GeForce 256 vs GeForce2 MX/MX 400

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce 256 vs GeForce2 MX/MX 400 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 256 vs GeForce2 MX/MX 400: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 256

2019

Why buy it

✅+25% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Draws 10W instead of 25W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
54.3% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$129 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.0 vs 0.0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).

GeForce2 MX/MX 400

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 23.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.0 vs 0.0 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (4 vs 5).
❌2020 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌150% higher power demand at 25W vs 10W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 256 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 25% in PassMark G3D (5 vs 4), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce 256 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce2 MX/MX 400 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $70 cheaper on MSRP at $129 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 23.4% (0.0 vs 0.0), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce2 MX/MX 400 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 256 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 256 vs GeForce2 MX/MX 400 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce 256

The GeForce 256 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 20 2019. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 937 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 10W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5 points.

GeForce2 MX/MX 400

The GeForce2 MX/MX 400 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 1 2020. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1575 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 256 scores 5 versus the GeForce2 MX/MX 400's 4 — the GeForce 256 leads by 25%. The GeForce 256 is built on Pascal while the GeForce2 MX/MX 400 uses Turing, both on 14 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 256) vs 896 (GeForce2 MX/MX 400). Raw compute: 0.7972 TFLOPS (GeForce 256) vs 3.226 TFLOPS (GeForce2 MX/MX 400). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 1575 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce2 MX/MX 400
G3D Mark Score	5+25%	4
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	14 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	384	896+133%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7972 TFLOPS	3.226 TFLOPS+305%
Boost Clock	1038 MHz	1575 MHz+52%
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	24	64+167%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce2 MX/MX 400
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 512 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce 256 and 64-bit on the GeForce2 MX/MX 400.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce2 MX/MX 400
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 7.0 (GeForce 256) vs 7.0 (GeForce2 MX/MX 400). OpenGL: 1.2 vs 1.2. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce2 MX/MX 400
DirectX	7.0	7.0
OpenGL	1.2	1.2
Max Displays	1	2+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 256) vs None (GeForce2 MX/MX 400). Decoder: MPEG-2 Motion Comp vs MPEG-2 Decoder. Supported codecs: MPEG-2 (GeForce 256) vs MPEG-2 (GeForce2 MX/MX 400).

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce2 MX/MX 400
Encoder	None	None
Decoder	MPEG-2 Motion Comp	MPEG-2 Decoder
Codecs	MPEG-2	MPEG-2

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 256 draws 10W versus the GeForce2 MX/MX 400's 25W — a 85.7% difference. The GeForce 256 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 256) vs 350W (GeForce2 MX/MX 400). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 60°C vs 55°C.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce2 MX/MX 400
TDP	10W-60%	25W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	165mm	—
Height	100mm	100mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	60°C	55°C-8%
Perf/Watt	0.5+150%	0.2

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 256 came in at $199, while the GeForce2 MX/MX 400 launched at $129. On MSRP, GeForce2 MX/MX 400 was 35.2% cheaper ($70 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.0 (GeForce 256) vs 0.0 (GeForce2 MX/MX 400) — the GeForce2 MX/MX 400 offers 0% better value. The newer card here is GeForce2 MX/MX 400 (2020 vs 2019).

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce2 MX/MX 400
MSRP	$199	$129-35%
Performance per Dollar	0.0	0.0
Codename	GP108B	N17S-G5 / GP107-670-A1
Release	February 20 2019	August 1 2020
Ranking	#643	#523

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