GeForce 8500 GT vs GeForce 9200

NVIDIA

GeForce 8500 GT

2008Core: 500 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce 9200

2016Core: 965 MHzBoost: 993 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce 8500 GT vs GeForce 9200 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 8500 GT vs GeForce 9200 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 8500 GT vs GeForce 9200: 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 8500 GT

2008

Why buy it

  • 290.9% more average FPS across 22 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.
  • 78% HIGHER MSRP
    $89 MSRPvs$50 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.9 vs 3.4 G3D/$ ($89 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
  • 837.5% higher power demand at 150W vs 16W.

GeForce 9200

2016

Why buy it

  • Costs $39 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $89 MSRP).
  • Delivers 76.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 3.4 vs 1.9 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs $89 MSRP).
  • Draws 16W instead of 150W, a 134W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce 8500 GT across 22 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2016 hardware with 512 MB 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 8500 GT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 290.9% in average FPS across 22 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.6% in PassMark G3D (169 vs 168), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce 8500 GT is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce 9200 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $39 cheaper on MSRP at $50 vs $89, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 76.9% (3.4 vs 1.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce 9200 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 8500 GT has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 8500 GT vs GeForce 9200 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce 9200

The GeForce 9200 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 25 2016. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 965 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 16W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 168 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 8500 GT scores 169 and the GeForce 9200 reaches 168 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 8500 GT is built on G9x while the GeForce 9200 uses Maxwell, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 8500 GT) vs 256 (GeForce 9200).

FeatureGeForce 8500 GTGeForce 9200
G3D Mark Score
169
168
Architecture
G9x
Maxwell
Process Node
65 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
224
256+14%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 8500 GTGeForce 9200
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 8500 GT has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9200 carries 512 MB. 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 64-bit on the GeForce 8500 GT and 128-bit on the GeForce 9200.

FeatureGeForce 8500 GTGeForce 9200
VRAM Capacity
1 GB+100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.0 (GeForce 8500 GT) vs 10.0 (GeForce 9200). Vulkan: None vs N/A. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce 8500 GTGeForce 9200
DirectX
10.0
10.0
Vulkan
None
N/A
OpenGL
3.3
3.3
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 8500 GT) vs None (GeForce 9200). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs PureVideo HD (VP2). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 8500 GT) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce 9200).

FeatureGeForce 8500 GTGeForce 9200
Encoder
No
None
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP2
PureVideo HD (VP2)
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 8500 GT draws 150W versus the GeForce 9200's 16W — a 161.4% difference. The GeForce 9200 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8500 GT) vs 350W (GeForce 9200). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 70.

FeatureGeForce 8500 GTGeForce 9200
TDP
150W
16W-89%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
Legacy
Length
173mm
0mm
Height
111mm
0mm
Slots
1
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75°C
70-7%
Perf/Watt
1.1
10.5+855%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 8500 GT came in at $89, while the GeForce 9200 launched at $50. On MSRP, GeForce 9200 was 43.8% cheaper ($39 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.9 (GeForce 8500 GT) vs 3.4 (GeForce 9200) — the GeForce 9200 offers 78.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce 9200 (2016 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce 8500 GTGeForce 9200
MSRP
$89
$50-44%
Performance per Dollar
1.9
3.4+79%
Codename
NB9E-GTX
GM108
Release
July 15 2008
March 25 2016
Ranking
#825
#864

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