GeForce 720A vs GeForce GTX 260M SLI

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 720A vs GeForce GTX 260M SLI 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 720A vs GeForce GTX 260M SLI: 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 720A

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 19.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($30 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 33W instead of 150W, a 117W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 260M SLI across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌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 GTX 260M SLI

2009

Why buy it

✅16.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌2009 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 19.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $30 MSRP).
❌354.5% higher power demand at 150W vs 33W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 260M SLI is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 16.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.9% in PassMark G3D (588 vs 577), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce 720A is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 28nm process instead of 55nm and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2009. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce 720A makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce GTX 260M SLI still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce 720A vs GeForce GTX 260M SLI Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 720A

The GeForce 720A 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: 577 points.

GeForce GTX 260M SLI

The GeForce GTX 260M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 2 2009. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 550 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 588 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 720A scores 577 and the GeForce GTX 260M SLI reaches 588 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 720A is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 260M SLI uses G9x, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 720A) vs 224 (GeForce GTX 260M SLI).

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce GTX 260M SLI
G3D Mark Score	577	588+2%
Architecture	Maxwell	G9x
Process Node	28 nm	55 nm
Shading Units	384+71%	224

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce GTX 260M SLI
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 720A and 64-bit on the GeForce GTX 260M SLI.

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce GTX 260M SLI
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 720A) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 260M SLI). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce GTX 260M SLI
DirectX	12 (11_0)+8%	11.1 (10_0)
OpenGL	4.6+39%	3.3
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (GeForce 720A) vs PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTX 260M SLI). Decoder: NVDEC vs PureVideo HD VP2. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 720A) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 260M SLI).

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce GTX 260M SLI
Encoder	NVENC	PureVideo HD VP2
Decoder	NVDEC	PureVideo HD VP2
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 720A draws 33W versus the GeForce GTX 260M SLI's 150W — a 127.9% difference. The GeForce 720A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 720A) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 260M SLI). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 85 vs 90°C.

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce GTX 260M SLI
TDP	33W-78%	150W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	85-6%	90°C
Perf/Watt	17.5+349%	3.9

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce 720A (2015 vs 2009).

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce GTX 260M SLI
MSRP	$30	—
Codename	GM108	NB9E-GTX
Release	March 13 2015	March 2 2009
Ranking	#810	#806

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