In the run-up to its mid-October launch, samples of the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti are falling into leaky taps. One such card made it to ChipHell, which posted its 3DMark 11 performance. Running on a machine with Core i7-6700K, the GTX 1050 Ti sample scored P10054 in the performance preset, and X3860 points in the extreme preset. A GeForce GTX 960 on the same machine scored around P10000 and X3300 points, respectively. This makes the card faster than the GTX 960, at a price-point of $149.

Based on the 16 nm "GP107" silicon, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti features 768 CUDA cores, 48 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and a 128-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface, holding 4 GB of memory. The chip almost makes do with slot power, with its TDP being rated at 75W. The company is preparing an even cheaper SKU based on this chip, the GTX 1050, with 640 CUDA cores, 40 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, priced at $119.

PNY Technologies has today announced the launch of a new design to its XLR8 OC Gaming range, revamping the PNY GeForce GTX 960 and GTX 950 with a stunning fresh look to match its blazing speeds.

The new PNY GeForce GTX 960 XLR8 OC Gaming and GeForce GTX 950 XLR8 OC Gaming graphics cards are being released alongside PNY's new dedicated gaming website, where gamers can learn how to improve their gaming experience and deliver better results. You can visit the new site here: gaming.pny.eu

NVIDIA is expected to launch the first consumer graphics cards based on the GP106 silicon some time in Autumn 2016 (late Q3-early Q4). Based on the company's next-generation "Pascal" architecture, the GP106 will drive several key mid-range and performance-segment (price/performance sweetspot) SKUs, including the cards that succeed the current GeForce GTX 960 and GTX 950. Based on the way NVIDIA's big GP100 silicon is structured, assuming the GP106 features two graphics processing clusters (GPCs), the way the current GM206 silicon does; one can expect a CUDA core count in the neighborhood of 1,280. NVIDIA could use this chip to capture several key sub-$250 price points.

GIGABYTE expanded its Xtreme Gaming graphics card lineup with the GV-N960XTREME-4GD, a custom-design GeForce GTX 960 graphics card with 4 GB of memory, and customizable RGB lighting for its fans and top decal. The card is based on a custom-design PCB, with factory-overclocked speeds of 1304 MHz core and 1367 MHz GPU Boost, compared to NVIDIA-reference clocks of 1127 MHz core, 1178 MHz GPU Boost. The memory is left untouched at 7010 MHz (GDDR5-effective).

At the business-end of this product is its meaty, new-generation WindForce 2X cooling solution, which features a pair of 90 mm fans. The two fans spin in opposite directions while both blow air onto the GPU heatsink, the two impellers are designed with opposite orientation. The fans, and a GIGABYTE Xtreme Gaming logo on the top of the cooler shroud, are fitted with RGB LEDs that can be customized via software, letting you choose from 16.7 million colors. The card features a strong VRM, which draws power from a combination of 6-pin and 8-pin PCIe power connectors. A back-plate is included. GIGABYTE didn't mention pricing.

MSI unveiled its latest desktop under its coveted MSI Gaming logo - the Vortex. This compact gaming desktop features a design that's heavily inspired by the Mac Pro - a cylindrical case with three planes, and key components arranged along those planes, with a common air channel running through the bore of the cylinder. Much like the Mac Pro, the MSI Vortex packs a wallop.

In its base configuration, the MSI Vortex comes with an Intel Core i5 "Skylake" desktop quad-core processor, and two GeForce GTX 960 (desktop) graphics cards in SLI. The top variant gives you a Core i7-6700K quad-core chip, and two GeForce GTX 980 (desktop) cards in SLI, making it capable of 4K Ultra HD gaming. Sharp edges aside, the Vortex comes with RGB LED lighting. Not just design, MSI appears to have taken cues from Apple on even pricing - the base model is expected to be priced around US $2,000.

EVGA announces the Heroes of the Storm Kaijo Diablo Bundle with select EVGA GeForce GTX 950 and GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards. For a limited time, begin your conquest of Blizzard's Heroes of the Storm with an exclusive Kaijo Diablo Bundle. It includes the Diablo hero, Kaijo skin, and 7-day Stim Pack, and it's free when you purchase a qualifying GeForce GTX 950 or 960 graphics card.

For MOBA gamers, the EVGA GeForce GTX 950 provides the competitive edge in every battle with blazing fast performance and an incredible level of responsiveness. Get 3x the performance of a GeForce GTX 650 and the power of NVIDIA Maxwell architecture to transform your PC into a full-HD gaming rig capable of playing the latest titles. Or choose the EVGA GeForce GTX 960 for even faster performance.

ZOTAC International, a global innovator and manufacturer of graphics card and ZBOX Mini PCs, ramps up the gaming power with the MAGNUS EN970 series. Minimalism, portability, and an all new design thinly mask the power density lurking beneath.

Powered by a 5th gen Intel Core i5 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 with 3GB GDDR5 VRAM at the heart of the MAGNUS EN970, there is plenty of firepower for intense gaming and graphical work. Immerse deeper and work wider with quad-display support via NVIDIA Surround, and react faster with dual gigabit LAN or 802.11ac WiFi.

GIGABYTE released a new super-compact dual-fan WindForce 2X VGA cooling solution, and launched a pair of GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards featuring it. The cooler allows the card to have a length of just 18.1 cm. These include the 4 GB N960OC-4GD and the 2 GB N960OC-2GD. Both cards come with factory-overclocked speeds of 1190 MHz core, and 1253 MHz GPU Boost (against reference clocks of 1127/1178 MHz), with 7.00 GHz memory. The cooling solution consists of a single 8 mm-thick copper heat pipe, which passes through the center of the heatsink base, projecting out in an "S" shape, and passing through two ends of an aluminium fin stack. It's ventilated by a pair of fans. The card draws power from a single 6-pin PCIe power connector. Display outputs include two dual-link DVI, and one each of HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2.

In addition to the Radeon R7 300 series, AMD announced the Radeon R9 380 performance-segment graphics card. Available in 2 GB and 4 GB variants, with the 2 GB variant priced at $199, to compete with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 960, and the 4 GB variant about $50 costlier, the card can play any of today's games at 1080p, with eye-candy maxed out, but can also play them at 1440p, with reasonably high settings.

Based on the 28 nm "Tonga" silicon, the R9 380 packs 1,792 stream processors based on the latest GCN 1.2 architecture, with 112 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and up to 4 GB of memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface. Its core is clocked at 970 MHz, with the memory at 5.70 GHz (GDDR5 effective), churning up 184 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The card's typical power draw is rated at 190W, it draws power from a pair of 6-pin PCIe power connectors.

ASUS will be designing its DirectCU 3 cooling solution in different sizes. We've seen the super-tall, almost-triple slot version, strapped to a GeForce GTX 980 Ti, at Computex. Here is its more tame, two-slot, normal-height sibling, which ASUS could feature on several of its performance segment products, such as the GTX 960, GTX 970, GTX 980, and perhaps even the upcoming Radeon R7 370 and R9 380. The card pictured below is a GTX 960.

The DirectCU 3 cooler appears to feature three heat dissipating components, a central heatsink that draws heat from the GPU, with two aluminium fin stacks on either sides, suspended along three 8 mm-thick copper heat pipes, which make direct contact with the GPU. A trio of temperature-activated 80 mm spinners ventilate it. This particular card offers factory-overclocked speeds of 1228 MHz core, 1291 MHz GPU Boost, and 7.00 GHz memory (vs. 1127 MHz core and 1178 MHz GPU Boost reference). The card started selling in China, there's no word on a wider launch. The cooler itself, though, will feature on a boat-load of upcoming products from ASUS.

NVIDIA is giving away game codes to "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," to new and existing owners of GeForce GTX Titan X graphics cards, provided they simply install and "beta test" GeForce Experience. To participate, all GTX Titan X owners need to go is install the latest GeForce Experience, and the latest GeForce drivers, and then click on a "redeem rewards" button in the app, and follow these steps to get a Steam key to the game. The company is already giving away the game with new purchases of GeForce GTX 960, GTX 970, GTX 980, and notebooks with GTX 970M and GTX 980M graphics.

In addition to the first WHQL-signed GeForce driver for Windows 10, NVIDIA released GeForce 352.86 WHQL Game Ready Driver for other Windows versions. This driver adds optimizations for "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," which will release tomorrow (19th May). The driver also adds SLI profiles and GeForce Experience optimal settings for the game. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is part of NVIDIA's "Two Times the Adventure" game bundle, in which buyers of NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 960, GTX 970, and GTX 980 graphics cards; and notebooks with GTX 970M and GTX 980M, receive game codes for free. The game have also has some inherent optimizations for NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, with its Game Works varnish, which adds PhysX effects, turf effects, and HBAO+.DOWNLOAD: Windows 8/7/Vista 64-bit | Windows 8/7/Vista 32-bit | Windows XP 32-bit | Windows XP 64-bit

KFA2 announced an all-white variant of its GeForce GTX 960 EXOC graphics card. White makes up the cooler shroud and fans, but it doesn't carry on to the PCB - something KFA2 and its parent Galaxy built a reputation around. Luckily, it features an all-white back-plate, and so its PCB (which is thankfully black and not electric-blue), should provide an interesting contrast, peeking out of the vents on the back-plate.

Looks aside, the GTX 960 EXOC White Edition is a very capable card, offering a factory OC of 1279 MHz core, 1367 MHz GPU Boost, and an untouched 7.00 GHz memory, against reference speeds of 1127/1187 MHz. It draws power from a single 8-pin PCIe power connector, and conditions it using a 6-phase VRM. The aluminium fin-stack heatsink uses 8 mm-thick nickel-plated copper heat pipes, which make direct contact with the GPU. Display outputs include two DVI, and one each of DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0. The card is priced at 209.90€, including taxes.

Zotac unveiled an over-the-top GeForce GTX 960 graphics card for the Greater China region, where mid-range cards are 'overpackaged' to attract price-conscious buyers looking for more pop for their coin. Part of its Gamer Force series, the new GTX 960 Gamer Force TOP-X graphics card combines a large triple-fan cooling solution, with a metal back-plate that holds another two 60 mm spinners. The PCB features a strong VRM, and support Zotac's in-house design OC+ external overclocking module. Under its cooler shroud, holding its three 90 mm spinners, is an aluminium split fin-stack heatsink. The result? The card is reportedly capable of core clocks of 1,500 MHz. The card will be exclusive to the Greater China region (PRC, HK, and probably Taiwan).

Ahead of summer builds and upgrades by PC enthusiasts, NVIDIA announced an interesting new social media challenge, called the GeForce Garage. Open to residents of Poland now, NVIDIA plans to take it to several other markets very soon. The challenge is simple - build a gaming PC, make a video of yourself doing that, try to offer interesting / useful commentary while building it (eg: an interesting way to manage cables, cooling/ventilation, mods, post-build OC, benchmarks, etc.) Post it on YouTube, and share it with NVIDIA. Show the world that building a gaming PC can be as fun as cooking up something special and rewarding. It doesn't matter what hardware you use in your build, and it needn't be an extravagant build. Three of the best entries will win some cool new gear from NVIDIA, with notable mentions of participants. The winner gets an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 and a Shield Tablet; first runner up gets a GeForce GTX 970, and the second runner up gets a GeForce GTX 960. Friends from Poland, this way please.

NVIDIA announced its latest game bundle for buyers of its GeForce GTX 900 series graphics products. Called "Two Times the Adventure" bundle, it includes two of the year's most anticipated PC titles - "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," and "Batman: Arkham Knight." New buyers of GeForce GTX 980 and GTX 970 graphics cards, from participating retailers, will receive game coupons to both the games, which can be redeemed on Steam. New buyers of GeForce GTX 960, and notebooks with GeForce GTX 980M and GTX 970M, will receive game codes to just "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt."

Codes for both games, if activated on Steam before their launch dates, will count as pre-orders, so you can pre-load and start playing on the launch dates. Both games come with NVIDIA's GameWorks varnish, which enables a few GeForce-exclusive eye-candy, such as HairWorks (GPU-accelerated hair effects) in The Witcher 3, PhysX-accelerated destruction and cloth effects, and HBAO+ in both games. The Witcher 3 releases on May 19, and Batman: Arkham Knight on June 23.

As the Spring PC upgrade season heats up, AMD decided to woo mainstream gamers away from NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 960, by working with retailers in the EU to introduce price-cuts on its Radeon R9 285 graphics card. The card can now be had for under 180€ (incl taxes). The GTX 960, in comparison, starts at 192€ (incl taxes). The R9 285 offers higher performance than the GTX 960. It is, however, let down by higher power consumption and noise figures. Based on the 28 nm "Tonga" silicon, the R9 285 offers 1,792 stream processors based on AMD's Graphics CoreNext 1.2 architecture, 112 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and a 256-bit wide memory interface, holding 2 GB of memory.

GIGABYTE rolled out its latest GeForce GTX 960, designed for space-constrained builds, the GV-N960IX-2GD. This full-height graphics card is just 18.1 cm long, and should squeeze into most compact cubical ITX cases. It features a custom-design PCB that draws power from a single 6-pin PCIe power connector; mated to a compact single-fan cooling solution, which uses a single 90 mm fan to ventilate a dense aluminium fin heatsink, to which heat drawn directly from the GPU die is fed by a pair of 8 mm thick copper heat pipes.

The card offers out of the box clock speeds of 1127 MHz core, 1178 MHz GPU Boost, and 7.00 GHz memory (all reference), and features 2 GB of GDDR5 memory across the chip's 128-bit wide memory interface. Display outputs include a pair of dual-link DVI connectors, and one each of HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2. Based on the 28 nm GM206 silicon, the GeForce GTX 960 features 1,024 CUDA cores based on the "Maxwell" architecture. The company didn't announce pricing or availability information.

As part of its comeback streak with PC graphics, BIOSTAR announced its GeForce GTX 960 graphics card. Based on a custom-design by the company, the card features a custom PCB design, and a dual-fan aluminium fin-stack heatsink, to which heat is fed by copper heat pipes. The cooler keeps its fans off until the GPU reaches a temperature threshold. The card offers reference clocks of 1127 MHz core, 1187 MHz GPU Boost, and 7.00 GHz (GDDR5-effective) memory. The card draws power from a single 6-pin PCIe power connector. Display outputs include a pair of dual-link DVI, and one each of HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 connectors. Expect the card to be priced at $199.

TechPowerUp and GIGABYTE announce the winner of the G1.Gaming GTX 960 giveaway, which saw over 4,000 participants vying for a slick new GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 960 G1.Gaming graphics card. Featuring a large triple-fan WindForce 3X cooling solution designed for GPUs several tiers above it, the GTX 960 is pampered with cooling that will keep it miles away from its performance-crippling temperature throttle, giving you the best possible performance, and some of the lowest noise figures.

Thomas from France wins the contest. Congratulations!

Colorful Technology, the biggest NVIDIA AIC in China, announced its ITX edition GTX960, named the iGame GTX960 2GD5 BURI-Mini. The card is 168 mm in length, and it can be easily installed in congested ITX and mATX cases.

Colorful iGame GTX960 2GD5 BURI-Mini features Colorful-designed cooler, with two 8 mm and one 6 mm heat-pipes. On the PCB, Colorful uses 5 phases VRM, which is equipped all POSCAP capacitors. Like the other iGame series cards, this one also provide two different clocks models. In power efficiency mode, it runs at 1127/7010MHz; and in performance efficiency mode, the clock is set at 1152/7010MHz.

MSI, world leading manufacturer of gaming hardware, launches a whole pack of new Gaming All-in-One PCs, featuring the latest Intel Core i7 and i5 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX960M and GTX970M graphics. The MSI AG270 3K, MSI Gaming 24GE IPS and MSI Gaming 24GE 4K are loaded with a rich array of gaming features, specifically developed to deliver the best experience when playing games.

MSI understands that gamers need the best possible audio output quality when competing online. Therefore MSI integrated Nahimic Audio Enhancer into its newest AG270 3K and Gaming 24GE models, benefitting gaming not only with virtual surround, frequency leveler and bass boost, but also with noise reduction and voice leveler when gaming with a headphone. The MSI Gaming 24GE with IPS technology offers staggering gameplay in combination with the GTX960M GPU. The Gaming 24GE with 4K panel (3840x2160p) additionally makes for a complete PC solution for 4K video editing and encoding.

Palit announced the GeForce GTX 960 4 GB JetStream graphics card, its first GTX 960 with double its standard memory amount. The card features Palit's fiery red cooler featured on its GTX 960 Super JetStream graphics card, and achieves its 4 GB memory amount using eight 4 Gb GDDR5 memory chips. The card also offers a factory-overclock, with its core clocked at 1127 MHz, and with a GPU Boost frequency of 1178 MHz. The memory is kept untouched at 7.00 GHz (GDDR5-effective). The card draws power from a single 6-pin PCIe power connector, display outputs include two DVI, and one each of HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2. The company didn't announce pricing or availability.

TechPowerUp and GIGABYTE bring you this month's giveaway, showcasing the season's hottest mainstream graphics card, the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 960 G1 Gaming. One of the highest-clocked GTX 960 cards, the G1 Gaming pairs NVIDIA's super-efficient "Maxwell" derived GPU with a massive triple-fan cooling solution, which stays silent until a high temperature threshold is reached. Pair a 120W TDP GPU with a 300W-capable heatsink, and you've got yourself a massive "silence" headroom. One lucky winner gets this card. All you have to do is "Like" our Facebook page (if you haven't already), fill up a short form (or have Facebook do it for you), and answer one simple question. Good Luck!

For more information, and to participate, visit this page.

ZOTAC joined the 4 GB GeForce GTX 960 party with two factory-overclocked models. The ZT-90308-10M features a minor overclock of 1177 MHz core, with 1240 MHz GPU Boost (vs. reference clocks of 1126/1178 MHz); while the AMP! variant (ZT-90309-10M) offers higher 1266 MHz core with 1329 MHz GPU Boost. The memory clock is untouched on both cards, at 7.00 GHz (GDDR5-effective).

The ZT-90308-10M features a more cost-effective dual-fan cooling solution, while the AMP! offers a meatier dual-fan one. Both cards draw power from single 8-pin PCIe power connectors, and come with back-plates. Display outputs on both include three DisplayPort 1.2, one HDMI 2.0, and one DVI. Based on the 28 nm GM206 silicon, the GTX 960 features 1,024 CUDA cores, 64 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and a 128-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface. ZOTAC didn't announce pricing or availability information.More pictures follow.