NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 Low Power
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 Low Power: A Compact Veteran in 2025
Introduction
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 Low Power (LP) is a graphics card released in 2015, still found in budget builds today. Despite its venerable age, its low power consumption and compactness remain relevant for specific scenarios. This article will explore who might benefit from this card in 2025 and what compromises one would need to make.
Architecture and Key Features
Maxwell Architecture: Simplicity and Efficiency
The GTX 950 LP is built on the Maxwell architecture (GM206), manufactured using a 28nm process. This generation focused on optimizing energy efficiency, particularly evident in the Low Power version.
Lack of Modern Features
The card does not support ray tracing (RTX), DLSS, or FidelityFX. There are no tensor or RT cores—just classic CUDA cores (768 in total) and basic technologies like NVIDIA Adaptive Vertical Sync.
Low Power Feature
The LP variant features a reduced TDP (up to 75W) due to lowered clock speeds. This allows it to operate without additional power through a 6-pin connector, which is rare even among modern budget GPUs.
Memory: A Modest Yet Crucial Resource
GDDR5 and 2 GB: Minimum for 2025
The GTX 950 LP is equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus. The bandwidth is 105.6 GB/s. For modern games, this capacity is insufficient; even in Fortnite or CS2 at medium settings, there are likely to be slowdowns due to a lack of VRAM.
Impact on Performance
In games from the 2010s (e.g., The Witcher 3 or GTA V), the card demonstrates 40-50 FPS on medium settings at 1080p. However, projects from 2023-2025, like Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, will only run on low presets at around 20-25 FPS.
Gaming Performance: Realistic Expectations
1080p: Basic Level
- Dota 2: 60-70 FPS (medium settings).
- Apex Legends: 35-45 FPS (low settings).
- Elden Ring: 25-30 FPS (minimum graphics).
1440p and 4K: Not for This Card
Even in less demanding games (e.g., Hollow Knight), resolutions higher than 1080p will lead to a drop in FPS. 4K mode is out of the question due to a lack of memory and computational power.
Ray Tracing: No Support
RTX features are unavailable. For comparison, even the GTX 1650 with 4 GB of GDDR5 performs better thanks to support for modern APIs.
Professional Tasks: Limited Applicability
Video Editing and Rendering
In Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, the card will accelerate rendering through CUDA, but 2 GB of memory will become a bottleneck when working with 4K materials. It is only suitable for editing in 1080p.
3D Modeling
Blender or Maya will run, but complex scenes will be processed slowly. It is acceptable for educational projects or simple models but not for professional work.
Scientific Calculations (CUDA/OpenCL)
CUDA 5.2 support allows the card to be used in machine learning for basic experiments; however, operation speeds are vastly inferior to modern GPUs.
Power Consumption and Thermal Output
TDP 75W: Energy Efficiency First
The card does not require additional power and is satisfied with the PCIe slot. This makes it ideal for upgrading old PCs with weak power supplies.
Cooling and Cases
Passive or single-slot active coolers ensure quiet operation. The maximum temperature under load is 70-75°C. It can even fit into mini-ITX cases with limited ventilation.
Comparison with Competitors
Analogues from 2015-2017
- AMD Radeon R7 370: 2 GB GDDR5, similar performance, but TDP of 110W.
- NVIDIA GTX 1050 (2 GB): 30% faster but requires 75W and is more expensive on the secondary market ($80-100 versus $50-70 for GTX 950 LP).
Modern Budget Models (2025)
- Intel Arc A310: 4 GB GDDR6, ray tracing support, priced at $120-150.
- AMD Radeon RX 6400: 4 GB GDDR6, 53W TDP, with performance 2-3 times higher.
Practical Tips
Power Supply: 300W Enough
Even for systems with processors like the Core i5-10400 or Ryzen 5 3600.
Platform Compatibility
- Motherboards: PCIe 3.0 x16 (backward compatible with PCIe 2.0).
- OS: Windows 10/11 (drivers available until 2021). Linux support through open-source drivers Nouveau is limited.
Driver Nuances
Official updates stopped in 2021. There may be bugs or a lack of optimizations in newer games.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low power consumption.
- Compact size and quiet operation.
- CUDA support for basic tasks.
- Affordable price on the secondary market ($50-70).
Cons:
- Only 2 GB of video memory.
- Lack of support for modern technologies (DLSS, Ray Tracing).
- Poor performance in new games.
Final Verdict: Who Is the GTX 950 LP For?
This graphics card is suitable for:
1. Owners of Old PCs who need an upgrade without replacing the power supply.
2. HTPC Builders for video playback and light gaming.
3. Students learning the basics of 3D modeling on simple projects.
4. Retro gaming enthusiasts, where the power is sufficient for comfortable FPS.
In 2025, the GTX 950 LP is a niche solution. If your budget is capped at $100, it’s better to consider a used GTX 1050 Ti or a new Intel Arc A310. However, for specific tasks where compactness and minimal power consumption are crucial, this card can still serve its purpose.