GeForce 7900 GTX vs GeForce GTX 260M

NVIDIA

GeForce 7900 GTX

2008Core: 500 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 260M

2008Core: 576 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce 7900 GTX vs GeForce GTX 260M 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 7900 GTX vs GeForce GTX 260M 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 7900 GTX vs GeForce GTX 260M: 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 7900 GTX

2008

Why buy it

  • 12.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Draws 150W instead of 182W, a 32W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2008 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

2008

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
  • More future proof: Tesla 2.0 (2007−2013) on 65nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce 7900 GTX across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2008 hardware with 1 GB 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 0.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • 21.3% higher power demand at 182W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce 7900 GTX is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 12.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.6% in PassMark G3D (388 vs 382), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce 7900 GTX 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 7900 GTX makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce 7900 GTX vs GeForce GTX 260M Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce 7900 GTX

The GeForce 7900 GTX 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: 388 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 260M

The GeForce GTX 260M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 16 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 576 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 182W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 382 points. Launch price was $449.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 7900 GTX scores 388 and the GeForce GTX 260M reaches 382 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 7900 GTX is built on G9x while the GeForce GTX 260M uses Tesla 2.0, both on a 65 nm process. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs 192 (GeForce GTX 260M).

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTXGeForce GTX 260M
G3D Mark Score
388+2%
382
Architecture
G9x
Tesla 2.0
Process Node
65 nm
65 nm
Shading Units
224+17%
192

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTXGeForce GTX 260M
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 7900 GTX has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 260M carries 1 GB. GeForce GTX 260M gives you 100% 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 7900 GTX and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 260M.

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTXGeForce GTX 260M
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
1 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0c (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 260M). OpenGL: 2.1 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTXGeForce GTX 260M
DirectX
9.0c
11.1 (10_0)+23%
OpenGL
2.1
3.3+57%
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTX 260M). Decoder: PureVideo VP1 vs PureVideo HD VP2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,WMV9,H.264 (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 260M).

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTXGeForce GTX 260M
Encoder
None
PureVideo HD VP2
Decoder
PureVideo VP1
PureVideo HD VP2
Codecs
MPEG-2,WMV9,H.264
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 7900 GTX draws 150W versus the GeForce GTX 260M's 182W — a 19.3% difference. The GeForce 7900 GTX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 260M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs None. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTXGeForce GTX 260M
TDP
150W-18%
182W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
None
Length
229mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
80-6%
85°C
Perf/Watt
2.6+24%
2.1