GeForce 6800 GS vs GeForce 9500 GT

NVIDIA

GeForce 6800 GS

2008Core: 500 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce 9500 GT

2008Core: 500 MHz

GeForce 6800 GS vs GeForce 9500 GT Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

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 6800 GS vs GeForce 9500 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 6800 GS vs GeForce 9500 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 6800 GS

2008

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2008 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 151.5% HIGHER MSRP
    $249 MSRPvs$99 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.8 vs 1.9 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
  • 23.4% longer card at 216mm vs 175mm.

GeForce 9500 GT

2008

Why buy it

  • Costs $150 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • Delivers 146.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.9 vs 0.8 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 256 MB).
  • Measures 175mm instead of 216mm, a 41mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • 2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce 6800 GS is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.1% in PassMark G3D (192 vs 188), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce 6800 GS 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 9500 GT makes the most sense to buy today. It is $150 cheaper on MSRP at $99 vs $249, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 146.3% (1.9 vs 0.8), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce 9500 GT is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 6800 GS has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 6800 GS vs GeForce 9500 GT Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce 6800 GS

The GeForce 6800 GS is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 192 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce 9500 GT

The GeForce 9500 GT is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 188 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 6800 GS scores 192 and the GeForce 9500 GT reaches 188 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 6800 GS is built on G9x while the GeForce 9500 GT uses G9x, both on a 65 nm process. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 6800 GS) vs 224 (GeForce 9500 GT).

FeatureGeForce 6800 GSGeForce 9500 GT
G3D Mark Score
192+2%
188
Architecture
G9x
G9x
Process Node
65 nm
65 nm
Shading Units
224
224

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 6800 GSGeForce 9500 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 6800 GS has 256 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9500 GT carries 1 GB. GeForce 9500 GT gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce 6800 GS and 64-bit on the GeForce 9500 GT.

FeatureGeForce 6800 GSGeForce 9500 GT
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB
1 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0c (GeForce 6800 GS) vs 10.0 (GeForce 9500 GT). Vulkan: None vs N/A. OpenGL: 2.1 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce 6800 GSGeForce 9500 GT
DirectX
9.0c
10.0+11%
Vulkan
None
N/A
OpenGL
2.1
3.3+57%
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 6800 GS) vs None (GeForce 9500 GT). Decoder: PureVideo vs PureVideo HD (VP2). Supported codecs: MPEG-2 (GeForce 6800 GS) vs MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264 (GeForce 9500 GT).

FeatureGeForce 6800 GSGeForce 9500 GT
Encoder
No
None
Decoder
PureVideo
PureVideo HD (VP2)
Codecs
MPEG-2
MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 6800 GS draws 150W versus the GeForce 9500 GT's 150W — a 0% difference. The GeForce 9500 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 6800 GS) vs 350W (GeForce 9500 GT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 216mm vs 175mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 80.

FeatureGeForce 6800 GSGeForce 9500 GT
TDP
150W
150W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
Legacy
Length
216mm
175mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
1
1
Temp (Load)
85°C
80-6%
Perf/Watt
1.3
1.3
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 6800 GS came in at $249, while the GeForce 9500 GT launched at $99. On MSRP, GeForce 9500 GT was 60.2% cheaper ($150 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.8 (GeForce 6800 GS) vs 1.9 (GeForce 9500 GT) — the GeForce 9500 GT offers 137.5% better value.

FeatureGeForce 6800 GSGeForce 9500 GT
MSRP
$249
$99-60%
Performance per Dollar
0.8
1.9+137%
Codename
NB9E-GTX
NB9E-GTX
Release
July 15 2008
July 15 2008
Ranking
#825
#825

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.