GeForce 256 vs GeForce3 Ti 200

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 GeForce3 Ti 200 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 GeForce3 Ti 200: 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.
✅GeForce3 Ti 200 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so GeForce 256 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 10W instead of 215W, a 205W reduction.
✅Measures 165mm instead of 183mm, a 18mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
33.6% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$149 MSRP

GeForce3 Ti 200

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $50 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (4 vs 5).
❌2018 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌2050% higher power demand at 215W vs 10W.
❌10.9% longer card at 183mm vs 165mm.

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. The case is simple: a newer 2019 generation instead of 2018. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce3 Ti 200 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $50 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 6.8% (0.0 vs 0.0), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce3 Ti 200 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 GeForce3 Ti 200 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.

GeForce3 Ti 200

The GeForce3 Ti 200 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 2944 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 215W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 256 scores 5 versus the GeForce3 Ti 200's 4 — the GeForce 256 leads by 25%. The GeForce 256 is built on Pascal while the GeForce3 Ti 200 uses Turing, both on 14 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 256) vs 2,944 (GeForce3 Ti 200). Raw compute: 0.7972 TFLOPS (GeForce 256) vs 10.07 TFLOPS (GeForce3 Ti 200). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 1710 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce3 Ti 200
G3D Mark Score	5+25%	4
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	14 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	384	2944+667%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7972 TFLOPS	10.07 TFLOPS+1163%
Boost Clock	1038 MHz	1710 MHz+65%
ROPs	16	64+300%
TMUs	24	184+667%
L1 Cache	0.14 MB	2.9 MB+1971%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	4 MB+700%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce3 Ti 200
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 GeForce3 Ti 200. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce 256) vs 4 MB (GeForce3 Ti 200) — the GeForce3 Ti 200 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce3 Ti 200
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	4 MB+700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 7.0 (GeForce 256) vs 8.1 (GeForce3 Ti 200). OpenGL: 1.2 vs 1.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce3 Ti 200
DirectX	7.0	8.1+16%
OpenGL	1.2	1.3+8%
Max Displays	1	2+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 256) vs None (GeForce3 Ti 200). Decoder: MPEG-2 Motion Comp vs None. Supported codecs: MPEG-2 (GeForce 256) vs MPEG-2 (GeForce3 Ti 200).

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce3 Ti 200
Encoder	None	None
Decoder	MPEG-2 Motion Comp	None
Codecs	MPEG-2	MPEG-2

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 256 draws 10W versus the GeForce3 Ti 200's 215W — a 182.2% difference. The GeForce 256 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 256) vs 350W (GeForce3 Ti 200). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 165mm vs 183mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 60°C vs 60.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce3 Ti 200
TDP	10W-95%	215W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	165mm	183mm
Height	100mm	100mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	60°C	60
Perf/Watt	0.5	0.0

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 256 came in at $199, while the GeForce3 Ti 200 launched at $149. On MSRP, GeForce3 Ti 200 was 25.1% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.0 (GeForce 256) vs 0.0 (GeForce3 Ti 200) — the GeForce3 Ti 200 offers 0% better value. The newer card here is GeForce 256 (2019 vs 2018).

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce3 Ti 200
MSRP	$199	$149-25%
Performance per Dollar	0.0	0.0
Codename	GP108B	TU104
Release	February 20 2019	September 20 2018
Ranking	#643	#94

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