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 310 vs GeForce 9650M GT 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 310 vs GeForce 9650M GT: 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 310

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $55 less on MSRP ($45 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 132% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 3.2 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($45 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Draws 33W instead of 75W, a 42W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9650M GT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce 9650M GT

2015

Why buy it

✅0.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2015 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
122.2% HIGHER MSRP
$100 MSRPvs$45 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 3.2 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $45 MSRP).
❌127.3% higher power demand at 75W vs 33W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 9650M GT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 0.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce 310 instead at 143 vs 137, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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

GeForce 310 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?

GeForce 310 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $55 cheaper on MSRP at $45 vs $100, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 132% (3.2 vs 1.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce 9650M GT still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce 310 vs GeForce 9650M GT Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 310

The GeForce 310 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 928 MHz to 941 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 143 points.

GeForce 9650M GT

The GeForce 9650M GT is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 27 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 928 MHz to 1020 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 137 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 310 scores 143 and the GeForce 9650M GT reaches 137 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 310 is built on Maxwell while the GeForce 9650M GT uses Maxwell, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 310) vs 640 (GeForce 9650M GT). Raw compute: 0.7227 TFLOPS (GeForce 310) vs 1.306 TFLOPS (GeForce 9650M GT). Boost clocks: 941 MHz vs 1020 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 310	GeForce 9650M GT
G3D Mark Score	143+4%	137
Architecture	Maxwell	Maxwell
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	640+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7227 TFLOPS	1.306 TFLOPS+81%
Boost Clock	941 MHz	1020 MHz+8%
ROPs	8	16+100%
TMUs	24	40+67%
L1 Cache	192 KB	320 KB+67%
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 310	GeForce 9650M GT
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)

The GeForce 310 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9650M GT carries 1 GB. GeForce 9650M GT gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce 310 and 128-bit on the GeForce 9650M GT. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 310) vs 2 MB (GeForce 9650M GT) — the GeForce 9650M GT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 310	GeForce 9650M GT
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	1 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.1 (GeForce 310) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 9650M GT). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 310	GeForce 9650M GT
DirectX	10.1	11.1 (10_0)+10%
OpenGL	3.3	3.3
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 310) vs No NVENC (G96) (GeForce 9650M GT). Decoder: PureVideo VP4 vs PureVideo HD VP3. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 (GeForce 310) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,WMV9 (GeForce 9650M GT).

Feature	GeForce 310	GeForce 9650M GT
Encoder	None	No NVENC (G96)
Decoder	PureVideo VP4	PureVideo HD VP3
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,WMV9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 310 draws 33W versus the GeForce 9650M GT's 75W — a 77.8% difference. The GeForce 310 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 310) vs 350W (GeForce 9650M GT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce 310	GeForce 9650M GT
TDP	33W-56%	75W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	168mm	—
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1	0-100%
Temp (Load)	80°C	80°C
Perf/Watt	4.3+139%	1.8

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 310 came in at $45, while the GeForce 9650M GT launched at $100. On MSRP, GeForce 310 was 55% cheaper ($55 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.2 (GeForce 310) vs 1.4 (GeForce 9650M GT) — the GeForce 310 offers 128.6% better value.

Feature	GeForce 310	GeForce 9650M GT
MSRP	$45-55%	$100
Performance per Dollar	3.2+129%	1.4
Codename	GM108	GM107
Release	March 13 2015	October 27 2015
Ranking	#810	#671

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