bronze recommended). Cooling should be effective; due to the 28 nm manufacturing process, the card runs hotter than modern counterparts. In compact cases without good ventilation, overheating is possible (temperatures up to 80°C under load).
6. Comparison with Competitors: Time Has Not Been Kind
Against AMD Radeon R9 280 and Modern Budget Cards
In 2013, the main competitor to the GTX 760 was the Radeon R9 280 (3 GB GDDR5). Today, both cards are outdated, but even budget models like the NVIDIA RTX 3050 ($199) or AMD RX 6600 ($229) outpace them by 3-4 times in performance. For instance, the RTX 3050 achieves 60 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 on medium settings, while the GTX 760 barely reaches 20 FPS on low settings.
7. Practical Advice: Caution First
Power Supply and Compatibility
- Minimum PSU: 500W with a 6-pin connector.
- Compatibility: PCIe 3.0 x16 works on modern motherboards, but check for driver availability for Windows 11/Linux.
Drivers: Limited Support
NVIDIA discontinued official support for the GTX 700 series in 2021. For Windows 11, you can use drivers from 2020, but there may be issues with new games.
8. Pros and Cons: Who Needs This?
Pros:
- Low price: if you find a new one (which is rare!), around $50-70.
- Sufficient for office tasks and older games (Skyrim, Dota 2).
Cons:
- No support for RTX, DLSS, or FSR.
- Insufficient memory for modern games.
- High power consumption.
9. Final Conclusion: A Niche of Nostalgia and Emergency Solutions
The GTX 760 in 2025 is a choice for:
- Retro gaming enthusiasts building PCs for games from the 2000s to the 2010s.
- Temporary solutions when the primary card fails.
- Office builds with a 1080p monitor.
Why pay more? Even a budget Intel Arc A580 ($179) or AMD RX 6400 ($159) offers modern features, driver support, and 2-3 times greater performance. The GTX 760 is archaic, relevant only in exceptional cases. If your budget is strictly limited to $50-100, consider the used market: for the same amount, you can find a GTX 1060 or RX 580 with better performance.
Conclusion
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 is a legend of its time, but in 2025, its time has passed. As a vintage tool or a temporary substitute, it may have a place, but for modern tasks, it’s better to choose something from the new generation.