GeForce 8400 GS vs GeForce 8500 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 8400 GS vs GeForce 8500 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 8400 GS vs GeForce 8500 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 8400 GS

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $59 less on MSRP ($30 MSRP vs $89 MSRP).
✅Delivers 186.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.4 vs 1.9 G3D/$ ($30 MSRP vs $89 MSRP).
✅Draws 33W instead of 150W, a 117W reduction.
✅Measures 170mm instead of 173mm, a 3mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 8500 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 8500 GT

2008

Why buy it

✅4.8% 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.
❌
196.7% HIGHER MSRP
$89 MSRPvs$30 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.9 vs 5.4 G3D/$ ($89 MSRP vs $30 MSRP).
❌354.5% higher power demand at 150W vs 33W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 8500 GT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3.7% in PassMark G3D (169 vs 163), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce 8400 GS 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 8400 GS makes the most sense to buy today. It is $59 cheaper on MSRP at $30 vs $89, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 186.1% (5.4 vs 1.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce 8500 GT still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce 8400 GS vs GeForce 8500 GT Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 8400 GS

The GeForce 8400 GS is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 17 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1029 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 163 points.

GeForce 8500 GT

The GeForce 8500 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: 169 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 8400 GS scores 163 and the GeForce 8500 GT reaches 169 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 8400 GS is built on Maxwell while the GeForce 8500 GT uses G9x, both on 28 nm vs 65 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 224 (GeForce 8500 GT).

Feature	GeForce 8400 GS	GeForce 8500 GT
G3D Mark Score	163	169+4%
Architecture	Maxwell	G9x
Process Node	28 nm	65 nm
Shading Units	384+71%	224

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 8400 GS	GeForce 8500 GT
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 8400 GS has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 8500 GT carries 1 GB. GeForce 8500 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 8400 GS and 64-bit on the GeForce 8500 GT.

Feature	GeForce 8400 GS	GeForce 8500 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: 10.0 (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 10.0 (GeForce 8500 GT). Vulkan: None vs None. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 8400 GS	GeForce 8500 GT
DirectX	10.0	10.0
Vulkan	None	None
OpenGL	3.3	3.3
Max Displays	2	2

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 8400 GS) vs No (GeForce 8500 GT). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs PureVideo HD VP2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 8400 GS) vs MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 8500 GT).

Feature	GeForce 8400 GS	GeForce 8500 GT
Encoder	No	No
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	PureVideo HD VP2
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	MPEG-2,H.264

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 8400 GS draws 33W versus the GeForce 8500 GT's 150W — a 127.9% difference. The GeForce 8400 GS is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 350W (GeForce 8500 GT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 170mm vs 173mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 65°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce 8400 GS	GeForce 8500 GT
TDP	33W-78%	150W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	170mm	173mm
Height	106mm	111mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	65°C-13%	75°C
Perf/Watt	4.9+345%	1.1

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 8400 GS came in at $30, while the GeForce 8500 GT launched at $89. On MSRP, GeForce 8400 GS was 66.3% cheaper ($59 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 5.4 (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 1.9 (GeForce 8500 GT) — the GeForce 8400 GS offers 184.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce 8400 GS (2014 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 8400 GS	GeForce 8500 GT
MSRP	$30-66%	$89
Performance per Dollar	5.4+184%	1.9
Codename	GM108	NB9E-GTX
Release	March 17 2014	July 15 2008
Ranking	#850	#825

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