GeForce 256 vs GeForce4 Ti 4200

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 GeForce4 Ti 4200 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 GeForce4 Ti 4200: 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

✅Draws 10W instead of 450W, a 440W reduction.
✅Measures 165mm instead of 175mm, a 10mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5 vs 6).
❌2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.0 vs 0.0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

GeForce4 Ti 4200

2022

Why buy it

✅+20% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 20% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.0 vs 0.0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌4400% higher power demand at 450W vs 10W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce4 Ti 4200 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 20% in PassMark G3D (6 vs 5), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GeForce4 Ti 4200 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 5nm process instead of 14nm, 128 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2019. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce4 Ti 4200 makes the most sense to buy today. It is priced the same on MSRP at $199 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 20% (0.0 vs 0.0), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce 256 vs GeForce4 Ti 4200 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.

GeForce4 Ti 4200

The GeForce4 Ti 4200 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2022. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2235 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 16384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 450W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 128 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6 points. Launch price was $1,599.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 256 scores 5 versus the GeForce4 Ti 4200's 6 — the GeForce4 Ti 4200 leads by 20%. The GeForce 256 is built on Pascal while the GeForce4 Ti 4200 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 14 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 256) vs 16,384 (GeForce4 Ti 4200). Raw compute: 0.7972 TFLOPS (GeForce 256) vs 82.58 TFLOPS (GeForce4 Ti 4200). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 2520 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce4 Ti 4200
G3D Mark Score	5	6+20%
Architecture	Pascal	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	14 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	384	16384+4167%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7972 TFLOPS	82.58 TFLOPS+10259%
Boost Clock	1038 MHz	2520 MHz+143%
ROPs	16	176+1000%
TMUs	24	512+2033%
L1 Cache	0.14 MB	16 MB+11329%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	72 MB+14300%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce4 Ti 4200
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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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 GeForce4 Ti 4200. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce 256) vs 72 MB (GeForce4 Ti 4200) — the GeForce4 Ti 4200 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce4 Ti 4200
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	72 MB+14300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 7.0 (GeForce 256) vs 8.1 (GeForce4 Ti 4200). OpenGL: 1.2 vs 1.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce4 Ti 4200
DirectX	7.0	8.1+16%
OpenGL	1.2	1.5+25%
Max Displays	1	2+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 256) vs None (GeForce4 Ti 4200). Decoder: MPEG-2 Motion Comp vs None. Supported codecs: MPEG-2 (GeForce 256) vs MPEG-2 (GeForce4 Ti 4200).

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce4 Ti 4200
Encoder	None	None
Decoder	MPEG-2 Motion Comp	None
Codecs	MPEG-2	MPEG-2

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 256 draws 10W versus the GeForce4 Ti 4200's 450W — a 191.3% difference. The GeForce 256 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 256) vs 350W (GeForce4 Ti 4200). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 165mm vs 175mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 60°C vs 65.

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce4 Ti 4200
TDP	10W-98%	450W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	165mm	175mm
Height	100mm	100mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	60°C-8%	65
Perf/Watt	0.5	0.0

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 256 came in at $199, while the GeForce4 Ti 4200 launched at $199. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.0 (GeForce 256) vs 0.0 (GeForce4 Ti 4200) — the GeForce4 Ti 4200 offers 0% better value. The newer card here is GeForce4 Ti 4200 (2022 vs 2019).

Feature	GeForce 256	GeForce4 Ti 4200
MSRP	$199	$199
Performance per Dollar	0.0	0.0
Codename	GP108B	AD102
Release	February 20 2019	September 20 2022
Ranking	#643	#4

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