GeForce 800A vs GeForce 9800 GT

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 800A vs GeForce 9800 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 800A vs GeForce 9800 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 800A

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $60 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Delivers 55% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.3 vs 2.8 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Draws 33W instead of 150W, a 117W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9800 GT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce 9800 GT

2008

Why buy it

✅19.0% 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).

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.
❌
60% HIGHER MSRP
$160 MSRPvs$100 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.8 vs 4.3 G3D/$ ($160 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌354.5% higher power demand at 150W vs 33W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 9800 GT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 19.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3.2% in PassMark G3D (449 vs 435), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce 800A is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 28nm process instead of 65nm and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2008. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce 800A makes the most sense to buy today. It is $60 cheaper on MSRP at $100 vs $160, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 55% (4.3 vs 2.8), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce 9800 GT still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce 800A vs GeForce 9800 GT Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 800A

The GeForce 800A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 22 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1150 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 435 points.

GeForce 9800 GT

The GeForce 9800 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: 449 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 800A scores 435 and the GeForce 9800 GT reaches 449 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 800A is built on Maxwell while the GeForce 9800 GT uses G9x, both on 28 nm vs 65 nm. Shader units: 256 (GeForce 800A) vs 224 (GeForce 9800 GT).

Feature	GeForce 800A	GeForce 9800 GT
G3D Mark Score	435	449+3%
Architecture	Maxwell	G9x
Process Node	28 nm	65 nm
Shading Units	256+14%	224

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 800A	GeForce 9800 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 800A has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9800 GT carries 1 GB. GeForce 9800 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 800A and 64-bit on the GeForce 9800 GT.

Feature	GeForce 800A	GeForce 9800 GT
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	1 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 800A) vs 11.1 (FL10_0) (GeForce 9800 GT). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 800A	GeForce 9800 GT
DirectX	12 (11_0)+8%	11.1 (FL10_0)
OpenGL	4.6+39%	3.3
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (GeForce 800A) vs VP3 (GeForce 9800 GT). Decoder: VP5 vs VP3. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 800A) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce 9800 GT).

Feature	GeForce 800A	GeForce 9800 GT
Encoder	NVENC	VP3
Decoder	VP5	VP3
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 800A draws 33W versus the GeForce 9800 GT's 150W — a 127.9% difference. The GeForce 800A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 800A) vs 350W (GeForce 9800 GT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 0mm vs 229mm, occupying 0 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 85 vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce 800A	GeForce 9800 GT
TDP	33W-78%	150W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	0mm	229mm
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0-100%	1
Temp (Load)	85	85°C
Perf/Watt	13.2+340%	3.0

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 800A came in at $100, while the GeForce 9800 GT launched at $160. On MSRP, GeForce 800A was 37.5% cheaper ($60 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 4.3 (GeForce 800A) vs 2.8 (GeForce 9800 GT) — the GeForce 800A offers 53.6% better value. The newer card here is GeForce 800A (2014 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 800A	GeForce 9800 GT
MSRP	$100-38%	$160
Performance per Dollar	4.3+54%	2.8
Codename	GM108	NB9E-GTX
Release	July 22 2014	July 15 2008
Ranking	#832	#825

Search GeForce 800A on Amazon

Search GeForce 9800 GT on Amazon

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.